News from the farm

A very very dry summer has come and gone. Finally, everything lifted. Our expectations, our optimism, and our joy broke out in abundance at the great downpours we experienced recently.

Once again it is time to plant. This time, we have our very own rooibos seedlings amongst the ones grown for us by our regular suppliers.

Our daily walks or drives somehow kept finding their way past the new tea nursery. We have been watching and willing them to grow before they were even just faint green specs on a large open field.

An exciting bit of expansion for us! Plus almost doubling up on our planting this year. That will take some manpower and long hours but the team is ready. We look forward to a great planting season and a generous rainy season that will break the back of the drought in the Western Cape

Where did the drought leave us?

We experienced a 30% reduction in anticipated volumes on our harvest this year. The lack of good rain has also left its mark on our more mature plants. Some did not make it. Others started yellowing due to lack of water which made it more of a target for pests. As you know, the rooibos plant has a deep tap root system but short bursts of rain with shallow moisture penetration has benefitted the younger plants ( with shallow roots at this stage) but left our older plants dry. So the drought took its toll but, there is always a way out. And a new season.