Avongrove Tea Estate
Encyclopedia
Avongrove Tea Estate, located in the Rungbong Valley of Darjeeling district
, sits on the banks of the Balason River
at 2200 feet above sea level. This high-elevation estate goes up to 5700 feet. Approximately 184.79 hectare
of land is under tea
, and there are 500 workers who live on the estate to maintain optimal plucking rounds. Avongrove means "Nest of Birds".
Avongrove is certified as an organic tea estate under USA (USA), JAS (Japan), NOP & NPOP (India & the EU).
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Avongrove offers a range of specialty Darjeeling tea
. For example, the peony
rosette and florette, the latter of which expands when allowed to gently brew in a tall container, revealing a flower when the hot water makes the outer leaves unfurl. One woman, working an entire day, can make only six of them.
Darjeeling district
Darjeeling District is the northernmost district of the state of West Bengal in eastern India in the foothills of the Himalayas. The district is famous for its beautiful hill stations and Darjeeling tea. Darjeeling is the district headquarters...
, sits on the banks of the Balason River
Balason River
Balason is a river flowing in the Darjeeling District of West Bengal, India. It originates in the hills of Senchal and flows south into the plains of North Bengal, where it joins the Mahananda River....
at 2200 feet above sea level. This high-elevation estate goes up to 5700 feet. Approximately 184.79 hectare
Hectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
of land is under tea
Tea
Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by adding cured leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant to hot water. The term also refers to the plant itself. After water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world...
, and there are 500 workers who live on the estate to maintain optimal plucking rounds. Avongrove means "Nest of Birds".
Avongrove is certified as an organic tea estate under USA (USA), JAS (Japan), NOP & NPOP (India & the EU).
Production
The factory was built in 1998 and produces 60,000 to 70,000 kg of tea a year. The estate has a perennial source of water and almost the entire area under tea can be irrigatedIrrigation
Irrigation may be defined as the science of artificial application of water to the land or soil. It is used to assist in the growing of agricultural crops, maintenance of landscapes, and revegetation of disturbed soils in dry areas and during periods of inadequate rainfall...
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Overview
Approximately 60% of the area under tea has chinary and chinary clonal bushes. Of the 40% that remains, about 20% are hybrid bushes and a very small percentage are pure Assam teaAssam tea
Assam is a black tea named after the region of its production, Assam, in India. Assam tea is manufactured specifically from the plant Camellia sinensis var. assamica . This tea, most of which is grown at or near sea level, is known for its body, briskness, malty flavor, and strong, bright color...
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Avongrove offers a range of specialty Darjeeling tea
Darjeeling tea
Darjeeling tea is a black tea from the Darjeeling region in West Bengal, India. When properly brewed, it yields a thin-bodied, light-colored infusion with a floral aroma...
. For example, the peony
Peony
Peony or paeony is a name for plants in the genus Paeonia, the only genus in the flowering plant family Paeoniaceae. They are native to Asia, southern Europe and western North America...
rosette and florette, the latter of which expands when allowed to gently brew in a tall container, revealing a flower when the hot water makes the outer leaves unfurl. One woman, working an entire day, can make only six of them.