Did you know that you can visit an authentic tea farm right in the Upstate, SC? Table Rock Tea Company is only a 45-minute drive from Greenville, SC, and they grow, processes, and sell tea. We went for a tour to learn about all that’s brewing at Table Rock Tea.
Within the first five minutes of our awesome tour at Table Rock Tea Company, the Upstate’s only tea farm, my mind was blown. I can’t tell you what it was exactly that did it because it’s a fun fact that Jennifer, the owner, loves to tell guests. But it’s only the beginning of learning all about how tea is grown and processed right here in the Upstate of South Carolina.
We have lots more educational fun in the Upstate if that’s what you’re looking for.
Table Rock Tea Company
Table Rock Tea sits directly under the shadow of the massive Table Rock Mountain in Pickens County, just a short 45-minute drive from Greenville. I actually missed the turn to the tea company because I was ogling the houses on the road and their views of the mountain.
The owners of the farm, Jennifer and Steve Lorch, have lived in the Upstate for more than 20 years but have only been tea farmers for the last seven years. They began tea farming after learning about it while in Kenya doing work with their non-profit, Hydromissions International, which helps to dig wells and provide clean water sources.
Steve and Jennifer have several acres of land they have been cultivating and are adding more and more little tea plants every year. Tea plants, named Camellia Sinensis, take three years to grow and produce the growth needed to make green, oolong, black, and white teas.
Jasmine, their sweet dog who goes by the name Jazzy, greets visitors and is the mascot for all the labels on the tea bags and boxes. My kids are a little scared of dogs but they loved her and we enjoyed having her follow us around.
You can purchase the teas online or in person.
Tours at Table Rock Tea Company
Going on a tour of a legitimate tea farm right here in the Upstate was a lot of fun. I really didn’t know what to expect because 1) I knew nothing about tea honestly, 2) I had no idea tea is grown so close to where I live, and 3) I had never been to a tea farm.
Jennifer has a wealth of knowledge about tea farming and it was fascinating to learn about the origins of the farm, about how the different kinds of tea are processed (get ready to learn about oxidation, yay, science!), how huge the seeds of the tea plant are, and how the farm germinates the seeds.
“I want the Upstate to be known for its tea,” Jennifer told me.
You walk around parts of the farm where the plants are grown, inside the huge greenhouse to learn about seed germination and then into the processing area where the tea magic happens. One bit of magic is their Winter Leaf green tea, which is the only cold-harvested green tea in the world. Unreal, right? South Carolina has some amazing farmers.
Tours last about an hour but can be a little shorter depending on the attention span of your kids. I was surprised at how my kids (ages 11 and 7) got into it after their initial hesitation about learning about tea, something they don’t even drink. It was a fun and educational homeschool field trip for us.
Tours happen Thursday – Saturday at 10 am and Thursday – Sunday at 2 pm. You must reserve your tour spot by calling the farm at 864.915.0571.
Field Trips at the Tea Farm Near Greenville
Speaking of field trips, Table Rock Tea Company offers them for all kinds of groups – homeschool, retirement homes, scouts, anyone really. Tours are free except for larger homeschool groups, where it’s just $1/kid.
Tours last about an hour but can be shortened depending on how long kids will pay attention. Kids will learn about botany, science, and math – perhaps more if you’re the creative homeschooling parent kind!
Volunteering
Last year, the farm surpassed more than 1,000 hours of volunteering, which is quite an accomplishment. They rely on their volunteers for packing and planting the tea and are grateful for any help.
If you want to volunteer, call Jennifer and ask to be put on her group text message. She sends them out every Monday telling volunteers what they will be doing on Tuesday. People who want to volunteer come Tuesdays from 9 am – Noon and help out on the farm. Any age is welcome!
Table Rock Tea Consortium
In Jennifer and Steve’s quest to make the Upstate known for its tea, they offer a consortium of tea growers. If you want to join, you purchase the tea plants and grow them at your own house or farm or whatever you have and then pick the leaves (actually called a flush when it’s ready to be picked – see, I learned something) and bring them to Table Rock Tea Company. The farmer/hobbyist will be paid for the leaves so they get paid to grow tea!
Table Rock Tea Company provides members of the consortium with the expertise and knowledge to grow and maintain the tea plants. The tea plants are pretty easy to grow and maintain since they have no predators because animals don’t like to eat the leaves, which contain caffeine. The plants from Table Rock Tea that are sold are already one and a half years old and will be ready to harvest at around three or four years old. And they are pretty plants, with flowers in the fall! You can learn more about the Table Rock Tea Consortium at the website.
Tea Museum
New in 2023 is a beautiful tea museum and bathrooms. They have all kinds of neat tea-related old school machines and you can smell each of their teas that they have available for purchase. There are plenty of chairs for tours and a TV screen that Jennifer uses to point out cool facts about tea.
There are picnic benches outside the tea museum with a large field, perfect for throwing around a football after your tour.
Make it a day trip
The Table Rock Tea Company is minutes from Table Rock State Park, which has miles of hiking trails, a lakeside beach and swimming, and a playground. Jones Gap and Caesars Head State Parks are nearby, as is Wildcat Wayside, the roadside waterfall popular for wading in the summer.
Travelers Rest and Easley are both nearby, which have lots of great places to eat and playgrounds. And Flat Rock, NC is about 45 minutes away, where you can hike and play with goats at the Carl Sandburg Home.
Table Rock Tea Company
118 High Hills Lane, Pickens
864.915.0571
Hours: Thursday-Saturday 9 am – 5 pm, Sunday 1-5 pm. Tours are Thursday-Saturday at 10 am and Thursday – Sunday at 2 pm.
Looking for more? Discover more amazing adventures and fabulous family fun in our full guide to Things to Do in the Upstate.