This is typical of many of the farms I visited. Organizing a communal composting program could provide a rich mulch for the fields. Intercropping rows of tea with legumes and other beneficial plants could also be done with good results. Traditional farming practices, though still popular amongst the remote peasants, are raw and crude, not to mention labor-intensive. But tea grown under these conditions can be some of the best I've ever tasted.
Farms are typically small, with their entire harvest amounting to less than ten or fifteen pounds.
I'm so tired of being shown great-looking teas only to be disappointed after tasting them. SO much tea is bought and sold in China solely from its appearance. Seeing the soil and growing methods, it's no wonder most tea lacks vitality. I've had meeting after meeting with the farmers and local officials on the subject of organic growing methods, where I've been know to pound my fist on the table to make a point. The farmers love this.