New tea court working out great!

The 2009/2010 harvest is well underway. And the development of our new organic processing facility and tea drying yard is paying of.

We expect to make over 200 tons of top quality tea during this harvest season. Our choices of new top-of-the-range machinery, pristine water supply, and experienced staff is resulting in good through-put and top quality results. The processing team is enjoying working with the new machinery and implements.

Initial reports from customers are that our tea cut and length consistency is superior to what they generally experience from other processing facilities. We are now able to accurately cut different lengths and custom produce Rooibos tea which meets our customers marketing plans and expectations.

Otherwise, the extra bit of rain which fell at Klipopmekaar late last year has been good for the tea. The harvest is looking good and the newly planted fields are growing nicely.

New processing and storage facilities, and new staff houses

Its been a busy year at Klipopmekaar! At the beginning of the year, we decided to make some major investments in new facilities and equipment which will enable us to make, process and store Rooibos tea for our valued customers. And, we're now very proud to announce the completion of the construction of these facilities:

- A 3000 square meter tea processing court with state-of-the-art cutting machines and an array of other industry-leading machinery which will enable us to to process larger volumes of tea while simultaneously increasing both the quality/range of the cut and clean yield achieved.

- An 800 square meter dedicated Rooibos tea store which will provide a good, clean, dry environment, and stable climate for long-term storage of up to 500 tons of tea.

- Four brand new staff family homes. All very generously proportioned, designed using green architectural principles (including thermal insulation and solar water heating), furnished, and built in harmony with our pristine environment.

With the 2009/2010 harvest looking really good, we're looking forward to continued growth and expansion of our Rooibos business, while providing the best possible work environment for our staff; and continued care for our environment.

More good health news on rooibos

Friday, 14 August 2009
This article was first published by FoodStuff.co.za

Cardiovascular disease is a leading killer worldwide and in South Africa. According to data from the Medical Research Council close to 200 people, about half of which are younger than 65 years, die in South Africa every day as a result of some form of heart or blood vessel disease. Studies have now proven that a component in rooibos may be able to prevent and treat vascular disease.

The latest news from the South African Rooibos Council is that, according to new findings in the Journal of Pharmacological Science*, chrysoeriol, an antioxidant in rooibos, is able to inhibit the migration of smooth muscle cells inside the aorta, which is a key cause of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), which in turn results in cardiovascular disease. Furthermore, the researchers recommend the use of chrysoeriol to prevent and treat the repeated narrowing of blood vessels following coronary angioplasty, during which a small balloon is used to open up a blocked or narrowed heart artery.

The characteristics and bioactivity of the complex mix of compounds in rooibos are being studied by several research groups around the world. Chrysoeriol is already known for its antioxidant, cancer-fighting and anti-inflammatory properties.

“Although chrysoeriol is not the most abundant antioxidant in rooibos, we are now beginning to understand its other properties that may contribute to its overall health benefits,” Professor Jeanine Marnewick, specialist researcher at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology commented after reviewing these latest findings from Japan. “As scientists unravel the health contributions of the complex mix of compounds in rooibos, we are finding more and more evidence to substantiate the traditional uses of rooibos as a remedy for a variety of ailments.”

These latest findings follow on earlier work done at the Aga Khan University Medical College in Pakistan where researchers first found that the chrysoeriol in rooibos has a bronchodilatory effect. They found that it helps to decrease muscle spasms in blood vessels and lung airways and recommended its use as a remedy for congestive airway disorders such as asthma. Their findings and recommendations were published in the European Journal of Nutrition in 2006.

* Journal of Pharmacological Science, Vol 110, page 105 – 110, 2009. An inhibitory effect of chrysoeriol on platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-induced proliferation and PDGF receptor signalling in human aortic smooth muscle cells. Authors: B. Cha, W.L. Shi, T. Yonezawa, T. Teruya, K. Nagai and J. Woo.

Owls, owls houses and organic farming

Using barn owls to fight rodent populations is an old idea that is getting a second look by many sectors of the agriculture industry. As an organically certified Rooibos farm, we believe that nature can often be a farmers best ally in his battle against pests.

Over the past six months, I have been in contact with various passionate researchers and environmentalists who have studied how to best create habitat for raptors on a farm. The simple idea being that raptors eat rodents - the more raptors - the less rodents - the healthier the Rooibos fields. Conversely, by poisoning rodents (the conventional approach to the problem), farmers inevitably end up killing raptors (who eat the poisoned rodents), thereby increasing the challenge - and creating a greater problem which loops and builds upon itself.

With the advice of Zoologist Leigh Potter, and the services of the wonderful Gerry Cassidy - who designed and built all of my barn owl boxes (at cost of materials only!), we're proudly about to erect the first 16 barn owl boxes on our farm in the next few weeks. To my knowledge, we will be the first farm within the entire Rooibos farming industry to develop barn owl habitat (as an organic control for rodents) on a significant and meaningful scale.

To summarize the plan:

- 16 Barn Owl boxes (roughly one per 30 hectares)
- The total cost per box is about R500. However, boxes can be built cheaper by using scrap materials.
- All boxes made to Cape Nature specifications (no toxic materials or chemicals used in contruction of the boxes) and specifically designed to only attract barn owls and no other birds/raptors.
- Erected on gum poles about 5 meters off the ground
- Owl box entrances face South/East
- Put up before the start of spring
- Pine needles placed in the boxes as nesting material
- Expected or hoped-for occupation rate of about 60% within the first year


Hopefully, we'll be succesful in attracting owls to the boxes this spring. If you would like help with using barn owls to counter rodents on your farm, please get in touch and I'd be happy to help.

Warm regards, Richard

Our move to conservation-tillage farming

Over the past few months we've taken the decision to change some of our soil and field preparation methods. With the help of various local farmers and farming technical advisors, a new conservation-tillage strategy has been borne. We hope that in the long term this new approach can provide environemntal benefits, reduce costs, and increase yields simultaneously.

Conservation-tillage farming is about protecting our soil structure. Also known as "no-till" (a more pure version of what I'm talking about), conservation tillage improves soil quality (soil function), protecting the soil from erosion, evaporation of water, and structural breakdown. A reduction in tillage passes (or plowing) helps prevent the compaction of soil.

Studies that try to identify whether or not it is more profitable have found that it can be if done right.

Less tillage of the soil reduces labor, fuel, irrigation and machinery costs. No-till can increase yield because of higher water content and much lower erosion rates. Another benefit of no-till is that because of the higher water content, instead of leaving a field fallow it can make economic sense to plant another crop instead (depending on your specific local circumstances).

Our current plan (broadly speaking) includes the following key elements and has required investments in various new implements

1) Instead of plowing-in Rooibos tea fields, we'll first cut all plants and tea bushes with a Fieldmulcher - this machine very effectively cuts and distributes all plant material as mulch on the field surface without uprooting and destroying soil structure.
2) When plowing in our rotation crop (oats etc), we will no longer user a conventional plow, but rather work with the materials extemely shallow - just sufficiently deep to sow oats, mix the mulch and distribute organic fertilizer.
3) Prior to planting, we'll "rip-on-the-row" to break the old plow bank and create a growth path for the newly planted Rooibos seedlings.

Technically speaking this is not a no-till method, its probably more widely known as strip tillage or conservation tillage.

The first rains have fallen, its time to get moving with these new plans.

Clinical Trial Shows Cardiovascular Benefits for Rooibos, Popular Antioxidant Herbal Tea from South Africa

This article appeared in the Rooibos Ltd newsletter, Edition 1, 2009
http://www.rooibosltd.co.za/research/index.html

Clinical Trial Shows Cardiovascular Benefits for Rooibos, Popular Antioxidant Herbal Tea from South Africa

AMERICAN BOTANICAL COUNCIL
P.O. Box 144345, Austin, TX 78714-4345

NEWS RELEASE

Clinical Trial Shows Cardiovascular Benefits for Rooibos, Popular Antioxidant Herbal Tea from South Africa

Austin, TX. August 7, 2008. The first-ever human clinical trial on a popular traditional South African herbal tea was recently conducted, testing whether it can possibly lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.

The new trial also generated the first human safety data in a controlled clinical trial environment, scientifically showing that short-term consumption of rooibos tea is safe for the liver and kidneys while keeping various blood parameters (e.g., blood pressure, cholesterol levels, etc.) in a normal range.

Provisional results from this study indicate that rooibos tea protects the body against oxidative damage, as seen by the approximate 21% decrease in conjugated dienes in the blood. Conjugated dienes are products formed in large numbers during the early stages of oxidation (destruction) of important cellular components such as fats (lipids). These lipid peroxidation products may be implicated in the development of vascular disease.

The trial (entitled “Modulation of blood oxidative stress markers and DNA damage by rooibos tea in volunteers at risk for coronary heart disease”) was conducted by Jeanine L. Marnewick (PhD), senior researcher at the Oxidative Stress Research Centre at Cape Peninsula University of Technology in Cape Town, South Africa.

The trial was conducted on 40 individuals (males and females), between the ages of 30 and 60, from the Western Cape Province with any two or more of the following cardiovascular disease risk factors: hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol), hypertension (high blood pressure), smoking, and/or increased body mass index (BMI; 20 - 35), but not requiring any oral medication for these medical conditions. The actual risk of each participant was determined using a calculation based on the famous multi-year Framingham heart disease trial based on the patient’s age, gender, smoking status, blood pressure, triglycerides and HDL cholesterol (so-called “good cholesterol”). A person with 2 major risk factors has a risk of heart disease or stroke 6 times as great as a person with no risk factors. With 3 factors, the risk of cardiovascular disease is 20 times as great.

Participants in this trial were required to consume 6 cups of rooibos tea per day for 6 weeks with the 6-cup intake spread across the day. In order to maintain a high degree of consistency, the preparation of the rooibos tea was standardized as 2% weight of dried rooibos tea to volume of water, with each cup consisting of one rooibos tea bag with the addition of 200 ml of boiling water (equal to about 7 ounces, slightly less than 1 cup), brewing for 5 minutes before consumption. Subjects consumed the rooibos with or without milk and/or table sugar, as previous research on green and black teas (from the tea plant, Camellia sinensis) have demonstrated that milk does not eliminate the increase in plasma antioxidant activity in humans.2 (The class of beneficial antioxidant chemicals found in rooibos, black and green tea, and chocolate are called flavonoids; the flavonoids in rooibos are different from those in tea and chocolate.) The 6-cup amount of rooibos consumed by participants in this trial was based on a human trial published in 2003 where the consumption of 6 cups of green tea increased the antioxidant capacity in the blood of human subjects.

In a study of this type, it is important to modify the diet of participants in order to remove the consumption of other flavonol-rich foods which may confuse the study results. To do this, the participants were requested to omit flavonoid-rich beverages (red wine, black or green tea and/or herbal teas, coffee, fruit juices, etc.) and to restrict flavonoid-rich foods (grape products, citrus fruits and their juices, berries and their juices, apples, onions, broccoli, etc.) from their diet for 2 weeks before initiation of the intervention study. (Analysis of participant’s fasted blood and urine samples taken after this period served as a baseline standard to help determine the extent of participant compliance with the study guidelines.)

As a quality control for the rooibos, a large quantity of rooibos of the same batch was obtained from Rooibos Ltd., the major rooibos producer and supplier in Clanwilliam, South Africa. To ensure consistent quality the researchers took random samples of the rooibos from this one large batch and analyzed them for key chemical compounds (e.g., flavonols) and antioxidant capacity.

The clinical trial design and some of its initial results were announced in a presentation by Dr. Marnewick at the World Tea Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada in May. The trial paper will be submitted to a medical journal for publication after all the statistical data has been fully analyzed, probably by the end of this year.

“Despite its long history of traditional use in South Africa and growing popularity around the world as a tasty and healthful beverage, this is the first time that rooibos has been subjected to a tightly controlled human clinical trial to determine its potential benefit in reducing cardiovascular disease factors”, said Mark Blumenthal, founder and executive director of the American Botanical Council, the leading nonprofit organization dealing with herbs, medicinal teas, and related plant-based ingredients.

“With cardiovascular disease being the biggest killer of people in North America and elsewhere in the world, this study’s preliminary positive results may help increase the relevance of rooibos as a beneficial beverage for consumers and healthcare providers seeking safe, low-cost ways to reduce cardiovascular disease risk”, he added.

Members of the tea industry welcomed the preliminary research findings. “We are extremely excited about the preliminary results of this clinical trial”, says Hugh Lamond from Herbal Teas International of Anaheim, California, the largest distributor of rooibos in North America. “The trial appears to confirm the anecdotal promise for rooibos in fighting heart disease and reducing oxidative stress in humans. As a result, we expect a huge boost in the worldwide consumption of rooibos in the coming years.”

The research was conducted at the following South African institutions: Cape Peninsula University of Technology and the University of Cape Town. Funding was provided by Cape Peninsula University of Technology, THRIP - National Research Foundation, and the South African Rooibos Council.

Note: The American Botanical Council advises that with all scientific and clinical research that has yet to be published in a peer-reviewed journal, the preliminary announcement of trial results and related statistics may eventually be modified as a result of the peer review process. Thus, some of the data reported in this news release are subject to revision upon publication of this trial.

About Rooibos

Rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) in the pea family (Fabaceae) is a popular beverage from South Africa. The name comes from the local Afrikaans name for “red bush”, referring to the red-auburn color of the plant material, which changes after it is harvested and allowed to ferment. The pleasant-tasting red-colored beverage is high in antioxidant compounds, which have been shown to be beneficial for cardiovascular health, among other benefits. Rooibos does not contain any natural levels of caffeine.

About the American Botanical Council

Founded in 1988 the American Botanical Council is the leading nonprofit organization in North America addressing research and educational issues regarding herbs, medicinal teas, essential oils, and other plant-based ingredients. ABC’s members include academic researchers and educators, universities and libraries, health professionals and medical institutions, botanical gardens and arboreta, government agencies, members of the herb, dietary supplement, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries, journalists, consumers, and other interested parties from over 70 countries.

References

1. Marnewick JL. Rooibos Power. World Tea Expo, May 31, 2008.
2. Leenen R, Roodenburg AJ, Tijburg LB, Wiseman SA. A single dose of tea with or without milk increases plasma antioxidant activity in humans. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2000;54(1):87-92.
3. Rietveld A, Wiseman S. Antioxidant effects of tea: evidence from human clinical trials. J Nutr. 2003;133(10):3285S-3292S.

Veld fire threatens biodiversity in the Cederberg

A large veld fire broke out in the Algeria area in the central Cederberg a few weeks ago. It had no impact on our farming region in the Northern Cederberg but is a reminder of the veld fire risks in our region. It's very difficult to tackle these fires in the mountains due to the terrain. Preventing them from being ignited in the first place is definitely the way to go. The following article was originally published on page 1 of Cape Times (http://www.iol.co.za) on February 10, 2009 . The journalist is Melanie Gosling:

A wildfire, thought to have been started by buchu poachers, that swept through farms and the Algeria forest station in the Cederberg at the weekend, has destroyed orchards and buildings and caused around R27-million in damage.

CapeNature described the fire as an "ecological disaster" as it destroyed about 6 000ha of fynbos that had been burnt only eight years earlier.

Some of the fynbos species, such as proteas, don't reach reproductive maturity until 12 or even 15 years old.

Frequent burning could lead to plant extinctions.

The fire began in the early hours of Friday and burned for two days, destroying thousands of citrus and mango trees and 150ha of pine trees, and gutting the historic office at the Algeria forest station.

The fire was one of 14 that have burned in protected conservation areas across the Western Cape in the past seven days.

CapeNature suspects many of them broke out because of human negligence.

CapeNature is to call in an independent fire investigator to determine the cause and origin of the Cederberg fire.

Jaco Rheeder, CapeNature business unit manager for Cederberg Megapark, said on Monday that the fire had swept across eight or nine kilometres of veld in 30 minutes.

"It went through the 150ha of pine plantations at Algeria in about five minutes. The wind was unbelievable," he said.

"The office building, which was built in the 1930s and had old cedar floors and ceilings - that's gone.

"The fire burned in a V up the valley and stopped only at the burnt bit at Uitkyk Pass. This fynbos was burnt eight years ago, so to have such young veld burn again is an ecological disaster," Rheeder said.

"We're sitting here now with no water, no electricity, no telephones."

Fanie Bekker, CapeNature executive director of operations, said an estimated R21-million had been lost in damage to infrastructure and tourism income.

Jannie Nieuwoudt, owner of Jamaka Organic Farm near Algeria, said he had lost about R3-million.

"The fire was on CapeNature land in the buchu lands about 300 metres above our fence. There is no firebreak," he said.

"We're pretty sure buchu poachers started it.

"We grabbed all our fighting gear and tried to keep it from the orchards.

"The Clanwilliam fire brigade helped us a lot, but in the end we couldn't stop it from jumping the road. When it got into the orchards, they were just gone.

"I had 10 000 citrus trees. I've got 700 left.

"About 2 000 mango trees were destroyed, and that's a very valuable crop because it ripens out of the normal season of the Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal mangoes."

Dale Morgan, disaster manager for Clanwilliam, said there had been about R6-million damage to farms and outbuildings.

"At least we saved the farm houses. We got it under control at one point, but then the wind picked up and there was basically nothing we could do," Morgan said.

"But there's still a God and that little bit of rain on Saturday night helped us."