Tea it up: Visiting Heron’s Meadow Farm, Maryland’s first tea farm

You might say that Lori Baker, and her husband, Bob, are brewing something special at Heron’s Meadow Farm in western Howard County.

As owners of Maryland’s first tea farm, the couple have embarked on an adventure as nouveau farmers who are cultivating Camellia sinensis, the plant from which tea is derived.

“Neither my husband nor I had any real experience farming,” said Baker, an electrical engineer who sold her company, and launched a second career. “But we did a lot of research before we started growing tea. We’d each had home gardens and felt this was just planting on a bigger scale. We kind of took the leap.”

In December 2013, the duo purchased a 44-acre farm in Woodbine.

“We did some preliminary testing and put half a dozen tea plants in the ground. They survived a few winters,” she said.

In October 2015, the two opened a farm store.

“Fundamentally, that’s when we considered the business launched,” she explained of BLTeas LLC, whose mission is to provide quality tea that is grown and processed locally.

Today, the operation is growing steadily.

The farm has upward of 1,200-to-1,500 tea plants — an evergreen shrub with shiny green leaves — that encompass about 2.5 acres.

Baker spends her days tending to the crops, whose needs vary depending on the season.

“I work the farm full-time and Bob works it part-time as he maintains a full-time job off the farm,” said Baker. “We do not have any additional staff. But I can go out in two or three hours and harvest one field.”

They have purchased a tractor. Yet picking the tea leaves involves tedious labor. “It’s done by hand,” she said.

The rewards are well worth it. The leaves and buds of the tea plant are used to produce their black and green tea, with names that nod to Maryland culture like Black Raven and Terrapin Green teas.

A variety of teas on display at BLTeas at Heron’s Meadow Farm in Woodbine. (Kevin Richardson / Baltimore Sun)

Tea drinking has its origins in China, according to “Food, Feasts and Faith: An Encyclopedia of Food Cultures in World Religions,” by Paul Fieldhouse. The proper method of preparing tea was detailed in a book written by a Buddhist priest in the mid-8th Century, AD.

Tea then spread to other Asian countries such as Japan, where initially it was primarily medicinal. Centuries later, European traders brought tea leaves back from their journeys, and the beverage spread to Western cultures.

According to Statista Research, the global tea market in 2020 was valued around $207 billion dollars, and is expected to increase in the coming years.

“After water, tea is the most widely consumed drink in the world,” said Peter F. Goggi, president of the Tea Association of the USA Inc., whose founding dates back to 1899. “Tea has a wide variety of flavors and traditions. Although it pales in comparison to coffee sales in the U.S. It’s an exciting time for tea as its popularity continues to grow.”

During the COVID-19 pandemic, he said, the demand for tea strongly increased, spurred by purchases for at-home consumption.

Information collected by the FAO Intergovernmental Group on Tea showed that tea consumption expanded in all markets, even those that recorded a declining trend in per capita consumption in recent years.

The data showed a surge in the demand for tea among young people. The surveys highlighted that millennials, in particular, drank tea during the lockdown due to its hydration benefits and the “feel good” factor.

“Tea is calming, relaxing,” said Goggi, who previously spent three decades working with Lipton Tea as part of the Royal Estates Tea Co., and was the first American-born “tea taster” in the history of T.J. Lipton/Unilever. “And it has healthful properties.”

A new National Institutes of Health study, published in August 2022 in the Annals of Internal Medicine, found that people who consumed more than two cups of tea per day, had as much as a 13 percent lower risk of death from any cause compared to people who did not drink tea.

Higher tea consumption, researchers revealed, was associated with a lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease, heart disease and stroke.

Given increased consumer demand in America for tea, one might wonder if that has inspired a boom in tea growers such as Heron’s Meadow Farm.

While tea is grown “in about 25-30 states,” said Goggi, it’s not necessarily an easy endeavor. “It’s extraordinarily expensive. You need land. And tea plants. Tea seeds are hard to transport, and can be difficult to get a hold of domestically,” he said.

Angela McDonald, president of the U.S. League of Tea Growers, agreed. She notes that while the U.S. does have major commercial tea growers, the industry is “small” compared to India and China where production is “huge.” While there are some tea estates, she said, smaller, artisanal farms are more of the norm.

“You’ll find tea farms in places like California, Hawaii, Oregon, and in the South,” said McDonald, who leads a membership organization made up of tea growers, retailers, educators and other stakeholders.

“The climate must be hospitable to Camellia sinensis, because the plant prefers a tropical or subtropical climate.”

She explained that the ’terroir’ — generally, the soil, climate and topography — of where tea is grown contributes to its distinctive taste. “It’s just like wine in that way.”

BLTeas owner Lori Baker checks her crop of tea plants to see if they are ready for harvesting at Heron’s Meadow Farm in Woodbine. (Kevin Richardson / Baltimore Sun)

At Heron’s Meadow Farm, its owners are elated that this season will mark their third harvest.

Admittedly, “there’s been trial and error,” and the learning curve of farming has been “frustrating at times,” but Baker and her husband are relishing their new agricultural venture.

Their land is being farmed with care and an eye toward sustainability.

“We’re keeping things natural,” said Baker. Although not certified organic at this time, “we don’t use pesticides or herbicides. All the processing is natural.”

The couple has received support during their journey. For instance, they “plugged in early” with the Howard County Economic Development Authority which offers “innovation” grants. After submitting a proposal, they were awarded funds for fencing that keeps the deer population at bay. “[Deer] like to bed down in the fields at night and eat the tea plants,” said Baker.

Meanwhile, the farm has become a destination, complete with special events and informal tours by appointment for small groups.

Guests can view the tea fields from a distance; meander through herb gardens, or sit on the patio and watch wildlife: blue herons, which inspired the farm’s name, plus hawks, foxes and deer.

“We also have bees,” Baker said. “They cross pollinate the plants. And we make honey.”

Inside the farm store, customers can sit at the tea bar or on the covered patio to sip a cup of tea.

In keeping with the reputation of tea itself, Baker says they want the farm to evoke a sense of comfort and serenity.

“We love the area. We love what we’re doing, and have a loyal customer base. This is a labor of love.”

A variety of teas on display at BLTeas at Heron’s Meadow Farm in Woodbine. (Kevin Richardson / Baltimore Sun)

Heron’s Meadow Farm

1596 Daisy Road, Woodbine. 410-934-0148. facebook.com/heronsmeadowfarm/?ref=page_internal. blteas.com

Purchase tea from BLTeas LLC: blteas.square.site

Howard County and the surrounding region boast ample establishments where one can savor tea in all its glory. Here are a few to check out:

Kyoto Matcha

10045 Baltimore National Pike, Suite A6, Ellicott City. 410 720-2178

At Kyoto Matcha, an international chain with several locations in Maryland, it’s all about matcha. The bright green powder is made from ground green tea leaves, and used to make tea and other beverages. It’s also a flavoring agent.

While matcha is rooted in traditional Japanese tea culture, and used in tea ceremonies that date back centuries, these days one can enjoy modern interpretations. Strawberry matcha latte and matcha lemonade are just a few of the matcha-themed menu items. Oh, and matcha ice cream anyone?

Brewing Good Coffee Co.

8600 Foundry St., Savage. 443-351-4304. www.brewinggoodcoffeecompany.com

Established in 2015, Brewing Good Coffee Co. not only serves java, but tea at the small-batch coffee roaster and all-vegan shop in Historic Savage Mill.

“Brewing Good offers loose leaf teas and tisanes on our website that we ship around the U.S.,” said Karla Goodson, who co-owns the business with Justin Leonard. “Our loyal coffee customers take advantage of our tea offerings when they want a caffeine-free treat.”

In the shop, chai lattes, London fogs, and matcha are among the most popular non-coffee drinks on the menu. Rather than using prepared concentrates, they’re brewed in-house for freshness.

In terms of tea trends, they have fun with the ingredients. This summer, the shop featured a matcha lemonade sweetened with mint simple syrup; a jasmine green tea with orange simple syrup; and a rooibos tisane, blended with dried hibiscus flowers and blueberries with a blackberry simple syrup.

Just in time for fall: a caffeine-free, carbonated botanical drink dubbed “Be Kind Unwind.” The rooibos and hibiscus tea blend features hops and lavender. “We’ve never had anything like it before,” said Goodson, “and it’s perfect for transitioning seasons.”

Tiger Sugar

9338 Baltimore National Pike, Suite I, Ellicott City. tigersugarec.com

Launched in Taiwan, Tiger Sugar has grown into a cult brand of boba, a beverage made with tea, milk, and syrup plus tapioca pearls. Tiger Sugar’s signature drinks feature “tiger stripes” that are infused with hand-poured syrups. The company’s website indicates it uses a proprietary 8-hour method for cooking its syrups and tapioca pearls.

Cuples Tea House

409 N. Howard St., Baltimore. 667-930-3930. cuplesteahouse.com

Cuples Tea House is one of the newer Black- and woman-owned businesses along the reemerging Howard Street corridor. The shop sells dozens of varieties of premium loose-leaf tea (with names like Bmore Chai and Gunpowder Green) plus tea accessories. Husband/wife team Lynnette and Eric Dodson have said they are dedicated to elevating the tea experience and inspiring healthier communities by educating people about the medicinal benefits of tea.

Emma’s Tea Spot

5500 Harford Road, Baltimore. 410-444-1718. Emmasteaspot.com

Emma’s bills itself as “a proper British experience.” Stop in for a top of tea and a sarnie; translation, a pot of tea and a sandwich. Besides black, green, white and botanical teas, the menu also includes sweet and savory scones, mini tarts, bread pudding and assorted treats.