Rosedale Organic Farm Bed and Breakfast

Are you visiting the Addo Elephant National Park, or Schotia Safaris in the Eastern Cape, South Africa?  Keith and Nondumiso welcome you to stay in our thatched cottages on our organic citrus farm, just 10 minutes from the Addo Elephant National Park, and 45 minutes from the Port Elizabeth airport. The Addo area is malaria free. The Greater Addo area is a wonderful place to spend a holiday – this is where 3 industries come together – conservation, tourism and farming, meaning that your stay can be filled with many diverse, rewarding and educational experiences.

Peaceful and safe eco-friendly accommodation on a secure certified organic citrus farm. Pesticide free environment. Our organic citrus juices and marmalades are made on the farm from our harvest. Homemade bread is made from organic wheat ground on the farm. Our guests rave about the bread. Cheese is made locally by a cheese maker who learnt the trade in Holland. Organic sugar is imported from Brazil, a fact that is embarrassing in a sugar producing country like South Africa. Filter coffee and teas are organic and sourced locally wherever possible. Yoghurt and butter, when available, are organic, as are eggs and game sausage. We buy a local organic honey, which is made from indigenous valley thicket flora. It is a dark, delicious honey, similar to the Manuka honey of New Zealand.

Our thatched cottages offer a comfortable place to rest after a hard days’ game viewing. Wake up to the sound of birds in the indigenous garden. We maximise use of renewable energy resources in the accommodation units. We have installed a photovoltaic solar system which supplies 50% of our electricity needs. The cottages were designed to benefit from the natural cooling breezes coming off the sea in the afternoons. The pitched roofs furtherhelp to control heat in summer. Large windows allow natural light to brighten the rooms and save electricity. Clay bricks last forever. Plus, our bricks were made by a company that fires the bricks using industrial waste instead of coal. Wood for the poles, doors and windows come from FSC approved, sustainably managed timber plantations. Thatch was chosen for the roofs because it isa renewable resource and for its insulating and visual properties. The interior paint is low VOC, no volatile organic components to breathe in. Shower heads give a refreshing shower while minimising water use. Toilets have optional high and low volume flushing mechanisms. Outdoor furniture is made from recycled packing cases used in the motor industry, and from roof timbers recycled from demolished buildings. We also recycle as much waste as possible. Food waste is composted, and metal, glass and paper are recycled. We are involved in a project to establish a recycling depot in the valley that will take in plastic as well as create jobs for the unemployed.