Ice plants from South Africa
From the Cape of Good Hope
The heat-resistant ice plant originates in South Africa. We visited Ulrich Feiter, who cultivates ice plants and whose relationship with WALA dates back many years.
Seven o’clock on a winter morning in South Africa. The call of the ibis cuts through the silence. The sun has just risen when seven employees of the South African Parceval Ltd. Pharmaceuticals begin with the harvest of the ice plants that grow on the fields of the company’s Waterkloof Farm. It is 14 degrees on this August morning, cool in comparison to the 45 degrees often reached here in summer. Today’s harvest target is 1.5 tons; since the plants have grown lavishly, it is reached after just three hours.
Parceval Ltd. Pharmaceuticals produces around ten tons of ice plants (Mesembryanthemum crystallinum) each year on its biodynamically cultivated, certified organic Waterkloof Farm. For 14 years, the farmers have worked to produce seeds and compost, cultivate young plants and harvest grown ones. They cultivate the ice plant in the winter months because it grows faster and is juicier. In the natural habitat of the ice plant, one recognises its true nature. As a pioneer plant, it likes to colonise areas whose normal ecosystem has been disturbed.
Ulrich Feiter is the founder and head of Parceval Ltd. Pharmaceuticals. His association with WALA/Dr. Hauschka dates back as far as 1986. At that time, the trained gardener worked for almost two years as an intern in different departments at WALA. Among other things, he received an introduction to the rhythmic manufacturing process, which is used to produce the stable, water-based plant extracts known as mother tinctures. Feiter went to South Africa armed with this knowledge and a contract with WALA to produce mother tinctures from the heat-loving bryophyllum plant.
Ulrich Feiter does not see his role in South Africa as merely that of a contract manufacturer. “It was never about the profit”, he says when asked about his vision. He has always been far more interested in passing on ideas, building bridges and helping Africa. This is why in 2005 he initiated AAMPS, the Association for African Medicinal Plants Standards, an organisation which most recently published descriptions of more than 50 African medicinal plants with the aim of promoting their use. And why he is currently doing the preliminary work for setting up an employee Foundation which will give his employees a financial stake in Parceval and a voice in the company's business decisions. Building a shared sense of responsibility is a major challenge, requiring patience and many discussions. But is the right step going forward.
The robust ice plant, which has learnt so well to bind moisture, is a perfect ingredient to include in the formulations for Soothing Intensive Treatment 40 ml and After Sun 100 ml.
Creating a better world • Sustainable partnerships all around the world
In creating the formulations for Dr. Hauschka skin care and make-up products, we draw on the many things that nature has to offer. For example, medicinal plants, botanical oils and waxes and genuine essential oils, naturally of organic or biodynamic quality wherever possible. Many of the medicinal plants used grow in our own biodynamic medicinal herb garden or in the fields on our Demeter farm over the road from Head Office, the Sonnenhof. We also purchase other raw materials from regional sources. Our climate is simply not suitable for growing some of the plant species from which we obtain raw materials.
Fragrant roses for essential rose oil, almond trees and jojoba bushes, for example. We want to purchase these in organic quality for our formulations as well. To do this, we sometimes have to instigate the production of organic raw materials in the first place. Essential rose oil, mango butter, castor oil and shea butter are just a few of the raw materials to which this applies. We support farmers financially and with our knowledge of organic farming. We help them obtain organic certifications and guarantee certain purchase volumes.
It goes without saying that we are committed to fair trade conditions and social responsibility, characterised by mutual trust and independent development opportunities. We therefore have a solid and long-term working relationship with many organic farming partners, including ones who grow almonds and olives in Spain, jojoba in Argentina and macadamia nuts in Kenya. We help our partners increase their production capacities and, where desired, finance regular visits to them by biodynamic consultants.
The aim of such involvement is always to enable the partners to develop commercially and achieve economic stability that makes them independent from us.
We also believe that such partnerships should involve good local working conditions. We have encouraged developments such as the creation of social areas for the workers of an oil mill and supported the construction of suitable sanitary facilities, for example. After all, it is not only financial independence that is important to us, but also better social conditions for people locally.
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