Monday/Tuesday TeaDay 1/17-18/11 Spring traditions past?

[Chip]

Happy Martin Luther King Day!
If you are celebrating.

Greetings TeaFriends, welcome to a new TeaDay. Come share it with us! Please share what is in your cup throughout the day.

This past weekend we discussed Spring/New Harvest countdowns. You can still vote and discuss the weekends topic.

Today's TeaPoll and discussion topic. Speaking of Spring and new harvests, have you in the past made it a habit to try the new harvest teas of Spring? Please share your past traditions.

I am as always looking forward to sharing this TeaDay with everyone. Bottoms up.

[Nenugal]

It is future tradition for me, since I just started drinking tea seriously in August 2010.

[IPT]

Oh yeah! I've been doing it for years. I can't wait for the new spring arrivals!

[auhckw]

>I am too new to tea, having started post Spring 2010

I hope to try some fresh spring this year. I wonder how much it differs from those vacuum sealed for few months.

[artmom]

Tried several 1st flushes of several types of Tea last year. Found that most 1st flushes are too vegetal for me. Found I liked 2nd flushes of certain types much better.

Golden Lion assam this morning. Perfection.

[Amaikokonut]

I started really drinking loose tea in December of '09, but I didn't research it much, and didn't really consider that the time of year might have such an impact on the flavor of tea; spring had sadly passed by the time I became aware of this "tea holiday season" as it may be called.

This time around, I am really hoping I'll have the funds to indulge a little.

[Chip]

Whoa, a really slow TeaDay!

I began this tradition around 6 years ago when I finally found good vendors who actually went out of their way to introduce new harvest teas. Before then, no ...

This really caught on with my interest in greens. I could not wait to see new offerings from vendor after vendor. Really exciting. My focus traditionally has been mostly on Chinese and Japanese green new harvest teas.

It became a bit of a game to try to virtually run out of the previous harvest teas just prior to the new harvest. And this game has just really begun for this upcoming harvest as I am counting down the grams I think will be needed til shincha.

Began the TD with Kumpu from Ippodo with the Mrs., ironically a company that does not focus on the new harvest in their offerings, but more on continuity from season to season, harvest to harvest. Next up, Yutaka midori and currently some sencha dribs and drabs.

[AdamMY]

I hopefully started a Shincha Tradition last spring, and not worrying to much about when its going to arrive as I am sure I will be so busy it will be here before I know it.

[Skippyandjif]

Not really a conscious habit-- sometimes I do and sometimes I don't.

Jasmine sencha all afternoon and night today... Haven't had much time for tea because I was going back upstate to my dorm.

[Chip]

Monday was seemingly a very slow day on the forum at large, and TeaDay as well ... so I am letting this topic ride another day.

So, please feel free to discuss the topic. Or just about anything you want to chat about ... but please no politics nor religion.

Remember to share what is in your cup!

Also ...

Announcement!!! TeaDay Contest January 2011!

Who wants to have some fun!?!

Commencing on January 6th, be sure to post often and daily in TeaDay.
Details and prizes to follow in a few!
Contest ends at midnight on January 31st Eastern USA time.

Prizes will be awarded for various categories, so be sure to answer the poll, tell us what you are drinking throughout the day, discuss the topic, and post pictures! You know, "TeaChat!" The more you post ...

[debunix]

By the time I got my shincha last year, it was officially summer. So does that count?

Today, drank some Yamakai sencha, winter harvest Jin Xuan green tea, and now am dragging out a session with some taiwanese Black Ruby tea, all from Norbu. The Black Ruby is particularly hitting the spot--a quick jolt of caffeine in the first cup, and now tailing off to sweet water as I finish some paperwork and head off to bed. Lovely stuff.

[entropyembrace]

Not really...since for most of the time I have been drinking tea my focus has been on oolongs and black teas...though 1st flush darjeelings and spring harvests of oolongs have some appeal I´ve never felt the urge to buy up lots of tea right when the new harvests hit.

Even now that I´m into sencha I´m not bouncing up and down waiting for shincha...I can still get delicious fresh sencha even at this time of year so I´m not feeling the pressure of waiting for spring

[Nenugal]

I've more or less stopped ordering new greens for now, so when I run out of green, I will try to survive on oolong, matcha and gyokuro until <bouncing>Shincha and Chinese Green Tea Harvest Time!</bouncing>
I'm also bouncing a bit extra today because I just ordered a bouncy (but *quiet*) new chawan from ShyRabbit

[IPT]

I'm also bouncing a bit extra today because I just ordered a bouncy (but *quiet*) new chawan from ShyRabbit

Ooh, nice! I can't wait to see photos. I love his stuff!

[TwoPynts]

I am still too new to tea to have really tried new spring teas.

Having some golden needle white lotus pu this morning.