An Extra Bag

The following is entirely written by Roochy - a perfect Tea Garden Memsahib, as she packs her bags to leave the Tea Gardens for ever.

As I pack my bags to leave,for a longish period,in pursuit of goals which I had left behind me nearly a decade ago and head to the throbbing heart of a metro I once called home,I realize I'll have to carry an extra bag.

Let me see,what shall pack in it?The sights, sounds and smells-the very essence of this life that I have come to know and ever so unknowingly come to love.Amidst the cocaphony of my new life this bag is going to come very handy.

Where do I start?
The buzz of a thousand bees in the litchi tree that has burst into bloom must go in.It has always been synonymous for me with the promise of the fruition of a hope.The sight of the north westers rolling in at the end of a blistering hot day,first blocking out the hills then gathering overhead to provide a stunning backdrop to the spring foliage on tall shade trees,then a clap of thunder here and a flash of lightning there- nature's orchestra adjusting it's tuning before the show finally begins.Oh yes! the first notes that emerge
from the first drops falling on the gravel at my feet all go in too.

So do the flashes of the firefly chowkidars guarding I know not what as the bustle about on duty on rainy nights.The sound of crystal tinkling indoors while elephants trumpet outdoors.Wonder if these sounds could coexist so harmoniously anywhere else.And winter mornings-I can't leave those behind either,in goes the first coherent picture my son made on the thickly fogged windscreen of the car as I drove him to school one freezing dawn-a cat with no ears and a tail half a mile long.The smell of the lawn mowed is another must,I'll wrap it in the accompanying racket of the vintage lawn mower.

The gate clanging,carpets being beaten,a bamboo broom at work on crisp dry winter leaves,the flappng of washing being hung out to dry on the line,the unmistakable smell of wood polish all symbolizing a day in my life for all these years,so intrinsically woven are they with me now that I won't have to carry them,they'll just come right along,one after another,filling in my extra bag.

And then right on top carefully ,very carefully because I'm not sure if it's gossamer fragility will ever let it survive in a new pulsating environment,I'm putting in-----the sound of silence,sheer and absolute in the stillness of a dark night.

Dont be biased about Grades

Recently I read a lot of stuff on various Tea discussion groups, some undermining the quality aspect of Dust Grades. I personally do not advocate for one grade or another. Each one to his own taste and preference.
Yet, should anyone have any doubts of the quality of different grades of tea, I wish to lay down the following:-

As is known, the Whole Leaf, Fannings and the Dusts are all made from the same leaves, undergo the same process of manufacturing and is separated based on particle size during the process of sorting.
My experience is that Fanning or Dust is NEVER inferior to Whole Leaf (or Brokens in case of CTC Teas) in any way, and actually scores over Whole Leaf in terms of Cuppage and usability in Tea Bags. (4 Grms is recommended for a cup, yet Tea Bags contains 2 to 2.5 Grms only! Thats : Dust)

I am not talking here about the PULVERISED or RECONDITIONED Dust, which can easily be identified by an experienced Tea Taster.

Coming to the main point of my post, it is the process of FERMENTATION and DRYING which lends different charecteristics to different grades.

The Surface area of a grain of Tea exposed to atmosphere during Fermentation and to Hot Air during Drying vis-a-vis its mass are different in the case of different grades. As a result, the smaller grades are more thoroughly OXIDISED and DRIED, whereas the larger grades retain a bit of GREENNESS in its core.

In general, Brew Dusts for a shorter while and enjoy the flavour of Leaf or brew Leaf for a longer while and enjoy the strength of Dusts!

Tea Cheers!
Jayesh S Pandya.

Pesticide Poisoning : Symptoms And Antidotes

Chemical/Pesticide Poisoning Symptoms and Antidotes
At times of emergency, we are short of information. With Agrochemicals being an integral part of Tea cultivation, the risk of poisoning is omnipresent.

This is a list of Symptoms and Antidotes of some common Agrochemicals used in Tea Plantations. The data has been collected mostly from MSDS of the manufacturers.

This list is not exhaustive, hence I request the readers to provide more information which can be updated to make a more exhaustive list. I wish TRA / UPASI would include this information each time they append the list of approved agrochemicals.

Thanks and Tea Cheers!

Alphamethrin: If ingested carry out gastric lavage with care to prevent aspiration. Phenobarbital or diphenylhydentoin or their mixture may be given. Inhalation could result in pneumpnia of chemical origin. Treat symptomatically. Antihistamine may be given if allergic symptoms occur. (Source:Rallis).

Azadirachtin: Symptomatic; If swallowed, induce vomiting,give gastric lavage. Symptoms: Mild eye irritation, Reduced motor activity, Diareeah.

Cartap Hydrochloride: I.V. Injection 100-200 mg. Of L- Cyoteine or 20-60mg. BAL ( dimercaprol ) or 2,3- Dimercapro Propanol.

Carbofuran: Atropine 2 mg. IM or subcutanous. Do not use Oxins like 2 PAM. (Source:Rallis).

Deltamethrin: Do not induce vomiting if ingested. Diazepam in case of seizures and atropin in low dosage in case of hypercholinergy.(source:Aventis).

Dicofol: Induce vomiting if ingested. Flush eyes. Gastric lavage with warm water followed by following in a pint of warm water, Activated charcoal 2 parts, magnesiumoxide 1 part and tannic acid 1 part. Treat symptomatically.(Source:Rallis).

Ethofenprox: Symptomatic, Induce vomiting by tickling back of the throat.

Fipronil: irritability, lethargy, muscle tremor and in extreme cases, convulsions. Fresh air, artificial respiration, induce vomiting, wash skin with soap and water, irrigate eyes, treat symptomatically. No specific antidote.(Source:Rhone Poulenc).

Hexaconazole: Symptoms: nervousness, anxiety, convulsions and allergic manifestations. Antidote: Induce vomiting with a glass of warm salt water till the vomit is clear. Wash contaminated parts. Irrigate eye with normal saline. If ingested give gatric lavage with care to prevent aspiration. Treat symptomatically.(Source:Rallis).

Imidachloprid:Symptoms – Apathy, Myatonia, Tremor, Difficult Breathing,Myospasms. If the product gets into the eyes, wash it out with plenty of water. In poisoning measure blood pressure and pulse rate frequently. Since bradycardia and drop in blood pressure may occur, artificial breathing and heart action are recommended. Eliminate the active ingredient through gastric lavage saline laxatives.( Source: Rallis)

Phorate 10G: First Aid: Gastric Lavage 5% Sodium Bicarbonate. Wash. 1st.antidote: Atropine immediately and maintain full level of atroprination with repeated doses of 2-3 mg. at 5-10 mts. For hours together. Need for furthur atroprination indicated by symptoms. Upto 50 mg. may be required per day. 2nd.antidote:Administer 1-2 mg. of 2PAM diluted in 10cc of distilled water and inject intravenously very slowly taking 10-15 minutes. (Source:Rallis).

Quinalphos: Atropine Sulphate. Atropinize immediately and maintain full atroprinasation by repeated dose of 2-4 mg. at 5-10 minutes interval untill continuance of symptoms. 2 PAM may also be given. (Source:Indofil).

S.S. Pandya : Testimony

Dear Friends,
Hereunder, I proudly display the farewell addresses given to my beloved Father, S.S.Pandya by the staff and workers of the Tea Estates where he worked as Manager during his 30 years career as a Tea Planters. I pray to almighty God to Bless and keep the well wishers and their families happy for ever!
Being Born to my Father, I have just one regret -- I could never work as his assistant!
Tea Cheers!

Links to Tea Sites

Dear friends,
This is an attempt to post some interesting Tea related Web Sites which I have visited.
I trust you will benefit from these. There is no order of preference in the list .. its at best .. random.
http://www.adagio.com/ http://www.ocha.com/ http://www.englishteastore.com/ http://www.teavana.com/
http://www.republicoftea.com/ http://www.palaisdesthes.com/ http://www.stashtea.com/ http://www.bobateadirect.com/
http://www.mightyleaf.com/ http://www.harney.com/ http://www.celestialseasonings.com/ http://www.specialteas.com/
http://www.tenren.com/ http://www.twinings.com/ http://www.wbtea.com/ http://www.buytea.com/ http://www.teasource.com/
http://www.wmtea.com/ http://www.enjoyingtea.com/ http://www.bigelowtea.com/ http://www.revolutiontea.com/
http://www.japanesegreenteaonline.com/ http://www.hibikian.com/ http://www.uptontea.com/ http://www.generationtea.com/ http://www.dilmahtea.com/ http://www.rishitea.com/ http://www.inpursuitoftea.com/
http://www.teaspring.com/ http://www.theteatable.com/ http://www.itoen.com/ http://www.sevencups.com/
http://www.serendipitea.com/ http://www.chai.com/ http://www.innteas.com/

Tea Cheers!

State of Tea Industry in West Bengal - Dooars

Letter to Chief Minister of West Bengal : Sad, but still very much true.

Pesticide Free Tea : The Paradox

One of the best things that has been said about Tea is that "Tea is Unpretentious".

To such a humble produce, questions are now being raised as to its safety...

And thats it then!

Some Planters do not spray anything at all, for the simple reason that they do not have money .. Strange as it may sound, it is sadly TRUE.

We end up buying Teas from reputed estates with big names who have production targets to meet and fluid budgets for pesticides. State ofthe art machinery to even turn coarse leaf into visibly good tea.On the other hand there are estates who do not even have money to pay wages. No money - No name - No demand - poor prices : the vicious cycle goes on and on. Endosulfan, Dicofol, Ethion, Paraquat Dichloride, Amine Salts, SodiumSalts, Synthetic pyrethroids, Fenazaquin, Glyphosate, Oxyflurofen,Chloropyrifos, Imidachlorpid ..... the list of chemicals goes on and on.Yet, the Tea Plantations are an example of the most intense and scientific form of cultivation. The plants survive in a very healthy state, and remain economically productive even beyond 100 years ofage. Usually pesticides are sprayed immediately after harvest, so that harvestable leaves do not receive the chemicals. Some chemicals aresystemic though, and in such cases, a harvesting holiday is given tothe Bushes, or alternatively, the following harvest is skiffed off /discarded. The Tea industry in India imposed a voulentary ban on theuse of Chlorinated Hydrocarbons way back in early 70's.

The bottom line is that, pesticide or no pesticide, TEA is by far theSAFEST drink to have.A word of caution though .... Avoid First Flush Teas. During themonths of dormancy, the bushes go through a lot of stress ... Frost,Drought, Aphids et al. So to sustain the plants, a lot of Pesticides +Muriate of Potash + Di Ammonium Phosphate + Sulphur is sprayed. Therebeing no harvest, the plant can not digest / metabolise thesechemicals. It all builds up .....

And another bottom line here is : Blended Teas are by far safer,compared to single estate teas, unless they are from a reliable source.

Tea Cheers!Jayesh S Pandya.