Slanghoek Cellar is located in the Slanghoek valley, and produces and supplies wine to local and international markets. Since 2012 Slanghoek Cellar has been lowering their carbon emissions by reusing by-products as fertilizer on the farms, and changing old lights to LEDs with timers to limit electricity usage.
Napier Vineyards is located in the unique region of Wellington in the Western Cape of South Africa, and is named after Sir George Napier, Governor of the Cape of Good Hope from 1837 to 1843. The region’s rich soil diversity allows for the perfect combination of grape variety versus terroir. Napier Vineyards’ focus is on consistent yield and quality as well as careful interaction with nature.
Spier is a family-owned wine farm in the Stellenbosch Winelands with a recorded history dating back to 1692. High-density grazing in Spier’s pastures sequesters carbon, while the farm typically sends 0% of their waste to landfill. In February 2022, their recycling and recovery efforts resulted in 6782kg less CO₂e in the atmosphere. In 2021, Spier’s nine solar installations generated over 280,000 kWh, resulting in 107,808kg of carbon dioxide savings.
Vergelegen Wine Estate is a 322-year-old provincial heritage site in Somerset West which has won two awards in the prestigious 2022 Great Wine Capitals Best of Wine Tourism Awards. After a 14-year alien clearing project, 2000 ha of the land was proclaimed into a private nature reserve, home to many rare and endangered species. Vergelegen calculates their carbon footprint annually to see where they can improve, and their next step is to have the cellar run completely on renewable energy to reduce the farm’s carbon footprint even more.
Neethlingshof is located just outside the town of Stellenbosch, in the renowned Cape Winelands. With roots dating back to 1692, Neethlingshof produces superior, terroir driven wines for local and international markets. Climate and vines co-exist at Neethlingshof in perfect harmony, and sustainable management practices are employed to enhance this relationship and ensure top vine performance from year to year. Neethlingshof is committed to biodiversity-friendly and regenerative farming practices, conserving natural areas and continually improving water and energy efficiencies.
Springfield Estate is a family-owned wine estate located in the Western Cape of Southern Africa. Springfield Estate’s commitment to quality is reflected in their motto, Made on Honour, which guides every aspect of the business. Springfield Estate believes that the character and individuality of their grapes should shine through in their wines, which are made using natural yeast and single vineyard techniques.
The Komati Group is a family business that originated in 1954 when Theodore Maximillian Thalwitzer (Snr) bought his first farm along the banks of the Letaba River in Letsitele. The initial 100 hectare citrus farm has since been expanded. Today, the Komati Group consists of a number of farms, packhouses, and a citrus tree nursery, in the Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces. They pack and export over 7 million cartons of citrus annually to 30 countries worldwide.
Wellington Wines’ history dates back to 1906, 1907 and 1941 when Wellington Co-operative Winery, Bovlei Co-operative and Wamakersvalley Wines were founded respectively. These three wine giants, with years of knowledge and passion, joined forces in recent years to form Wellington Wines. Wellington Wines is a wine producer of outstanding characteristics, implementing innovative methods to ensure the region is experienced with every sip.
Situated on the cool slopes of the Dorstberg, with Table Mountain as backdrop, Diemersdal Wine Estate produces unique, soulful wines. The farm covers 340 hectares of land, with 200 of those under vines. A sizeable area of the farm consists of Renosterveld. Diemersdal signed a 10-year biodiversity agreement with Cape Nature to establish a 16,8 hectare conservation area, consisting of Swartland Shale Renosterveld. This vegetation type is classified as Critically Endangered, having lost more than 90% of its original extent.
Over the past 80 years, Fyvie Farming has transformed from a traditional Eastern Free State farm into an extensive, modern family-in-business enterprise. Fyvie serves the local and export market for apples, berries, pure juices, maize, wheat, minimum-till cropped soya beans, as well as Bovelder Cattle of the finest stock. The farm approaches every element of their family-run farm with meticulous attention. Fyvie are innovators who work hard and with precision to achieve consistently efficient and sustainable production. This ensures premium-grade products, which adhere to their personal standards of excellence.
Achtertuin Farm was established in 1917 and is situated in the Ceres region. Achtertuin is passionate about sustainability and have implemented biological practices for the past 20 years. This approach has increased soil carbon significantly. To reduce energy use, they have retrofitted VSD starters to all pumps and installed grid tied solar panels that generate 15% of their annual irrigation demand. They are investigating an off grid, hybrid solar system to increase their renewable energy component.
The Kirsten family has been farming table grapes in the beautiful and historical town of Paarl since 1916. This legacy, which spans over a century, continues today with the fourth generation currently at the helm of the business. Brothers Altus and Niël Kirsten both have equal shares in JDK, which currently consist of four production units. Together they follow in their late father JD’s footsteps in further growing the JDK brand with a continued focus on quality and sustainability.
Droomland Landgoed is situated in the Tulbagh region of the Western Cape province, South Africa. The farm consists of 35.3 hectares producing stone and pome fruit. Droomland Landgoed works toward reducing their carbon footprint every year. Their aim is to be fully off the grid in the future and to use only reputable service providers. Droomland Landgoed strives for a greener more sustainable planet.
Dutoit Agri owns 26 farms which are situated in the Langkloof and Ceres area. Du Toit packs their own fruit and vegetables. The farm does the Farming for the Future audit, and their carbon footprint for fruit and vegetables on both farm and packhouse levels. Du Toit is serious about saving water by using the best scientifically proven practices. The farm also does soil and leaf analyses to determine which fertilisers are needed, and IPM principles are followed in crop protection. Solar panels have also been installed for the packhouses.
Mont Rouge is located in the Winterhoek Mountains in the Tulbagh area. It is a beautiful family fruit farm, including guesthouses and a wedding venue. Mont Rouge believes that the little things matter, like closing a dripping tap or recycling empty wine bottles after a wedding. Mont Rouge makes use of solar panels at their packhouse, and all lights have been replaced with LEDs. Environmental conservation is very close to Mont Rouge’s heart, and they try to preserve the natural vegetation where they can.
Naranja Packers is a specialised citrus packhouse situated close to Burgersfort. They pack fruit produced by Indigo Fruit Farming in the Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces, as well as fruit for other farmers within the Burgersfort region. Every year Naranja sets their environmental goals and targets according to their CCC carbon footprint report. They are currently in the process of installing solar panels, which will lead to significant reductions in their carbon footprint.
Located in Wellington, Western Cape, the management team at Indigo strives to be informed about sustainable farming and the positive impact this style of farming has on the environment. The farm, including resident employees, is an active member of the Drakenstein recycling scheme and spearheads a riparian area reforestation project.
Situated in the Waterberg Mountains, Limpopo, Lepalala Berries is passionate about conservation, working proactively with specialists to preserve the ecosystem and enhance biodiversity. Soil erosion is addressed through new technology and beneficial insects are used as an alternative to agrochemicals. Additionally, the farm supplies 120 residents with energy from a hybrid solar solution.
Lulamanzi Berries, near Randfontein, Gauteng, uses biological products as much as possible, and manages pesticides carefully, avoiding the unnecessary application of pesticides and their impact on pollinators and other non-target species. Solar panels have been installed for the farm and its residents, and used paper towels are innovatively used to create fire bricks.
Metsi Berries, Limpopo, is as passionate about biodiversity and sustainable farming as they are about producing top-quality blueberries. The farm is completely off grid, with solar panels and invertors for storage of solar battery backup, and actively encourages natural pollinators and beneficial insects in their conservation areas.
Nyami Berries is adjacent to the Magaliesberg biosphere, and a portion of the land is dedicated to the protection of indigenous plant species and wildlife. Water efficiency is one of their key performance indicators, and preparations have been made for solar panels, which will supply over 60% of the energy demand.
Waterberg Berries is situated in the majestic Waterberg range of Limpopo, South Africa. “Customer First” is our motto. Using the latest technology and the best consultants and knowledge, we strive to achieve optimal production with the least impact on the environment. We love what we do – sustainably produce superior quality blueberries.
Wolseley Berries in the Western Cape embraces sustainability by reducing herbicide usage and ensuring that the Sandspruit River, which flows through the farm and hosts many insect, amphibian and bird species, is kept in its natural state. The management team prioritises plant health and the present biodiversity.
Amandalia Farm is a family owned farm producing stone fruit, wine grapes, olives and almonds, lying against the foothills of the Langeberg mountains. Amandalia is committed to managing their natural asset with a strict alien clearing programme, solar power supply for their brewery and by respecting their natural resources.
The Rabiesberg farm, Leipzig, is situated in the Nuy Valley just outside Worcester. The farm has been in the Rabie family for six generations. It spans 804 ha, with 91 ha under irrigation. Rabiesberg cultivates 48 ha of wine grapes, 18 ha of plums, and 25 ha of citrus. The farm delivers their wine grapes to Nuy Winery.
Founded in South Africa, Halls is a global fresh produce supplier trusted for over 130 years. Halls strives to be responsible stewards of the land entrusted to them. From soil to shelf, Halls has five environmental goals: responsible water use, improved soil health, enhanced biodiversity, reduced carbon footprint and waste reduction.
Since 1694 Rust en Vrede has stood peacefully among the vineyards of Stellenbosch. At various times over the centuries wine was produced, but the modern era of winemaking started with the Engelbrecht family in the 1970s. The Engelbrecht family has shaped Rust en Vrede Wine Estate with a distinct vision for the future – to create a legacy of quality red wine, with a focus on Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. Our wines have excelled to become the best expression of Rust en Vrede’s terroir.
Shielded from the prevailing winds by the Helderberg and Stellenbosch mountains, Rust en Vrede is a warmer microcosm in the Helderberg area, which is why we specialize in reds, particularly Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. These varieties lend themselves to full bodied wines with powerful structure and excellent aging potential.
Through this digital recognition platform, we celebrate the Carbon Heroes taking part in the Confronting Climate Change (CCC) Initiative for their considerable effort in calculating and understanding their carbon emissions. You are making a positive contribution to mitigating climate change!
www.carbonheroes.co.za
Email: support@bluenorth.co.za
Phone: 063 688 5593
Address: Blue North Sustainability (Pty) Ltd, Klein Joostenberg Farm R304 Muldersvlei, Stellenbosch
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