reaps rewards

Wyn and some local engineers have made a harvester based on Australian ones which collects the nuts up.

After harvest the nuts are immediately put through a machine which removes the husk before they are put into wooden bins in small batches. Hot air is ducted in to dry them, which is required for cracking and reducing the weight for transportation.

e dry nuts are sent out for cracking and kernel recovery, and the nuts come back as wholes, halves, and chips in ve kilogramme gas ushed bags ready for the Daniell’s to make products.

“If anything is outsourced, we use like-minded suppliers who have the same ethics as us,” says Chris.

“We don’t use organophosphates or organochlorides, and where insect control is required, we use pyrethroid products. ird party analysis ensures there is no residue.”

Macadamia trees are susceptible to the Green Vegetable Bug (Southern Stink Bug) and the Guava Moth, both of which can destroy a crop.

Unseasonable frosts, winds, rain, and lack of sun can put a crop at risk. Beehives are brought in to pollinate the orchard and the delicate raceme owers can potentially produce strings of nuts under good conditions.

Alongside their online shop, selling their products at farmer’s markets is important to the Daniells. eir products include natural nuts, roasted nuts, oil, seasonings, liqueur, chocolates and butters.

“We also get the shells back and use them to fuel the boiler for drying the nuts and heating our house. is reduces our use of electricity and hydrocarbons,” says Wyn. “We are able to use the husks as mulch for the avocados, so there is very little waste from the harvesting process.”

Safety and products e couple only sell what they produce and have a multitude of certi cations including a food registered kitchen.

“Discussing our products with our customers is invaluable so they understand where their food comes from and how it is actually made,” says Chris.