Rooibos tea is harvested annually by hand during the summer months, typically from December to February. The process involves cutting the bushy plant's branches, binding them into specific bundles, and then transporting them for further processing.
The Rooibos Harvesting Process
Harvesting rooibos is a labor-intensive, manual process that has been refined over generations. It prioritizes careful handling to ensure the quality of the delicate leaves and stems that will eventually become the distinctive red tea.
When is Rooibos Harvested?
Rooibos is harvested once a year. The optimal time for harvesting coincides with the Southern Hemisphere's summer:
- Timing: Annually between December and February. This period allows the plants to reach their peak maturity and flavor profile.
How is Rooibos Physically Harvested?
The actual harvesting of rooibos involves several precise manual steps:
- Manual Cutting: Workers use sickles to carefully cut the branches of the bushy rooibos plant. This ensures that only the desired parts of the plant are collected, promoting healthy regrowth for the following year.
- Bundling: After cutting, the branches are neatly gathered and bound into bundles.
- Bundle Size: Each bundle typically weighs between 10 to 15 kilograms. These bundles are traditionally known as “gerwe” in Afrikaans, reflecting the deep-rooted cultural practices associated with rooibos farming.
Post-Harvest Transportation
Once the branches are cut and bundled, they are immediately prepared for the next stage of tea production:
- Transport: The "gerwe" are efficiently transported from the fields to specialized cutting and processing facilities. Following this, they are moved to a tea-drying court where the oxidation process begins, giving rooibos its characteristic reddish-brown color and sweet, earthy flavor.
Key Aspects of Rooibos Harvesting
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Method | Exclusively by hand |
| Season | Summer (December to February) |
| Tools | Sickles |
| Bundling | Branches tied into "gerwe" |
| Bundle Size | 10-15 kg |
| Next Step | Transport to cutting/processing facilities and drying courts |
The Importance of Manual Harvesting
The continuation of manual harvesting for rooibos is crucial for several reasons:
- Quality Control: Hand-picking allows harvesters to select only the healthiest and most mature branches, contributing to a superior tea quality.
- Plant Health: Careful cutting ensures the plant's long-term health and encourages sustainable growth for future harvests.
- Preservation of Tradition: It maintains the traditional farming methods that have been passed down through generations in the Cederberg region of South Africa, where rooibos originates. For more information on rooibos, you can visit the South African Rooibos Council.
