Today, on 10th May, the first picking of the tea at Miyazakien in 2017 began.
You may have seen some “eighty-eighth night” news on 2nd May this year. The day is traditionally famous for the day many tea gardens in Japan start a tea picking. The eighty eighth night means it has passed 87 days from the beginning of spring and the best season of pecking tea begins. In warm regions on flat land or seaside area, it is just about it. But in this area, Okazaki – Nukata district is high in altitude, tea picking should start slightly later.
Fortunately for this year’s tea, despite the fact that the temperature tended to be low from the last March to April, the frost was hardly damaged and the buds steadily grew.
Miyazakien has a facility to process tea leaves into tea in the garden. So, for a while from now, there are so many works to do like tea picking and making rough tea in the garden. And also we have consignment of tea leaves picked up by neighbouring tea farmers. It makes a busy time, so work continues daily, until late midnight. In addition to processing green tea, we have to do something that is unavoidable for Miyazakien, such as processing of “Wa Kocha”, the Japanese black tea, in the garden, and also preparing Hojicha and Matcha.
We will do our best this year to be able to deliver delicious tea to everyone, under the weather and health.
三河の中山間地の気温も上がってきました。今年もお茶の刈り取りが本格化しています。宮ザキ園のスタッフに加え，農業に携わりたいというボランティアの方も加わり，順調に刈り取りがすすんでいます。
こちらはかぶせを取り去った状態。背景に見える山の木々に比べ，やわらかい緑になっています。
そしてこちらが実際の茶葉の刈り取り風景。宮ザキ園の茶畑は山間地にありますので，乗用のような大型の刈り取り機は使いません。このように二人一組になって使う手持ちの刈り取り機で，１畝あたり二往復して丁寧にかりとっていきます。刈り取った茶葉は刈り取り機に繋いだ袋に集められていきます。
一旦，片側を刈り取って…
帰って来ます。
刈るためのコツは，二人がうまく呼吸を合わせ，刈り取り機の高さを揃えることと，畝に対してあまり急にならず，緩くもせず，適度につけた角度を保ち続けることです。
こうして，新芽のお茶の葉が刈り取られ，お茶に加工されてゆきます。
