It snowed on February 8. The tea fields looked just like a black-and-white photograph. They resembled a chocolate cake dusted with sugar. Actually

, snow at this time of year is a “blessing” for the tea plants. The light, powdery snow acts as insulation, protecting the tea bushes from extreme cold (radiative cooling) and keeping them from drying out.

Dryness is the tea plant’s worst enemy. As the snow slowly melts and seeps into the soil, it provides vital moisture for the “new tea” (first flush) to sprout in early spring.

By enduring the cold thoroughly in February, the tea plants clearly recognize that “it is winter now” and enter a deep dormancy. This allows them to store up the energy needed to sprout vigorously all at once when the weather warms up in spring. I’m looking forward to the delicious new tea

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