TOTUS Awards Community Tea-In

Volcano Art Center is proud to support and sponsor the  TOTUS Tea Of The United States Awards! The first ever national tea competition for US grown tea will be held this November hosted in Hawaii. A grant from the Hawaii County Office of Research & Development and support from agriculture organizations involved with domestic origin initiatives have helped create this arena  recognizing US grown tea and its contribution in domestic agriculture.

Dates to remember:
11/4/15 TOTUS Competition. Jurors Session — Closed to Public
11/7/15 TOTUS Awards Community Tea-In. Open Public Educational Presentations & Exhibit.

Location: Volcano Art Center

19-4074 Old Volcano Rd.

Volcano Village, Hawaii USA, 96785

TOTUS Awards Community Tea-In

A day of enlightening talks and presentations by professionals in the arts and science of tea worldwide. Plus visit an exhibition of TOTUS Tea Of The United States Awards Competition entries.  All events held at Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village, (19-4074 Old Volcano Rd., Volcano, HI 96785)  Admission for the Community Tea-In is required with preregistration (purchase before 12noon on Friday Nov. 6) at $20 per person and $18 for VAC and Hawai’i Tea Society Members.  Tickets may also be purchased at the door at $25 per person, $20 for active VAC and Hawai’i Tea Society Members.

Saturday November 7, 2015   9am – 5pm

Location – Volcano Art Center Niaulani Campus
19-4074 Old Volcano Rd, Volcano, HI 96785

Telephone: 808-967-8222

Inaugural Ticket Prices  limited seating, early registration advised 

Preregistration

• General admission preregistration (purchase by Friday Nov. 6 at 12noon HST): 1 Day Pass = $20. Purchase here!
• VAC Member preregistration (purchase by Friday Nov. 6 at 12noon HST) : 1 Day Pass = $18. Purchase here!
• Hawaii Tea Society Member preregistration (purchase by Friday Nov. 6 at 12noon HST) : 1 Day Pass = $18. Purchase here!
• TOTUS Farms = 1 Free Pass

At the Door

• At door general admission =$25.00
• At door VAC Member =$20.
• At door Hawaii Tea Society Member = $20.
• TOTUS Awards competition applicant: 1 Day Pass = Free
• **VAC and Hawaii Tea Society Memberships will be verified at the door with a current membership card and/or list of current members from those organizations.**

Speaker: Bruce Richardson

Topic: The Book of Tea’s Influence on Western Art.

Premiered at the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe and at Camellia Sinensis/Montreal centers on the influence of Japanese art and tea – as explained by Okakura Kakuzo – on the art spirit of O’Keeffe, Frank Lloyd Wright and other notable artists of the early 20th century. More than an historical talk, Bruce focuses on how teaists today can be aware of the tea spirit as they live each day. American artist Georgia O’Keeffe owned two copies of The Book of Tea by Okakura Kakuzo. As her eyesight failed in her last years in New Mexico, O’Keeffe asked for chapters from the 1906 book be read aloud to her nightly. This classic introduction to the Japanese tea spirit was revered by others in the art world as well, including Frank Lloyd Wright and Isabella Stewart Gardner. In 2011, Bruce Richardson edited a new edition for Benjamin Press. He will recreate for TOTUS attendees this lecture delivered recently at the O’Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe.

Speaker: Jane Pettigrew

Topic: The World’s Less Well-Known Tea Growing Regions

As the passion for nurturing baby tea plants and producing all the different categories of tea increases around the world, this talk takes you on a journey from the new Scottish growers in the northernmost parts of the UK, to the French tea club in Nantes, the Japanese style tea garden on Monte Verita in the Swiss Alps, into Bhutan in the Himalayas, on to South America, Australia and New Zealand and a few unusual African tea estates. What are the different growers producing and where.

Speaker: Kevin Gascoyne

Topic:  Talking Terroir

Tea taster Kevin Gascoyne explains some of the key elements that create a specific ‘growing environment’.   With so many possibilities and variables no two tea growing regions are exactly alike. ‘All locations have their own unique combination of meteorological, geographical and geological features that separate them from all others.  These factors, and a few others, will stimulate or inhibit the growth patterns of a plant, reactions that create a sense of place and identity that become the distinguishing features of any ‘origin specific’ production’.

LUNCH BREAK – Agricultural organizations information viewing & TOTUS entries exhibition.

County/State presentations, Awards announcements, growers talk story with judges.

Speaker: Selena Ahmed

Topic: Tea and the Taste of Climate Change
Selena will explore the impact of climate change on tea quality, and how stakeholders can mitigate this risk. We will approach these topics from a sustainability framework and a guided tea tasting. Tangible growing practices will also be discussed that can be adopted towards enhanced sustainability of the global tea system. She will present an overview of the impact of environmental variation and management on tea quality. We will also discuss the relevance of marketing place-based agricultural products and links to sustainability.

Speaker: Kevin Gascoyne

Topic: Tea and Scotch Pairing

Tea taster Kevin Gascoyne leads us through the fascinating flavor complexities of two very distinct spectrums. Pairing rare teas with fine Scotch, combinations that enhance and others that conflict. “Two drinks, one from leaf and one from grain, both boast a vast variety of flavour profiles that reflect the relationship between their artisanal process and environmental variables. Parallel worlds of terroir and technique.  As the two profiles blend we experience unexpected fusions and contrasts, harmonic flavour bridges and aromatic synergies that enhance our understanding of the fascinating details of each drink.”

Speakers: Jane Pettigrew and Bruce Richardson

Topic: The Social History of Tea in Britain and America 

The patterns of tea drinking in both countries have followed a very similar course from the 17th century through to today, with America achieving many firsts – in drinking, importing, and growing tea. Follow the story from the earliest experiences of Chinese tea in New Amsterdam and London, to afternoon tea, high tea, tea gowns, tea dances, tea lounges and tea shops. Trace tea’s fascinating connections to furniture design, the layout of Georgian houses, acts of parliament, international wars, temperance, women’s suffrage, prohibition and today’s passion for tea.

Growers & Farmers get involved!
Now that Spring harvests have come to a close followed by Summer and Autumn yields, please take this time to review, experiment and refine the teas that best relay the excellence of your efforts for competition entries. The competition has two divisions, Commercial with cash awards and Non-Commercial with certificate awards open to all that grow Camellia sinensis tea in the United States. Be a part of the origin pride! To learn more about  requirements and deadlines please go to entry form.

Merchants & Enthusiasts get involved!

TOTUS Awards sponsorships Participate by lending your support in our sponsorship programs to help raise public awareness of US grown tea and show the world your great mission! To learn more go to:

The more informed the public is on domestic tea production, the better our representatives can assist in providing public support on county, state and federal levels. It is with that intent the TOTUS Awards will help facilitate raising public awareness creating opportunities for many in tea production nationwide.

Meet our international panel of Judges!

Our panel will be judging teas according to established industry standards and encouraging innovation. In addition, this stellar panel will be giving lecture presentations on many fascinating topics related to tea culture, the arts and
tea agriculture from around the globe!