Teatulia's One-Straw Revolution Brings Organic to Bangladesh

For Immediate Release:

Contact: 

Linda Appel Lipsius, Teatulia, tel 303.433.2980 x 102, linda@teatulia.com  

Steven Hoffman, Compass Natural Marketing, tel 303.807.1042, steve@compassnatural.com

Inspired by the principles of Japanese farmer/philosopher Masanobu Fukuoka, author of The One-Straw Revolution, Teatulia looks to expand its 1,500-acre, certified organic tea garden in northern Bangladesh, supporting local economies and providing premium organic teas to the U.S. and world markets.

Denver, Colo., (October 17, 2011) - There is a significant connection between America, Bangladesh and Japan when it comes to organic tea. Adopting sustainable farming techniques created by the late Japanese farmer and philosopher Masanobu Fukuoka, author of the acclaimed book The One-Straw Revolution, Denver-based organic tea company Teatulia has been successful in creating the only USDA-certified organic tea garden in Bangladesh—with a goal of being the largest organic tea garden in the world.

From this pristine 1,500-acre tea garden, where no toxic, synthetic pesticides are ever used, Teatulia imports a full line of award-winning, single garden direct teas from its namesake community, Tetulia Upazila, in Northern Bangladesh.

“As demand for Teatulia tea grows, so will the acreage of our organic tea farm. Our goal is to be the world’s largest organic tea garden,” says Linda Appel Lipsius, CEO and company cofounder. “Adopting principles from Masanobu Fukuoka’s ‘natural farming’ philosophy is resulting in a thriving ecosystem teeming with once endangered flora and fauna, and a more sustainable economy for the Tetulia Upazila region, plus it allows us to produce higher quality organic teas year after year,” she says.

First published in English in 1978 by Rodale Press, The One-Straw Revolution has been called “one of the founding documents of the alternative food movement, and indispensable to anyone hoping to understand the future of food and agriculture,” by Michael Pollan, renowned author of The Omnivore's Dilemma and In Defense of Food.

“Masanobu Fukuoka’s work is one of the key influences in our organic philosophy and practices,” says Kazi Anis Ahmed, Teatulia’s cofounder and partner based in Bangladesh. “While we have to adapt to the realities of a very different climate, the main takeaway is to farm with as little intervention as possible, a principle that is close to our hearts and one that is diligently followed.”

Teatulia’s One-Straw Revolution Farming

Masanobu Fukuoka, who first created “natural farming” in 1947, introduced a unique philosophy. Unique among tea producers, Teatulia has adopted techniques from The One-Straw Revolution into its own farming practice, beginning with a core understanding that nature lies beyond the reach of human intelligence and therefore humans need only minimal intervention in the roles for which nature is responsible.

Like Fukuoka did as a rice farmer in Japan, Teatulia does not plow, flood its land with unnatural irrigation sources, or use toxic, synthetic pesticides, fertilizers or other chemicals. Instead, nature is the guide to farming, and all unnecessary elements and inputs are peeled away. This style of non-invasive farming regenerates the ecosystems that make up Teatulia’s tea garden, producing a stimulating environment in which tea plants thrive.

The One-Straw Revolution teaches that making the most out of one’s land is to, in essence, allow nature to take its course. Fukuoka’s four principles of natural farming that have been adopted by Teatulia include:

·      No cultivation or plowing; soils remain intact

·      No chemical fertilizers or prepared compost

·      No weeding by tillage or herbicides

·      No dependence on toxic, synthetic pesticides or other chemicals

“Natural farming” is often seen as deceptively simple farming. The results, however, are nothing short of magical, says Kazi Anis Ahmed. Growing tea under sustainable farming practices creates pure teas that are the flavor of nature. Soils are nutrient-rich, eco-systems are balanced, and sustainable farming practices are taught to the community to help grow personal crops as well.

About Teatulia
Teatulia, founded in 2009, is a woman and minority owned business with a mission to provide “100% organic teas with a purpose.” With its line of single-origin, premium certified organic teas, Teatulia’s work helps support local economies, education and sustainability initiatives in northern Bangladesh. The company also is committed to fully compostable and recyclable packaging, down to the biodegradable teabags. Teatulia teas are available online at www.teatulia.com, and at leading natural, organic and specialty food stores and select restaurants, cafes and coffee houses in Colorado and throughout the United States and in the United Kingdom. For more information, contact Linda Appel Lipsius at Teatulia, tel 303.433.2980, linda@teatulia.com.