Sep 2021 - Ballito Umhlanga

Living the farm dream
There is no denying that macadamia nut farming is a lucrative, growing business
in South Africa - and particularly here on the KZN North Coast. We spoke to a local
macadamia farmer about this exciting crop.
Text: Leah Shone Photographs: Chris Allan Photo
Almost every South African has, at
some point, fantasized about what it
would be like to live on a farm. Wide
open spaces, beautiful countryside
and the pleasure and reward of
growing a crop and reaping the
benefits of what you have sown.
While this may seem like just a pipe
dream to most, there are many North
Coasters who are turning this dream
into a reality. Their crop of choice?
Macadamia nut trees.
Macadamia nuts are a profitable,
high value crop … and our nuts are
in high demand. In fact, South Africa
is currently the largest macadamia
nut producer in the world. And our
beautiful, tropical North Coast climate
makes this the ideal spot to grow
these delicious, multi-purpose nuts!
Fairview Estates, just outside Ballito, is
a 480-hectare estate that encourages
people to go back to traditional farmstyle
living – within a secure estate.
When you buy a piece of land in the
34 Get It • Ballito Umhlanga September 2021
estate you are also afforded the chance to become a member of the macadamia
co-op, allowing you to enjoy a taste of small-to-medium-scale commercial
farming by planting and harvesting macadamia nuts on your small-holding.
Fairview Estates Macadamia Co-op CEO and farmer Scott Meyer lives on the
estate and heads up the macadamia co-op. He is passionate about this exciting
venture, particularly because, he says, the crops are being grown in a truly
sustainable way, which is somewhat different from the traditional, commercial
farming environment.
“It’s really exciting to be regenerating this land and reintroducing a wide range of
biodiversities,” he says. “As this was an old sugar cane farm, we are moving away
from that monoculture and redeveloping grasslands and allowing wild flowers to
grow. This means there are loads of birds, butterflies and insects and the land is
full of life once more.”
Scott says macadamia nut farming allows you to use regenerative farming
processes that incorporate different biodiversities, allowing nature to do its thing
within its ecosystems with no chemical interceptions.
“Macadamia trees only produce nuts six to 10 years after planting, so this is a
long-term investment. But this also means you don’t need to spray pesticides
(which often kill both the good and bad bugs) to protect the nuts. It’s wonderful
to see the soil full of earthworms and butterflies and bees coming back to this
land.”
There are a number of benefits to being a member of the farming co-op,
especially because you don’t have to invest in farming equipment, vehicles and
staff yourself. You also don’t have to know too much about farming!
Fairview owner Dudley Wang says, like many South Africans, he has always