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Expert in Creating Green and Balanced Spaces |
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Interview with Paul Kotta, owner and founder of Mellow Monk
Norma: There is a lot of tea out there How is Mellow Monk different? Paul: We buy directly from 100% independent, family-owned and operated tea farms in Japan. In other words, we don't buy from tea wholesalers; we buy from growers with whom with interact directly. And we have visited all the farms we buy from. Our kids have played together, and the adults have had sake together! Our small farms also mean better tea. They harvest only what they can process immediately, locking in freshness and the antioxidants. This is in contrast to huge tea estates, where harvested leaves can sit fermenting in the sun for hours or even days waiting to be made into tea. Norma: Tell me about the growers. Paul: Our growers are true "family farms," not huge estates with a low-wage workforce. They own their tea groves and the equipment with which they harvest and process the tea, and they do all the work themselves. In addition, our tea is true single-estate tea: Our growers sell only tea that they grow themselves, unlike, say, some wineries that make wine from grapes bought from other vineyards. This may all be hard to imagine in this day of corporate agriculture, but that is part of our mission to support family-based agriculture. Norma: What is it like in Kyushu and why does green tea grow well there? Paul: Kyushu is the southern breadbasket of Japan, a source of much of the country's agricultural bounty. The Aso region, where our growers reside, is located smack dab in the island's center. This is also the most rural part of the island, with clean air, water, and soil. What makes Aso especially well-suited to tea is the high elevation after all, the tea plant is believed to have evolved in the Himalayan foothills and the volcanic soil: Mt. Aso, after which the area takes its name, is an active volcano. Norma: Please tell me about the health benefits of drinking green tea. Paul: Where do I start!?! In a word, antioxidants. Green tea is full of the stuff. Antioxidants neutralize chemicals known as free radicals, which hasten cell death and are believed to be involved in the body's aging process. Green tea also contains an antioxidant EGCG not found in any other food. The benefits of green tea's antioxidants and other natural compounds include: Slowing the aging process Helping us lose weight Preventing cancer (breast, prostate, colorectal, bladder, etc.) Boosting the immune system
Fighting the common cold and the flu Preventing a host of other diseases, such as fatty liver disease, Parkinson's, and autoimmune diseases Norma: How should you store tea? Paul: You can store opened packets of tea in a Ziplock bag, Tupperware, jam jar, or any other air-tight container, then keep that container in the refrigerator. Norma: Is there anything else you would like to tell me about your tea? I'm just thrilled to be able to make this incredible tea available outside of Aso. This is also an excellent opportunity for people outside of Japan to support a centuries-old tradition of family-based tea cultivation that is increasingly threatened by mass-market beverage companies seeking ultra-low-cost tea grown with agrichemicals in low-wage, under-regulated countries to keep costs to a minimum. Norma: Also, tell me a bit about yourself and why you are got into the business of green tea. I lived in Japan for about 10 years and have worked as a Japanese-to-English translator and interpreter. My wife was born and raised on a farm in Aso, where we also lived for a time after getting married. We got into the green tea business when we realized that none of the mass-market green tea we could get in the U.S. even in Japanese grocery stores came close to the wonderful, all-natural tea we had enjoyed in Aso. To purchase tea, go to:
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Harmonious Environment |
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