Inside Skimmelberg: Organic Rooibos & Buchu from Cedarberg Soil to Teacup
Jakob Slabbert
Pull up a chair, wrap your hands around a warm cup, and allow yourself a moment of calm. That first aromatic swirl drifting from a freshly brewed pot of rooibos or buchu always feels like a gentle invitation to slow down. At Skimmelberg our invitation stretches further. We would like to take you behind the scenes to the fragrant slopes of the Western Cape, where generations of farming knowledge, strict organic principles, and a touch of Cedarberg magic combine to shape every leaf and twig that eventually finds its way into your kitchen cupboard.
Picture a mountainous landscape painted in subtle shades of ochre, sandstone, and winter-green fynbos. The Cedarberg is dramatic, yet the air feels remarkably pure, carried by Atlantic breezes that sweep inland to temper the summer heat. Rooibos and buchu thrive nowhere else on earth quite the way they do here. Our farm, tucked into these craggy folds, benefits from sandy, acidic soils and a rhythm of rainfall unique to this small corner of South Africa. Those natural advantages form the foundation of everything we do, but the real story starts with people.
Family ownership means we steward the land with intimate care. Long-standing staff share field wisdom that never appears in textbooks: the best predawn moment to inspect young rooibos shoots, or the tell-tale minty scent that signals buchu leaves have reached peak oil content. Their observations guide our organic regimen, keeping chemical inputs completely off the table. Instead, we preserve biodiversity by rotating naturally nitrogen-fixing legumes and employing mulch from previous harvests to lock moisture into the soil during dry spells. When the time comes to harvest, every sickle swing is calibrated to encourage regrowth for the following season rather than strip the veld bare. Sustainability is a daily practice, not an afterthought.
Walk through our processing facility and you will notice something curious: there is very little noise. We built the machinery to respect the plant material as much as possible. Conveyors tilt at gentle angles so delicate leaves remain intact. Temperature controls prevent enzyme damage that could flatten flavour or compromise aroma. Earth-friendly cleaning solutions safeguard product integrity during every stage. The result? A cup of Organic Rooibos Tea that keeps its sunset red colour without the faintest trace of bitterness, and a pot of Buchu Herbal Tea bursting with sweet-blackcurrant notes.
Organic certification may appear on the label, yet the benefit is felt far beyond the packaging. Insects, birds, and wild pollinators flourish in fields free from synthetic sprays. Natural predators keep pests in check, which in turn reduces erosion caused by chemical run-off. Healthy soils sequester more carbon, and groundwater stays clean. When you choose any Skimmelberg tea, you participate in this regenerative cycle. Each sip becomes a tiny vote in favour of landscapes that remain wild and fertile for generations.
Buchu and rooibos are neighbours in the fynbos biome, so blending them in the teapot feels like a cordial reunion of cousins. Rooibos brings mellow sweetness and hints of vanilla. Buchu enhances the cup with uplifting herbal brightness reminiscent of blackcurrant and a whisper of mint. Together they create something larger than the sum of their parts. Our quintessential Rooibos & Buchu Blend elevates this partnership to new heights, delivering a naturally caffeine-free infusion ideal for any time of day.
The blend’s versatility invites experimentation. We adore steeping a strong pot, chilling it overnight, and pouring it over crushed ice with a squeeze of fresh lime. For winter evenings, a steaming mug mixed with a teaspoon of raw honey feels like a comforting blanket. The aromatic oils released from buchu also pair beautifully with citrus-forward cakes or shortbread biscuits. Once you discover the subtleties, you may find yourself adding a spoonful of dried buchu to homemade granola or even your bathwater for a revitalising soak.
Both plants have a long local reputation for promoting wellness. Indigenous communities historically reached for rooibos to soothe digestion and support restful sleep, while buchu leaves earned status as a multi-purpose tonic. Although we cannot make medical claims, we are continually fascinated by new research exploring the antioxidant qualities of rooibos polyphenols and the anti-microbial properties of buchu essential oils. One forthcoming study from a Cape Town university observes potential gut microbiome benefits when rooibos is consumed daily. We will share more details as peer-review articles are published.
For now, we stick to what we know through experience: customers tell us they feel calmer after an evening cup, their skin looks brighter when they replace sugary carbonated drinks with iced rooibos, and their winter sniffles pass more smoothly when buchu joins their self-care ritual. Simple joys matter. We urge you to brew mindfully, savour slowly, and listen to your body.
1. Water quality is everything. Use filtered or spring water heated just below a full boil, around 95 °C, to avoid scalding flavour compounds.
2. For our Organic Green Rooibos we recommend a three-minute steep. For traditional fermented rooibos and buchu blends, five minutes develops a richer cup.
3. Resist the urge to stir during infusion. Gentle immersion allows leaves to unfurl without agitation, preserving nuance.
4. If sweetness is desired, reach for local honey or a sliver of cinnamon stick rather than refined sugar. Both meld beautifully with rooibos’s warm base notes.
5. Re-steep high grade leaves at least once. The second infusion often reveals softer nutty undertones that rarely appear in the first pour.
You may have noticed recent changes to our cartons. We switched to 100 percent recycled board printed with vegetable-based inks, and each inner sachet now uses a plant-derived, compostable film. We believe luxury can coexist with responsibility. The elegant muted palette on our shelves reflects the natural dyes we sample on the farm: sunset reds, buchu leaf greens, and the dusty blues of dawn skies. Next year we plan to convert all jar lids for our essential oils to lightweight aluminium so the entire container becomes infinitely recyclable.
We go into depth about the life cycle of a rooibos plant in our post From Seed to Sip: Our Organic Commitment. In brief, seedlings germinate after a cold-stratification period that mimics winter, then spend up to eighteen months maturing before their first harvest. Sections of each block are left untouched annually to allow wildlife corridors, especially for the endangered Cape leopard to roam between mountain ridges.
Similarly, Why Buchu is South Africa’s Secret Gem offers a deeper dive into the cultural significance of Agathosma betulina and Agathosma crenulata. We touch on ethical wild-harvesting quotas, hand-rubbing techniques to increase oil yield, and traditional uses passed down through Khoisan oral history. If you are curious about the broader fynbos landscape, both pieces make enjoyable fireside reading.
No visit to the farm is complete without sampling our favourite culinary pairings in the tasting room. Below is a quick guide you can replicate at home:
Organic Rooibos – Serve alongside stone-ground dark chocolate brownies. The caramel hints in the tea amplify the cocoa’s depth.
Green Rooibos – Complement fresh goat’s cheese drizzled with wildflower honey. The tea’s grassy brightness cuts the cheese’s creaminess.
Buchu Herbal – Match with a citrus salad featuring segments of ruby grapefruit, blood orange, and a fennel drizzle. Buchu’s blackcurrant profile ties everything together.
Rooibos & Buchu Blend – Ideal with lightly grilled line-fish seasoned only with sea salt and a squeeze of lemon. The blend’s herbal lift cleanses the palate between bites.
Innovation often conjures images of stainless-steel laboratories and flashy gadgets. At Skimmelberg it starts in the soil. We invest in seed banking to preserve heirloom rooibos strains resilient to climate variability. Trials have begun on intercropping buchu with edible native legumes to boost nitrogen and stabilise fragile topsoil. In the blending room we continue to explore new aromatic pairings. Expect limited batches featuring hibiscus petals, honeybush spirals, and even a curious coconut-infused green rooibos under consideration for next summer.
None of these projects would be possible without the community that supports us. Whether you place an online order once a year or brew a pot every morning, you propel our journey. We welcome your ideas, your feedback, and your creative recipes. Tag us on social media or send an email if you have discovered a spectacular pairing we have not tried. A shared table always tastes better.
If travel brings you to the Western Cape, drop by for a guided field walk followed by a tasting flight ranging from brisk green rooibos to deep bronze fermented classics. Children can race down the aromatherapy garden paths while adults learn to identify buchu by crushing a leaf between finger and thumb. For everyone further afield, our virtual tours run monthly and include a tea kit shipped in advance so you can sip along in real time. Reserve your spot on our events page.
A humble shrub in sandy soil may not appear remarkable at first glance, yet from that modest origin springs a beverage capable of uniting friends across continents, comforting restless minds at midnight, and championing ecosystems that hum with life. At Skimmelberg we never take that miracle for granted. Every decision on the farm, in the factory, or at the design desk flows from a single intention: to honour the land and deliver its goodness to you in the purest, most delicious way possible.
So brew yourself another cup, hold it up to catch the light, and toast with us to simple pleasures done exceptionally well. Cheers from our Cedarberg family to yours.
Skimmelberg Product Catalogue. Skimmelberg Blog Archives. Skimmelberg Farm Sustainability Report 2023.
Rooted in Place: The Cedarberg Canvas
Picture a mountainous landscape painted in subtle shades of ochre, sandstone, and winter-green fynbos. The Cedarberg is dramatic, yet the air feels remarkably pure, carried by Atlantic breezes that sweep inland to temper the summer heat. Rooibos and buchu thrive nowhere else on earth quite the way they do here. Our farm, tucked into these craggy folds, benefits from sandy, acidic soils and a rhythm of rainfall unique to this small corner of South Africa. Those natural advantages form the foundation of everything we do, but the real story starts with people.
Family ownership means we steward the land with intimate care. Long-standing staff share field wisdom that never appears in textbooks: the best predawn moment to inspect young rooibos shoots, or the tell-tale minty scent that signals buchu leaves have reached peak oil content. Their observations guide our organic regimen, keeping chemical inputs completely off the table. Instead, we preserve biodiversity by rotating naturally nitrogen-fixing legumes and employing mulch from previous harvests to lock moisture into the soil during dry spells. When the time comes to harvest, every sickle swing is calibrated to encourage regrowth for the following season rather than strip the veld bare. Sustainability is a daily practice, not an afterthought.
The Organic Difference You Can Taste
Walk through our processing facility and you will notice something curious: there is very little noise. We built the machinery to respect the plant material as much as possible. Conveyors tilt at gentle angles so delicate leaves remain intact. Temperature controls prevent enzyme damage that could flatten flavour or compromise aroma. Earth-friendly cleaning solutions safeguard product integrity during every stage. The result? A cup of Organic Rooibos Tea that keeps its sunset red colour without the faintest trace of bitterness, and a pot of Buchu Herbal Tea bursting with sweet-blackcurrant notes.
Organic certification may appear on the label, yet the benefit is felt far beyond the packaging. Insects, birds, and wild pollinators flourish in fields free from synthetic sprays. Natural predators keep pests in check, which in turn reduces erosion caused by chemical run-off. Healthy soils sequester more carbon, and groundwater stays clean. When you choose any Skimmelberg tea, you participate in this regenerative cycle. Each sip becomes a tiny vote in favour of landscapes that remain wild and fertile for generations.
A Symphony of Flavour: Rooibos and Buchu in Harmony
Buchu and rooibos are neighbours in the fynbos biome, so blending them in the teapot feels like a cordial reunion of cousins. Rooibos brings mellow sweetness and hints of vanilla. Buchu enhances the cup with uplifting herbal brightness reminiscent of blackcurrant and a whisper of mint. Together they create something larger than the sum of their parts. Our quintessential Rooibos & Buchu Blend elevates this partnership to new heights, delivering a naturally caffeine-free infusion ideal for any time of day.
The blend’s versatility invites experimentation. We adore steeping a strong pot, chilling it overnight, and pouring it over crushed ice with a squeeze of fresh lime. For winter evenings, a steaming mug mixed with a teaspoon of raw honey feels like a comforting blanket. The aromatic oils released from buchu also pair beautifully with citrus-forward cakes or shortbread biscuits. Once you discover the subtleties, you may find yourself adding a spoonful of dried buchu to homemade granola or even your bathwater for a revitalising soak.
Wellbeing, Naturally
Both plants have a long local reputation for promoting wellness. Indigenous communities historically reached for rooibos to soothe digestion and support restful sleep, while buchu leaves earned status as a multi-purpose tonic. Although we cannot make medical claims, we are continually fascinated by new research exploring the antioxidant qualities of rooibos polyphenols and the anti-microbial properties of buchu essential oils. One forthcoming study from a Cape Town university observes potential gut microbiome benefits when rooibos is consumed daily. We will share more details as peer-review articles are published.
For now, we stick to what we know through experience: customers tell us they feel calmer after an evening cup, their skin looks brighter when they replace sugary carbonated drinks with iced rooibos, and their winter sniffles pass more smoothly when buchu joins their self-care ritual. Simple joys matter. We urge you to brew mindfully, savour slowly, and listen to your body.
Brew Like a Pro: Tips from the Tasting Room
1. Water quality is everything. Use filtered or spring water heated just below a full boil, around 95 °C, to avoid scalding flavour compounds.
2. For our Organic Green Rooibos we recommend a three-minute steep. For traditional fermented rooibos and buchu blends, five minutes develops a richer cup.
3. Resist the urge to stir during infusion. Gentle immersion allows leaves to unfurl without agitation, preserving nuance.
4. If sweetness is desired, reach for local honey or a sliver of cinnamon stick rather than refined sugar. Both meld beautifully with rooibos’s warm base notes.
5. Re-steep high grade leaves at least once. The second infusion often reveals softer nutty undertones that rarely appear in the first pour.
Low-Impact Packaging with High Style
You may have noticed recent changes to our cartons. We switched to 100 percent recycled board printed with vegetable-based inks, and each inner sachet now uses a plant-derived, compostable film. We believe luxury can coexist with responsibility. The elegant muted palette on our shelves reflects the natural dyes we sample on the farm: sunset reds, buchu leaf greens, and the dusty blues of dawn skies. Next year we plan to convert all jar lids for our essential oils to lightweight aluminium so the entire container becomes infinitely recyclable.
From Seed to Sip: A Journey Worth Sharing
We go into depth about the life cycle of a rooibos plant in our post From Seed to Sip: Our Organic Commitment. In brief, seedlings germinate after a cold-stratification period that mimics winter, then spend up to eighteen months maturing before their first harvest. Sections of each block are left untouched annually to allow wildlife corridors, especially for the endangered Cape leopard to roam between mountain ridges.
Similarly, Why Buchu is South Africa’s Secret Gem offers a deeper dive into the cultural significance of Agathosma betulina and Agathosma crenulata. We touch on ethical wild-harvesting quotas, hand-rubbing techniques to increase oil yield, and traditional uses passed down through Khoisan oral history. If you are curious about the broader fynbos landscape, both pieces make enjoyable fireside reading.
Pairing Perfection: A Table Set with Local Flair
No visit to the farm is complete without sampling our favourite culinary pairings in the tasting room. Below is a quick guide you can replicate at home:
Organic Rooibos – Serve alongside stone-ground dark chocolate brownies. The caramel hints in the tea amplify the cocoa’s depth.
Green Rooibos – Complement fresh goat’s cheese drizzled with wildflower honey. The tea’s grassy brightness cuts the cheese’s creaminess.
Buchu Herbal – Match with a citrus salad featuring segments of ruby grapefruit, blood orange, and a fennel drizzle. Buchu’s blackcurrant profile ties everything together.
Rooibos & Buchu Blend – Ideal with lightly grilled line-fish seasoned only with sea salt and a squeeze of lemon. The blend’s herbal lift cleanses the palate between bites.
Looking Ahead: Innovation Without Compromise
Innovation often conjures images of stainless-steel laboratories and flashy gadgets. At Skimmelberg it starts in the soil. We invest in seed banking to preserve heirloom rooibos strains resilient to climate variability. Trials have begun on intercropping buchu with edible native legumes to boost nitrogen and stabilise fragile topsoil. In the blending room we continue to explore new aromatic pairings. Expect limited batches featuring hibiscus petals, honeybush spirals, and even a curious coconut-infused green rooibos under consideration for next summer.
None of these projects would be possible without the community that supports us. Whether you place an online order once a year or brew a pot every morning, you propel our journey. We welcome your ideas, your feedback, and your creative recipes. Tag us on social media or send an email if you have discovered a spectacular pairing we have not tried. A shared table always tastes better.
Visit Us Virtually or In Person
If travel brings you to the Western Cape, drop by for a guided field walk followed by a tasting flight ranging from brisk green rooibos to deep bronze fermented classics. Children can race down the aromatherapy garden paths while adults learn to identify buchu by crushing a leaf between finger and thumb. For everyone further afield, our virtual tours run monthly and include a tea kit shipped in advance so you can sip along in real time. Reserve your spot on our events page.
Final Thoughts
A humble shrub in sandy soil may not appear remarkable at first glance, yet from that modest origin springs a beverage capable of uniting friends across continents, comforting restless minds at midnight, and championing ecosystems that hum with life. At Skimmelberg we never take that miracle for granted. Every decision on the farm, in the factory, or at the design desk flows from a single intention: to honour the land and deliver its goodness to you in the purest, most delicious way possible.
So brew yourself another cup, hold it up to catch the light, and toast with us to simple pleasures done exceptionally well. Cheers from our Cedarberg family to yours.
References
Skimmelberg Product Catalogue. Skimmelberg Blog Archives. Skimmelberg Farm Sustainability Report 2023.