Video

* Check my sustainability achievements by clicking the flower in the upper left! *

Hi, I am Annemarie Wenning and I grow organic oranges, mandarins, pumkins and tea trees in South Africa, together with my daughter Bonita and my two sons Dominique and Guy. Our company is called Emerald Acres. Thank you for buying our fruit!

Our farm is beautifully nestled among rolling hills in the KwaZulu-Natal province in South Africa, near the village of Paulpietersburg. Apart from citrus fruits, we also grow pumpkins and the lemon scented tea tree, which is used for it’s essential oils.

The farm started in 1937 as a timber farm, which was very common in the area. When we took over the farm, we started growing other crops. We decided on a combination of citrus farming and cattle ranching. In addition, we also keep a small flock of chicken for sales on the local market. We run the operation as a family farm and provide employment to other families, who also live on the property.

The combination of cattle ranching and farming turned out be an excellent basis for going organic. Our cows are a rare Brazilian Brahman breed. These cattle are distinctly looking with a large hump on their backs and long drooping ears. They provide good manure, which is a vital ingredient in our compost.

In 2003 we invested in a new irrigation system to replace flood irrigation. The new system is more water efficient! We make our own compost, that really builds up the soil. And we have excellent storing and packing facilities, to ensure top condition for the fruit we export to Europe.