Sponsored by East Texas Tea Company, The Great Mississippi Tea Company, and J & D Blueberry Farm, the U.S. League of Tea Growers held its first Tea Growers Round Up in February at Jason McDonald’s Great Mississippi Tea Company in Brookhaven, MS.
Events kicked off with a welcome reception hosted by the East Texas Company followed by three days of seminars on monitoring for plant health, building a business plan for sustainable farms and agribusiness, soil building, conservation in rural development programs, soil testing and the tea nursery, and propagation techniques. The 40 participants had the opportunity to tour McDonald’s farm, and visit the research site of the USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Program at Crystal Springs, MS.
Speakers included James Orrock from the University of Florida, Nigel Melican from Teacraft, UK, Rene McCracken of Northeast Texas Community College, Kenny Rollins of A&M University AgriLIFE Extension, Judson LeCompte, Mississippi State
University graduate research assistant, Rebecca Bates of Mississippi State University Extension, Rebecca McKenzie of USDA Farm Service Agency, and Sen. Sally Doty from Brookhaven.
Learn more: www.worldoftea.org/us-league-of-tea-growers