The Cederberg mountain wilderness is the endemic home of rooibos and where our production farm is situated. 

Our rooibos tea is planted, harvested, and produced in harmony with nature. The location and farming methods of our production farm produce rooibos tea of the highest quality.

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Rooibos is grown from seed which is hand collected from healthy mature rooibos fields.

In late January each year, the seed is organically germinated and planted in a nursery. Then, after four months of attentive nurturing, a few million tiny organic seedlings are transplanted into our fields just as winter rains get underway, and the temperatures drop.

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Fields are generally prepared for planting in Autumn. We carefully preserve the soil structure of the fields for long-term soil health by practising conservation tillage. When preparing fields for cultivation, they are ripped with advanced custom-developed tine implements which don't overturn the soil but rather create deep un-invasive furrows in which rooibos seedlings can take root. Field nutrient levels are monitored, and organically certified fertilizers/nutrients are added only when needed.

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During the summer months of December to February, the rooibos crop is harvested by hand. First, the bushy plant's branches are cut using sickles and neatly bound into bundles, then transported to our processing facilities and tea drying court. Upon arrival at the on-farm processing facility, the bundles are sorted and carefully fed into our purpose-built state-of-the-art cutting machines.

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The wet, freshly cut green rooibos is then placed in a long low heap across the centre of our tea court to "sweat" overnight. Through a carefully managed process (including bruising, airing, and watering) of fermentation, enzymatic oxidation occurs, which causes the rooibos to "magically" change from green to its characteristic red/amber colour. It also unleashes the wonderful flavour and distinctive sweet aroma of our top-quality rooibos.

After the sweating process, the fermented rooibos is spread out across the tea court to dry 100% naturally in the hot African sun. The cutting, fermenting & drying processes are completed in less than 24 hours!

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Ethical Farming & Certification

 

Our organic rooibos is certified by the Rainforest Alliance as ethically and sustainably produced. 

 

The Rainforest Alliance aims to build a future in which nature is protected and biodiversity flourishes. A future where farmers, workers, and communities prosper, where land use is sustainable, and responsible business practices are the norm.

 

Certified organic

Our rooibos is certified organic to supply European (EU), Japanese (JAS) & North American (NOP/USDA) markets.