Silk Road Teas is known as a purveyor of rare and artisan teas and tisanes. Each spring, we travel in the tea-rich southeastern provinces of China to source many of our teas. Visiting tea markets, small farms, specialty tea companies and tea brokers, we find the finest varieties of white, green, oolong, black and Pu-erh tea. The teas we offer are grown and processed by true artisans of the leaf. We purchase most of our teas in small lots that are single origin and often handmade. It is our belief the best tea is harvested early in the spring, when the days are warming and the nights cool. In that brief harvest window, known as "before the rain" teas, the fresh and tender leaves offer nuanced flavors and tastes. These teas are limited in supply and are recognized as some of the finest teas in the world. Once plucked and processed, many of our teas are not blended and we preserve these unique small lots for our customers' enjoyment. It is also worth noting that teas grown on small and specialty tea farms tend to use traditional methods of farming. As these teas are harvested in the spring before insect predation begins, the use of chemicals and pesticides is far less prevalent than on teas harvested later in the season and on larger farms. We make every effort to find farms practicing natural and organic methods. As China's consumer market continues to strengthen and demand for organic products grows, we increasingly source third-party certified organic teas to complement our line of traditionally grown teas. To encourage and complement organic farming, our business is a certified USDA NOP Organic Handler. We sell to well-known U.S. tea companies, tea shops, specialty grocery, coffee companies and fine restaurants - purveyors of high-end, specialty teas throughout the United States and Canada, and directly to online customers.