Revolution in the field: Zossen's first tea farm brings enjoyment and sustainability!

Revolution in the field: Zossen's first tea farm brings enjoyment and sustainability!

In Zossen, a small town in Brandenburg, something exciting is happening in German tea cultivation. Antje Kühnle, a winemaker with a lot of experience in the luxury segment of the international wine world, has launched the country's first tea farm with her new company *Growing Karma*. After an inspiring visit to a tea plantation in Portugal, she came up with the idea of ​​bringing the idea of ​​tea cultivation to Germany - and she consistently put it into practice. The initiative is actively supported by Mayor Wiebke Sahin-Connolly, who sees the project as a model for a sustainable circular economy. Maz Online reports.

Kühnle sees optimal conditions for growing tea in the acidic and sandy soils of Brandenburg. On a former LPG site in Schünow, she built a greenhouse with heaters for 30,000 plants and procured 200,000 tea seeds worldwide. In 2024 the time had come: the first plants were planted and, fortunately, almost all of the seeds germinated. It collects rainwater in cisterns in a beautiful rhythm to supply its plants all year round. Kühnle plans to offer a variety of tea varieties, including black, white and green tea - but a highlight will be matcha tea, which she is the first to sell in Germany.

Matcha – New to the German offering

Matcha, an increasingly popular superfood from Japan, has a lot to offer: It is rich in antioxidants and promotes health through its anti-inflammatory effects and natural caffeine content, which provides long-lasting energy. The special thing about matcha is that the whole leaves are used, which makes it so nutrient-rich. Experts recommend preparing it with special utensils such as chasen and chawan, but it also has many uses in the kitchen, e.g. B. in smoothies or cakes. Coffee and tea shop explained.

Kühnle wants to create an experience concept with her farm that not only sells tea and tea plants, but also offers eggs from Marans chickens and fresh herbs. The vision is to involve regional traders and establish sustainable agriculture that is based on natural cycles. The tea is harvested exclusively by picking the top leaves, which extends the lifespan of the plants and ensures the quality of the leaves. Kühnle sells her tea plants to both private buyers and bulk buyers, with prices varying between 17 euros and less.

A look at German tea cultivation

Germany doesn't have the long tradition of tea growing like other countries, but with more and more initiatives like Kühnle's and other projects in Freiburg, where green tea has been grown since 2016, that seems to be changing. What is particularly noteworthy is the sustainable cultivation method without chemical agents. Gardeners and farmers work hard to create the best conditions for modern tea plants. Loud TeaPod Tea plantations in Europe are already established in regions such as southern England and the Azores, and now Germany could follow suit.

Antje Kühnle's commitment to making Germany the new tea-growing nation and revolutionizing the tea world could bring a breath of fresh air to local agriculture. The newly started tea production in Brandenburg is on the threshold of something big and we can't wait to see how this idea develops further. The first harvests could soon conquer the hearts of tea lovers!