Making oriental beauty in a natural oolong tea plantation

[@farmerleaf61]

Addendum from a customer: When jassids bite into the leaf surface, the mechanical damage creates a molecular pattern that is detected by proteins embedded into mechanosensitive layers of the cell walls, which face inward towards the cytoplasm. By design, cellular components are able to leak into the cytoplasm. This initiates signal transduction - in our case here, the release of membrane-bound compounds like polyunsaturated fatty acids (with linolenic acid being critical as the substrate for jasmonic acid biosynthesis) is accompanied by an influx of oxygen. This influx can lead to oxidative stress; which the plant must manage, and one of the ways it does this is to use oxygen enzymatically to generate signaling molecules. Much like polyphenol oxidase operates on a substrate in the presence of oxygen, so too do enzymes responsible for jasmonic acid biosynthesis operate on a substrate in the presence of oxygen. Once produced, jasmonic acid has a systemic effect on plants, such that it participates in diverting the flux of reduction power generated through photosynthesis away from primary growth, and towards secondary metabolite biosynthesis. This serves a protective function, as I'm sure you know, and also contributes to the profile of metabolites which typify the flavor of "Oriental Beauty" tea. These molecules require massive amounts of energy, which is part of the reason - to the point your farmer friend brought up - why plants bitten by bugs tend to stay smaller, and the leaves don't get as big. He mentioned they get stunted, and that the plants should not have big leaves with tall shoots. This happens directly as a result of energy flowing away from primary metabolic pathways, with the signaling pathways acting like valves that open up and allow reduction power to flow to the biosynthesis of defensive compounds. The ability of the plants to form the profile of metabolites which; after processing, defines the molecular composition of "Oriental Beauty" tea, exists within their own DNA, and it's a matter of encouraging the plants to express those metabolites. Jassids do not have an effect on plants that is exclusive to jassids, if that makes sense.

[@Gungsternix]

Thanks!

[@christinedrinkstea]

Thank you for taking such a deep dive into the making of Oriental Beauty! It is incredible how much skill and effort are required. I have enjoyed the 2023 teas from Mr. Zhong that you carried on your website, particularly the Oriental Beauty. I am glad you were still able to source some teas from him for this year. Given the less than optimal conditions this year for producing Oriental Beauty, did he make more black tea and less Oriental Beauty? It amazes me how delicious black tea can still be made from leaves that aren’t suitable for other tea types.

[@doomblitz1993]

Can't wait to try these

[@saddocatto2784]

ikr, last years was maybe the best non-puerh tea I have had

[@dbuck4602]

Thank you for sharing. It's such a different process from puerh!

[@miltonnoguchi4956]

Hi William, Hoping aall is well with you and Family. Haven't seen or heard from you in months, and miss your always interesting posts for the rest of us, and hope to see something from you about Yunnan Province Teas, or similar. How about the Weather this year. How has Climate Change affected the Tea Crops in the various Growing Regions? Hope to hear how this Year's Harvest and Processing has goine, and your Descriptions and Comments on each of them. v/r A Multiple Tea Types drinker

[@Tom-en9tc]

Such an interesting video. Can't wait for more videos and teas. Have a nice day 🙏

[@marcellboviz3614]

Wow, so informative, thanks William it's a pleasure to learn about the intricacies of Oriental Beauty processing in mainland China, super interesting. But am I right to think, the summer harvest doesn't give the best results in this case either? Do you know how old these gardens are?

[@diganta2329]

So interesting!!

[@LeeDaiYing]

Thank you for sharing.

[@dujac88]

cool

[@jiahaotan696]

I'm curious who your longtime videographer is... is it your wife? 😄 Regarding leaf colour: I've heard that plant leaves tend to get greener the more shade they get because you need more chlorophyll to collect the lesser amount of sunlight... so the yellower leaves in Fen Shui Ling could be a result of that. I've had a farmer tell me that they purposely plant species that can be cut down and left to decompose to add nitrogen to the soil, then another species is planted to protect the crops from weeds and retain soil cover... What do you think about that for tea plants, since they require lots of nitrogen?

[@h.c.belectronic1722]

Hello brother,need new video.😊❤❤

[@GoodDaySir]

Thanks for sharing. Not super fond of them smoking cigs around the leaves but I imagine this is more common in that part of the world.

[@en0n126]

Yes. If you want a sterile tea production environment, you don't buy small farmer sourced teas from China.

[@Memos-sn]

Try SUNLEAF green tea 🎉🎉🎉

[@SerpenTRyder]

5:32 - 9:00 what's with the N words? 😂

[@salisburysteakmm2k]

LOL its the chinese version of "Uh..." or "Um...." they say that in the middle of forming thoughts while speaking.

[@SerpenTRyder]

@salisburysteakmm2k I've never heard it before, it's hilarious