Ancient Leaf Tea

“As a person who lived on the island briefly 30 years ago who has come back for a trip around memory lane….i had an awesome experience yesterday and wanted to share. Ancient Leaf Tea has a gorgeous little Farmstand/shop/tea tasting down on the old highway 4 mile scenic road about 15 minutes north of Hilo (Onomea Bay way near the Botanical Gardens which are also incredible and worthy of a few hours themselves!!!). But a few blocks away on the farmstand’s main property, they also do farm tours and tours and tastings which I highly highly highly recommend!!! Susan is so knowledgeable and passionate and is a bit of a pioneer in Hawaii for regenerative farming. She also knows so much about Hawaii and the area and the local beliefs around food and farming and plants and her passion is infectious! The other people on my tour were soooo happy they had signed up! It was such a worthwhile experience and a great way to spend an hour or two!!! The baked goods at the farmstand are also insanely tasty and you can get some delicious freshly made chilled drinks (the matcha lemonade and lemongrass ones were my faves!) or packaged tea to bring back with you. Gets full thumbs up and shakas from me ! What a gem of a find. X”

“First of all, thank you, Susan, for a truly wonderful tour and experience! This was absolutely one of the highlights of our entire trip. Not only was it a tea tour, but we also got to do some whale watching and even saw several whales breach! We learned so much about growing tea and regenerative farming throughout the experience. It was such a joy learning from Susan—her passion and enthusiasm for tea and farming are truly infectious. We sampled a variety of teas, all of which were incredible. The farm itself sits on a beautiful piece of property overlooking the ocean, so you get amazing views throughout the tour. Now, whenever we’re drinking Ancient Leaf Tea back home, we’ll be reminded of this amazing tour and our trip to the Big Island as a whole. If you’ve read this entire review and are still debating whether to do the tour—just sign up. You won’t regret it!”

“The tea tour was a unique, educational, and beautiful experience. The location is gorgeous, with a fantastic view of the ocean. We even saw some humpback whales, which is actually a common sight most of the year. Susan’s passion for growing pristine tea plants is impressive. She explained how the ”first pick” leaves are harvested, we even tried it ourselves, and then how they are processed into green, black and white teas. She also creates herbal infusions with her flowers and herbs. It was a special event, to be able to sit on her lovely patio, and taste the different teas. Susan has a wealth of knowledge and answered all our questions about tea. We highly recommend this tour, especially if you appreciate high quality tea. It will remain an unforgettable experience for us on the Hawaii Big Island.”

“Whoa! If you’re interested in regenerative farming, botany, and tea; book a tour here with the tea lady Susan! She’s an expert in all things tea as well as other Hawaiian horticultural treasures. This is a science driven tour that also embraces the art involved in growing things in harmony with nature. I’d advise it for science-y adults and older botany curious teens. Probably not a good fit for kids. We loved Susan’s depth of knowledge and passion for educating. The farm is beautiful and located with a stunning view of the ocean and breaching humpback whales in the distance. The teas are both beautiful and delicious. We learned a lot!”

“Mahalo, Susan, for the phenomenal tour! As a tea lover, this was a fantastic experience and I highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in tea, regenerative farming, or wants to experience something new. Susan is incredibly passionate and knowledgeable and it was great to learn about the tea farm operations and taste some of the delicious teas made there. I'll definitely be a repeat customer!”

“One of the best tours I've been on, Susan is a fountain of information and so giving in her ability to share it. We really enjoyed the tour of the property and learning about how tea is made. The tastings were incredible and we will be signing up for sending us more through the mail. Overall. Cannot recommend this tour enough. It totally made our trip, don't miss it.”

“We didn’t expect to find a tea farm tour in Hawaii, but we’re very pleased with Susan’s tour at Ancient Leaf Tea. We learned a lot about tea farming and additionally learned about sustainable and organic farming methods. Susan has been in the business for a long time and has lots of knowledge to share. We are happily bringing lots of tea home!”

“Tour was fascinating. Susan is passionate and knowledgeable about both tea and regenerative agriculture. Well worth the time and money for the experience and good to know that you are supporting sustainable agriculture on the island. Not to mention that the tea is both unique and amazingly delicious!”