Buying from small/traditional producers

[stockman]

Right now I'm reading a book about pu erh and its culture and the book talks about small producers in Yiwu and how some of them, despite the 'regulation' of pu erh production in 2008 (I don't remember the exactly name and year) continue to produce their pu erh in the traditional way, at home.

I have seen many boutique pu erhs and everyone says that are awesome but it's something that I can't afford so my question is, there's any way/possibility to buy directly to small producers?

[honza]

I think since 2007 when the stupid QS start to be apply on puer cakes , (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QS_mark) these true small family productions become ilegal to be sell in Chinese market so there are people who still do it but I guess no one sell it online and most of them just stop this small production or make some small official factories in Yiwu town or around. Which lost the idea of small familly productions.

[stockman]

Yes, that's it, the QS.

The book says that some families just made some changes in their homes to produce it according to the QS.

[shah82]

You're better off buying from Yongde Ziyun Factory or the like. Cheap family tea not likely to be that potable.

[Cwyn]

Uh, well I'm surprised Honza didn't mention his Chawangpu Bada Lao Yu Xiao Bing, you can buy the 2013-2015 versions made by the old ladies and full of wood fire smoke (airs out nicely). At $12.50 for 200g, if this isn't the farm it is darn close. The non-smoke version is only $17. I like this tea very much.

Then we have Misty Peak teas which come from a farm, the proprietor has a family-close relationship with the owners.

[shah82]

sure, but there are lots of farmer tea out there that's not...really worth drinking...

[bellmont]

you know a guy (http://teadb.org/2007-yqh-qizhong/) who knows a guy (https://www.blogger.com/profile/0569178096501408806) who knows a guy (http://chakungfu.blogspot.com/2015/09/yangqinghao.html)

...is about as close as I can get.

[honza]

I may not got the point right, i was thinking the question by stockman was only about Yiwu area small family production.
Chawangpu laoyu is true small family production some old people make like 2kg maocha from their little gardens in forest. I personaly love the tea not for the taste only but for the special power and energy inside

[shah82]

To make a certain point a little clearer...

Regular consumers aren't better off buying cheap teas directly from farmers. Seriously. There's a lot of worthless tea in Yunnan, and many farmers growing it.

You pay the folks that go to Yunnan, talk to them on your behalf, press the good ones, and sell on their sites. A factory outfit like Yongde Zi Yun pulls in farmer stuff too, and it's all processed consistently, selecting out bad maocha, etc. And you can find relatively high quality cheap cakes from factories like that--not that they are great.

[honza]

Thats true but Yiwu and another places in 6FTM had something different which come from history of the place. Farmers produced some cakes, pressed themself and sell with their brands. But after QS, most of them stop this home production and sell only maocha, or they take the maocha to some local Yiwu factory and pressed there and still sell with their brand.

When you will come to Yiwu you will see some small shops or families who can offer you their cakes. But these days when Yiwu have so crazy price, there is not too many romantic as when I was there first time...

[gasninja]

I think since 2007 when the stupid QS start to be apply on puer cakes , (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QS_mark) these true small but family productions become ilegal to be sell in Chinese market so there are people who still do it but I guess no one sell it online and most of them just stop this small production or make some small official factories in Yiwu town or around. Which lost the idea of small familly productions.

I think the QS started in 2006. That is the first year they start appearing on my dayi cakes anyway

[honza]

You are right. QS for tea was from 2005/1/1, in mid. to late 2006 some big puer factories start use it. But since 2007 you MUST have QS. You can see many spring production Dayi cakes from 2006 without QS.

[stockman]

So, nowadays, it's impossible to buy from small producers unless you buy maocha?

In theory a good maocha it's as good as a good cake/tuo/brick/etc. The only difference will be that the maocha will age faster, right?

[Rui]

So, nowadays, it's impossible to buy from small producers unless you buy maocha?

In theory a good maocha it's as good as a good cake/tuo/brick/etc. The only difference will be that the maocha will age faster, right?

I would not say it is impossible to buy from small producers but it is not an easy matter as others pointed out. Taobao is an option and if you would like more details just search Teadb.org for Taobao as James there does buy from time to time from Taobao and sometime ago he did provide some advice on how to go about it. I also agree with Cwyn who said above that for $17 one cannot go much wrong and it saves a lot of hassle.

Usually tea leaves used for cakes, bricks and tuos also differ in quality with many producers using the better leaves for cakes, followed by bricks and tuo's. Many farmers would have tea leaves that for some reason, for example the quantity available, does not economically justify the extra expense of making cakes, etc.

[Cwyn]

How is it not easy? I can go to Chawangshop right now and add the Lao Yu cakes to my Cart, or the Laos productions like the 2014 Ban Payasi (of which I own a tong), or heicha like 2011 Hunan Zhu Xiang Ji, and I hit Checkout to order.

Crimson Lotus Tea productions are small farm, Glen and Lamu stay there while their tea is made. Or how about Tea Urchin's Dark Forest? Or Yunnan Sourcing's Jinggu productions? Misty Peak, despite the marketing issues, is an okay drink at least and single farm. Tealet teas are all small farm too, they are running 30% off on Black Friday.

Add to Cart, Checkout and PayPal. Does it get any easier?

If you are looking for cakes that will appreciate to make you rich someday, we are all not even contenders in that game.