BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE
The regenerative farming projects, the innovative composting methods, the compost water heating designs and large-scale commercial compost operations throughout South Africa and Zimbabwe were all developed from small trial projects on Natimby Wine and Polo Farm.
Commander RL Stuart, a retired British naval officer and grandfather pioneered some of the first organic tea production in India in the 1920’s. He initiated a largescale compost making operation and introduced soil conservation measures on Robroy Tea Estate which are still in use today.
The following generations of Stuarts have all integrated this knowledge of compost, compost extracts and soil health into their farming activities throughout the world.
Compost, Soil and Plastics Solutions is a consulting company that provides access to all the information, products, processes and methods that have been either advanced from historical work or developed on Natimby.
The Natimby Convectionally Aerated Static Pile (CASP) composting method
The Aerated Static Pile Composting (ASP) using fans and forced air has been in existence for more than 50 years.
The energy crisis in South Africa encouraged us to research methods of aerating compost without the use of fans and electricity.
After three years of trials on Natimby, we have finally developed and design and method that allows the aeration of compost without the use of any forced air or fans.
The method can be used on large-scale commercial static compost heaps of 500 m3 to 1000 m3 in size to small domestic compost heaps of 1 m3 in size.
Soil Solutions
Applications of large quantities of fertilizers and chemicals in commercial agriculture has resulted in high concentrations of salts in soils and low pH levels.
These high salt concentrations and low pH’s are preventing plants from accessing essential nutrients (macro and micro-elements) in our agricultural soils. There is, as a result, an increasing interest in more regenerative and sustainable farming practices.
Soil Solutions is a partnership with SoilScopes that provides the following services and technical support:
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Compost and soil microbial analyses
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Soil health assessments (including soil compaction)
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Production and application of compost, compost extracts and other biological soil ameliorants
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Brix and plant sap analyses
PLASTIC SOLUTIONS
Many of our large-scale commercial composting operations are located close to or in the same location as landfill sites. Poorly managed landfill sites and refuse collection services are resulting in ever increasing levels of plastic contamination of the compost, surrounding land, water courses and coastlines.
Collection, measuring and recording of all the contamination over the last five years encouraged us to research new technological innovations in the plastic recycling and plastic “disposal” industry.
As a result, Plastic Solutions has secured the exclusive rights to the import and distribution of the Plazrok™ technology and manufacturing equipment in South Africa and Kenya. Plazrok™ is a patented aggregate composite manufactured from mixed waste plastics that are currently unrecyclable which is used in concrete in place of or in conjuction with traditional aggregates.
The Organic and Plastic (Stock) Exchange
In an effort to rationalise transport costs, secure reliable long-term offtake and purchase agreements and develop sustainability and circularity in our compost and plastics businesses we have launched a trial initiative Organic (Stock) Exchange.
All suppliers and purchasers of organic waste and compost are supplied in a closed, transport efficient, cost effective, sustainable and circular supply chain:
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Apples are delivered from farms in Elgin to the Fruitways Packing and Juicing plant
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Apple waste from the Fruitways fruit juicing plant is transported though to Cape Town Biogas and processed into gas for use in Cape Town households
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Digestate is transported from Cape Town Biogas, incorporated into chipped garden waste and composted on our large-scale composting operation in Stellenbosch
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Compost is transported from Stellenbosch to Elgin and applied to the apple orchards
Data collected from this trial or pilot will be used to include plastics and expand the initiative into an Organic and Plastic (Stock) Exchange
Turning Waste into Wealth: A Closed-Loop Journey from Orchard to Energy
Natimby Farm, Karwyderskraal Road, Botrivier
+27 (0)82 834 6487
