Cha Cha Cha - Boseong Green Tea Fields

My Korean time was rapidly coming to an end, but the weather was not cooperating. We said we didn't care.  The Boseong Green Tea Fields were on my list, so rain or not, we were going.

Three million decorative trees are planted on the grounds, including cedar, cypress, yew, juniper, ginkgo, chestnut, maple, camellias, bamboo, cherry, and magnolia. The tea plantation is about 26 acres, while the whole grounds are about 88 acres.

Since rain was threatening, Daisy brought her daisy umbrella.

대한대웁 Daehan Daeup Boseong Tea Garden Co. Ltd. is the official name, but everyone just calls it the Boseong Green Tea Fields. First opened in 1939, Korea's largest tea garden was devastated by the Korean War. In keeping with the strong spirit of Korea, it has been rebuilt.

 

This twisted cedar was transplanted to this location in the form of a cedar seed that was wound on arrowroot vines as it started growing.

The rain held out, and the misty fog created a mystical halo over the fields.

It was gorgeous.

In South Korea tea leaves are collected three or four times a year. The taste and quality of Green Tea depend on the time of picking.

우전 Woojeon Tea is made from the first young leaves grown after a severe winter that are collected before 곡우 Gokwoo (April 20). This is considered a premium tea that is produced in only a very limited quantity.

서작 Sejak, also called 작설 Jakseol because it looks like the the tongue of a bird, is the most popular. It is made from the leaves collected during the first part of May before the leaf is not fattened fully.

중작 Jungjak is made from the leaves collected by the middle part of May.

The leaves collected by the end of May are 대작 Daejak, also called입아 Ipha. 

차 Cha is the Korean word for tea. 엽차 Yep Cha is made from the leaves ripened fully, collected between June and July. This was the type of tea being harvested while we were there.

According to literature, tea began to have been cultivated in Korea from the Silla Era (668 -935). The Buddhist temples and royal court mainly manufactured tea during the Goryeo Dynasty 

(918-1392).

Susie,  Daisy, Trish, Sandy and Kate

The higher we went, the more mist there was. Apparently there is a great view from the very top, but we couldn't see very far in front of us.

We couldn't leave without purchasing green 차 cha souvenirs and of course green cha ice cream for Kate.

 And we could never miss a 'love' photo op.

 [June 27]