There are coffee bean tree growers in Winterskloof!
A pioneering collective’s farming efforts have yielded over one thousand healthy coffee trees so far. The plantings of mixed Arabica cultivars are flourishing on east and north-east facing slopes in the mist belt micro-climate of Winterskloof where they have reached various stages of maturity. Beans have been harvested and these enthusiasts are brewing homegrown coffee in Hilton’s beautiful valley.
The next step for these emerging coffee farmers is to conduct trial plantings to figure out which Arabica coffee varietals are best suited to Winterskloof’ s conditions.
Dylan Cummings from Beaver Creek Coffee Estate on the South Coast of KZN has collected beans to process, and possibly include in the RedBerry blend of 100% South African coffee, served at Vida e caffè. Dylan is supporting interested coffee growers in KZN and in Mpumalanga, where coffee grows best in SA, contact him on 082 907 0652 to find out if your property is suitable for growing coffee.
The global coffee bean market predicts a growth trajectory, a recent notable spike in pricing amidst rumours of pending scarcity has not deterred consumers from their devotion to daily cups of this much loved ‘wake-up brew’. These local berry growers are striding into exciting times as they begin a journey that will surely inspire both local coffee lovers and entrepreneurs alike.
Top image: Melanie Rood – one of the growers in Winterskloof with around 88 successful trees on her property to date.
Below: Coffee trees blooms and drying coffee cherries.
