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Sustainability

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Journey’s End has always been committed to farming sustainably and ethically.

Since receiving the ‘Ethical Company’ award at The Drinks Business Green Awards in both 2020 and 2021, and the ‘Water Management’ award as well in 2021, Journey’s End has continued to implement initiatives across the business.

Journey’s End was the second wine farm in South Africa to convert to solar power in 2014.

WIETA and IPW accredited since 2013, it has also been Fairtrade certified since 2017.

community

Journey’s End Foundations

We have always prioritised supporting our local community and continue to do so through the Journey’s End Foundation, under the leadership of Director Wendy Wynand.

Read more here
commitment

conservation

In 2021 Journey’s End attained WWF Conservation Champion status, for commitment to ongoing sustainability and conservation work, increasing its conservation area on the farm from 15ha to 22ha. Here indigenous flora such as Fynbos and Blue Sugar Bush are planted.

In September 2021 Journey’s End became a founding member of the Sustainable Wine Roundtable, promoting a higher global standard for sustainably producing wine.

In October 2021, Journey’s End planted over 6,000 spekboom in open pockets of conservation areas. Native to South Africa, these succulents are also known as ‘carbon sponges’ for their ability to sequester a large amount of carbon relative to their size, whilst needing little water to thrive. We now have over 10500 spekboom covering ¾ hectares of our land.

In November 2021, Journey’s End achieved carbon negative status largely through its own green initiatives on the farm and Journey’s End also supports the Kunyasa Housing Project, which supplements a small number of carbon credits, and will continue to increase sustainable initiatives on the farm to ensure it remains carbon negative.

biodiversity

honey production

There are 40 beehives on the farm that encourage pollination, promote biodiversity and provide honey. The presence of bees indicates a healthy and clean vineyard, helped too by Egyptian Geese which eat insects along the vines. A pair of Eagle owls on the farm are responsible for rodent management. Both birds reduce the need for harsher deterrents.

recycled water

water conservation

Journey’s End is extremely vigilant with water conservation and use. It has four catchment dams and a borehole. The borehole provides water for the properties on the farm, as well as the cellar. Dirty water from the cellar is then cleaned through Journey’s End own water treatment plant and recycled water is used to water the fallow paddocks. A water catchment system is in place too, which was extended in 2021 and now has 2.1km of channels throughout the farm, catching rainwater and funnelling it into the dams. The dam water is used to water all vines, which are under drip irrigation, reducing water use by up to 50% when compared to sprinkler systems which risk losing water in the wind. Cover crops like wheat and lupin are used between the vines. These provide soil stability, add more nutrients back into the soil and also help to prevent water evaporation.
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