Emoyeni Products

About

Artificial spray free hydroponic lettuce, micro-greens & naturally grown seasonal produce.
10 acres at Tokomaru on the Manawatu/Horowhenua boundary.

Story

What began as 10 acres of bare land divided into 2 paddocks in 1992 has developed into the productive unit it is today. Initially the land was to have somewhere in the country for the kids to run free and to raise our own meat and veges so we knew what sprays etc had been used and they were safe for us all to eat. In 1993 we had our house built to the lock-up shell stage (this gave us the most floor space for the money we had) and then took the next 10 years to finish off. The kids thought it was great the day they got doors on their bedrooms instead of curtains. 1994 we invested in a hydroponic tunnel house. Originally the house grew sandersonia flowers for export, then later grew calla tubers from tissue culture for export (we still have many of the calla tubers growing out in the paddock and sell the flowers at the market over summer.) We decided that if we wanted to make a living off our land and give up our current full-time jobs we needed a crop for the house that was going to be more of a "staple" than flowers to be the backbone of our income. After researching options we decided to grow lettuce in the house. We market most of our lettuces through a marketing company in Palmerston North but also regularly attend the Cloverlea market on a Sunday morning in Palmerston North. To compliment our lettuces we grow a range of heirloom vegetables which we also bring in fresh each week. As we both work full-time all our produce is picked on the Saturday ready for the Sunday market. We only use natural fertilizers and sprays out in the garden and in the tunnel house we only use neem oil to control pests.
We strongly believe that the nutritional value plus the taste is far better from naturally grown produce. We are currently planting more heirloom fruit and nut trees so we can bring a bigger range of produce into the market over time.
The name Emoyeni is a Zulu word meaning place of wind and or spirit and soul. When we first moved out here, before the hedges and shelter grew we certainly got plenty of wind. So when the name came up in a Wilbur Smith book and Steve said that sounds like this place the name stuck.