Avocados
Our avocados are grown and then hand picked from the trees in the orchards once they are mature. The fruit is carefully tested for maturity before we harvest them. Once picked the fruit is mature but it is still hard. This is one of natures small miracles because it allows us to harvest the fruit, sort it and get it to market still fresh and looking good.
We have a variety of avocados on our farm, namely Feurte, Edranol, Pinkerton, Hass and Ryan. Once we have harvested our fruit it is taken to pack houses and then exported or used for local market or avocado oil.
Macadamia Nuts
Macadamias are considered the world’s finest nut and their delicate flavour, versatility and crunchy texture make them a delight to consume. They also contain a range of nutritious and health promoting constituents and form an important part of a healthy diet. A balanced diet containing macadamias promotes good health, longevity and a reduction in degenerative diseases.
The image of macadamia and other tree nuts is changing as research, dietary trials and population studies demonstrate their importance as part of a healthy diet. This increasing knowledge and understanding of health benefits is likely to alter public perception so that macadamias may be selected primarily for their nutritive and health value apart from their great flavour and texture.
Research from other tree nuts with similar composition is often applicable to macadamias and have been proven to have significant health benefits. The Mediterranean Health Pyramid or diet recommends tree nuts be eaten daily. The good news is you don’t have to think of breaking your diet by eating macadamias. There is increasing evidence that they have a positive effect on many aspects of our health and they are full of important nutrients including monounsaturated fats, proteins, dietary fiber, minerals, vitamins, and phyto-chemicals.
Nutritionists, medical researchers and food scientists are undertaking ongoing research into nutritional and health benefits of macadamias which means available information is being updated.
Health Benefits
- Macadamias contain no cholesterol as they are a natural plant food.
- Macadamias are not genetically modified and only contain natural genes.
- Research* has shown that macadamias can help lower blood cholesterol levels.
- Research* has shown that macadamias may reduce the incidence of heart disease.
- High in fiber.
- Very high proportion of monounsaturated fat.
- Contain vitamins, minerals and protein essential in a healthy diet.
Swaziland, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Costa Rica, New Zealand and Guatemala (The Cracker, April 2000).
There is increasing scientific evidence that there arc positive health benefits from diets containing fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains, and which include fish, nuts and low fat dairy products (The Cracker. INC Magazine. April 2000).
The taste, crunchiness, aroma and colour of Macadamia nuts make it definitely the pearl of all tree nuts. The quality of Macadamias is unique vs. other nuts. The price therefore can be maintained at a level, which will be profitable for a producer in Southern Africa to compete in the world market with his crop.
The Honeybee
Honey Bees are not pests; they are a highly developed species of the animal world and contribute significantly to the sustainability of the eco-system in all areas urban environment, farming areas and bush lands. In Africa alone there are an estimated 3000 species of bees and throughout the world some 20,000 different species.
In South Africa we have two main species apis mellifera scutellata which is found throughout South Africa except the Cape areas, and apis mellifera capensis, the Cape bee which was originally restricted to the Western and Eastern Cape area.
Scutellata is the infamous “African Killer Bee” which is well known for its ferociousness and hard work. Its ferocity is ingrained from centuries of adapting to the harsh hot African sun, and constant irritation of robbing by vandals intent on stealing its plentiful supply of honey without regard to professional care and attention. A properly managed hive of African bees can be easily and meekly handled with the proper care, equipment and patience. It is these bees which have become notorious as the African Killer Bee in South America and southern North America after they were introduced from a Pretoria apiary for experimental breeding purposes.
Capensis was restricted naturally to the Western and Eastern Cape regions until unsuspecting and ambitious Western Cape Pollinators introduced them to the Transvaal region in the 1980’s. Cape Bees are unique in that the worker bees are able to reproduce their own kind through egg laying, whilst Scutellata does not do this. The Cape Bees are also invasive bees which roam and invade the more prolific and productive Scutellata hives where they take over and eventually destroy the Scutellata swarm. The introduction of the Capensis Bee into the Scutellata region created total havoc amongst the beekeeping industry in that region. A Scutellata hive with Cape Bees has to be destroyed to prevent the spread of the Cape Bees to other hives.
Some Interesting Facts About Honey Bees
The average colony of bees consists of 40,000 or more bees. Approximately (⅓) 13,000 of these bees will be out during the day collecting nectar, pollen and water whilst the balance remain in the hive cleaning, ventilating, guarding and tending to the young larvae. These numbers increase proportionately as the food supply increases.
Each bee can carry about 20 to 60mg of nectar. (Nectar is the sweet secretion produced by a plant to attract the insect to visit its flowers in order to pollinate naturally with other plants of the same plant species. Nectar is unique to each plant and this is why we are able to produce different honey flavours. Hence we get Blue Gum, Citrus, Avocado, Lucerne, Cosmos, Litchi, Mango or Aloe flavours). The nectar has enzymes added by the bees to preserve it and moisture removed also by them to concentrate it to about 18% moisture. It therefore takes about 20 trips and over a 1000 visits per flower per trip to collect and produce 1 gram of honey. When next you eat honey, think of all the work, effort and the glories of nature which has gone into producing this delicious product.
Organic Vegetable Garden
We have started our own organic vegetable garden to supply fresh vegetables and herbs for the table. We use natural pesticides such as garlic sprays to keep insects awa, as well as companion planting. We do, however, have the few buck, monkeys, baboons and hedgehogs taking their fair share of the fruits!!
All extra produce it made into relishes, bottled fruits, jams, etc. and can be purchased from our curio shop.
