The Blog

Back in our mountain tea fields

We finally made it back to our mountain tea fields. Mountain tea was planted here for the first time in November 2025 – and we were curious to see what had become of the little seedlings.

The answer: little cushion-shaped plants. Silvery, fluffy and so soft you just want to stroke them – row after row, they dot the field like little felt cushions. The fine hairs on the leaves serve a purpose: it protects the plant from blazing sun and drought. Mountain tea gets its name from growing wild in the Greek mountains. It doesn’t need mountains, though: it also thrives in the gently rolling countryside where we’ve planted our new field.

So how are they doing? Really well, we think. The cushions have grown dense and even, the leaves are a vibrant silvery green, there are hardly any brown spots and the rows are well filled. Dry soil and plenty of sun are exactly what mountain tea likes.

How long does mountain tea take to grow? In its first year, mountain tea only forms its leaf rosettes and gathers strength. From the second year on it sends up its flower stalks – and these are what is harvested for the tea when they bloom in early summer. The field begins producing a fuller harvest in its third year. So mountain tea is not for the impatient – which makes us look forward to next summer all the more.

Read: planting the mountain tea →

Our second visit to BIOFACH

In February 2026 we visited BIOFACH in Nuremberg for the second time – the big trade fair for organic food. After the first few aisles it was clear: this was going to be a special day. So many great producers and products in one place – we hardly knew where to look first.

We talked to producers from Italy, Spain and France, exchanged ideas and learned a lot. And of course we sampled our way around the stands – the snacks were really good. On the way home, one thought stayed with us: one day, we’d love to have a stand here ourselves.

Also in the photo are our cousins and our uncle from Greece. Our uncle runs Aroma Mediterraneo, the family business that grows herbs on more than ten hectares – including the herbs we use for aromaneo, which later end up in your kitchen.

Pruning our rosemary in winter

By January, our rosemary was ready for its winter cut – our uncle sent us this photo from the field. The rows stood dense and green, full of fresh shoots.

Rosemary is evergreen and keeps growing through the mild Greek winter – which is why it can already be cut in January. Only the fresh green growth is cut, leaving the woody stems intact, so the shrub sprouts vigorously again in spring.

The branches go straight into the big white harvest bags between the rows before being taken for drying. This rosemary becomes our organic rosemary – from our family’s field to your kitchen.

Planting our first mountain tea

A freshly ploughed field, guide strings stretched between the rows and crates full of seedlings: in November 2025 mountain tea was planted on our field for the first time – plant by plant, by hand, in neat rows.

Mountain tea – “tsai tou vounou” in Greek – grows wild in the Greek mountains, hence the name. Cultivated, it also thrives in gently rolling countryside like that of our new field. Growing it in our own field means we know exactly where it comes from and how it’s grown. It takes patience: in the first year the plant only grows leaves, the first harvest comes from the second year on.

To see how the seedlings are doing today, read “Back in our mountain tea fields” above.

A day in our sage field

In February 2024, we – Lukas and Niklas – travelled to our family's village in northern Greece together with our friend Douglas. We didn't just want to tell you where our herbs come from; we wanted to lend a hand ourselves, from tending the plants to cutting the sage.

Late February is winter pruning time in the fields. Before the sage sprouts again in spring, the plants are cut back hard so they can gather strength for the new season. At this time of year, we cut the stems with their small, silvery winter leaves. Together we loaded the freshly cut sage onto the truck and took it to be processed. In spring the plants grow back strongly – ready for the main harvest before flowering.

For me, this day was something special. This place, these fields and this landscape mean a lot to me. Whenever I'm there, I'm reminded why we do aromaneo. – Lukas

A few snapshots from the day: blue sky over the village, sage as far as the eye can see, and at the end a short break with our neighbours’ farm dog, “Kanela” – Greek for “cinnamon” ;)