Greetings dear readers,
Perhaps you’ve wondered: how does Tea of the North manage to make such exceptional tea from fireweed? Let me share the two secrets behind these results.
First, there are the processing techniques that Julien learned from Asia’s tea masters, but equally important is the dedication of our pickers to maintain exceptional leaf quality throughout the entire harvest season.
My name is Marco, and I want to tell you about my experience during this beautiful harvest season in Abitibi. I’m someone who’s passionate about nature and what it offers. I love learning through adventures and new opportunities. I had little idea what awaited me when I applied to be a picker for Julien’s company, but Abitibi’s wild landscape called to me.
When I arrived in the region, I immediately explored the surroundings since I was the first team member to make the journey. Then the others arrived – we were almost all strangers from different backgrounds, but we shared important things: our love for nature and our commitment to harvesting fireweed tea in Abitibi.
This year’s harvest season began later than usual due to an exceptionally late spring, but we didn’t waste time. During those first weeks, we harvested balsam poplar leaves instead. Some results look promising, but I won’t say more – stay tuned!
Then came the moment we’d all been waiting for: fireweed picking. This plant demands special attention to prevent the leaves from overheating, which would compromise our production standards. As the harvest progressed, I learned to understand this herbaceous plant’s habitat, but throughout those two months, I had an incredible team by my side every day. That’s what made working so intensively such a pleasure ! We became like family during those two months of harvest.
Now that the harvest season has ended, I’ve left Abitibi for new experiences in other regions. I’m deeply grateful for everything I learned about the world of tea alongside the entire Tea of the North 2025 team.
-Marc-Olivier Déry aka Marco Mycètes
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