Slow living wih Kerry Eb

by Chanelle Sheppard September 28, 2020

Kerry, her girls and Glerariff Farm, photographed by Light + Lark Photography.

Kerry’s farm upbringing and the farmlife she is creating for her two daughters is the epitome of slow and wholesome living.

We spent an afternoon with her on her North Coast farm, Glenariff. Playing in citrus orchards, nestled between dense forests of macadamia trees. We drank fresh pressed naartjie juice, ate home cooked veg tart and indulged in a gorgeous spiced apple and pear cake. All prepared freshly by Kerry from food grown on the property. It’s a dream world of endless inspiration.

Kerry lives on a fully functioning farm on the KZN North Coast but also owns the popular Litchi Orchard in Salt Rock where she combines her passions for supporting local, farming and beautiful gardens.

Kerry tells us a bit more about her current projects and how she got to where she is.

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"I grew up on an untamed, wild beach on the North Coast of KZN where our garden flowed into coastal forest and then onto the beach.

We had unlimited access to this wonderful playground and we had a wild and free childhood. Nature played a huge role in our upbringing.

I went on to study design and photography. I wanted these creative skills as a base, to apply them wherever I went in life as I always knew I would never just stick to one enterprise. I then got into the food world, photographing and styling. I started making cakes in order to photograph them in my spare time and landed up with a cake bakery and patisserie a few years later.

This chapter came to a close when my husband and I decided to move onto our family farm and have kids. I have spent the past few years focussing on my two girls, the food gardens on the farm we live on, as well as a few home prepared products.

During lockdown we created the food gardens at the Litchi Orchard. Now open to the public as a “pick your own” experience for families to learn about harvesting your own food. The farm shop at The Litchi Orchards stocks our organic veg, citrus and nuts as well as small batch handmade pickles and preserves. Everything is in sync with the seasons and the gardens offerings.

My two little girls are very much involved in the growing and harvesting and shadow me all day every day...

I am passionate about beautiful, slow and simple living. I am very much in tune with nature and allow myself to change with each season and celebrate each one.
I feel very strongly about eating seasonally and showing utmost respect to food.
When we eat meat for example, I buy the best quality I can get and truly celebrate it.

Supporting small and local businesses is a true passion of mine. As well as
providing a healthy and balanced diet for my children and family.

We spend a lot of time outdoors and find so much happiness there.
I try and encourage Nature Play with my children and try to buy them as few toys as possible. I look to nature for my desired pace of living and hope to set an example of this for my girls.

My favourite quote is by a famous garden designer,
"Beauty is not an objective, it is a result"

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Kerry and her girls so beautifully captured by Light + Lark Photography.

Kerry in the citrus orchards, wearing our Oleander dress.

Tina the chicken enjoying the perks of gentle farm life. Kerry wearing our Saffron slip dress in natural colour 100% linen

Lessons in homemade pasta. Kerry in our 100% cotton Liberty Lawn Calla dress.

Barefoot amongst the naartjie trees. Kerry and Scout in our matching gingham.

Harvesting from the veggie gardens. Kerry wearing our Willow pants and Daisy top.

Scout lending a helping hand with the cake wearing our Nessa frill sleeve dress.

Kerry and her littlest love.

Matching gingham dresses in the orchards. Kerry wears our Calla shoulder tie dress in black and white 100% cotton gingham.