Our philosophy here at English Tea Shop is centred around Prajāva (the Sri Lankan word for community). We endeavour to create a Shared Value approach, working closely with our supply chain and empowering the small-scale farming communities. We believe that in order to sell our teas, we have to know our teas, and so we regularly spend time with our employees and partners on a ground level. Farm visits are a crucial part of the work we do, learning from our organic farmers and gaining an appreciation of the hard work that goes into every tea bag.
Recently, we visited one of our farming communities in Matale, Sri Lanka where they grow a wealth of aromatics, such as moringa and lemongrass. We spent some time with Sujith Kumara, a loyal farmer at English Tea Shop for many years, and talked to him about his lemongrass farm. He took us through some of the processes he employs and the rich biodiversity on his 5 acre farm.
How is lemongrass farmed?
Lemongrass, which is known locally as Sera, grows throughout the year and can be harvested regularly every three months. Harvesting lemongrass is a tricky job which requires much skill and delicate planning, but Sujith makes it look like an art form as he harvests the long stems, which can grow up to a foot in length. Both the leaf and the stem of the lemongrass are harvested for use in our blends to minimise waste.
After a tour, Sujith showed us how his land is cultivated for harvesting and explained the importance of weed management. Our team got stuck in removing the weeds and wild plants from the lemongrass fields, working alongside the farmers to prepare the land for cultivation.
We then held an educational session on home gardening, demonstrating the process of organic compost preparation which the farmers can use to encourage plant growth on their own farm. This involves using green manure and animal manure to increase the level of NPK (Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium) in the soil.
A bit about Sujith…
When he started out, Sujith sold seasonal fruits and vegetables such as mango and black pepper. It wasn’t until 2015, when he met with our producer Maarji Herbals, that he moved into the territory of organic farming, and he hasn’t looked back since! For over 8 years now, Sujith has been practising organic farming methods on his 5 acre farm, providing us with the highest quality ingredients for our wonderful teas. In return, we have been able to provide him with irrigation support for his farm to aid with the drought season. We have also provided him with training and knowledge on organic farming of moringa and lemongrass to improve their yields for the season. In the future, we hope to provide Sujith with solar panels to help with the cost of irrigation on his farm.
Where can you find our Lemongrass?
Our organic lemongrass from farms such as Sujith’s can be found in many of our tea blends such as our Everyday range – Lemongrass, Citrus, and Ginger which has a powerful kick paired with citrus notes to provide you with a fresh and well balanced cup of tea. You can also find it in our Super Goodness range, in blends such as Turmeric, Ginger and Lemongrass. A spicy and powerful tea, which is sure to spice up your day!
We had a great time visiting the farm in Matale and we’d like to thank Sujith and the rest of his farm for such a warm welcome. Please keep an eye out as we bring you more content from our valued employees and partners in the future.