Tea Blog

It has often been noted that the United States has never been a major center of tea production. Nevertheless, interest in cultivating tea domestically has existed for more than a century. In 1907, the USDA published Farmers’ Bulletin 301, Home-Grown Tea, by George Frederick Mitchell—a concise but informative guide aimed at amateur growers interested in small-scale tea cultivation.

South Carolina’s Charleston Tea Plantation is the most prominent example of tea production in the United States today. According to Mitchell, tea was first planted in the region in the early nineteenth century. While many early efforts struggled, some success was achieved later in that century at the Pinehurst estate in South Carolina, which reportedly produced several tons of tea annually.

After outlining this early history, Mitchell turns to practical guidance on cultivation, including planting techniques, harvesting methods, and processing. He also addresses the production of both black and green tea, noting a point that may not have been widely understood at the time—that both types are made from the same leaves using different processing techniques.

The bulletin also includes a section on preparing tea for drinking. While most recommendations remain familiar today, Mitchell advises against re-steeping tea leaves, claiming that subsequent infusions could have undesirable health effects.

Mitchell concludes that growing tea at home can be both profitable and enjoyable, allowing consumers to avoid adulterated products that were more common in his era. Among the substances he mentions as potential additives in commercial tea at the time are Prussian blue, indigo, turmeric, soapstone, and even leaves from non-tea plants.

For those interested in exploring this historical perspective firsthand, you can read this digitized version of the USDA Home-Grown Tea bulletin from 1907.

See more of William I. Lengeman’s articles in this archive of tea-related writing by the author.

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