6 Commercial Tree-Farmer-of-the-Year for 2025 Fairfield Estate NCT’s annual recognition of commercial growers farming their land responsibly and sustainably has certainly gained momentum showing that the need to look after one’s assets to ensure a high yield is achieved at rotation has become part of the day-to-day business. This year’s finalists have the land at heart and are farming for the future with operations of a high standard making the judging for the winner extremely challenging. All the finalists for 2025 were FSC certified, showing the realisation that the market demand for certified timber is the new reality. When commending the runners-up, NCT’s Roger Poole said, “I commend the runners up on their efficient operations and their investment in the future, evident from the farming operations judged in 2025”. The Commercial Tree-farmer-of-the-year for 2025 is Fairfield Estates (Pty) Ltd based in Sevenoaks in the KZN Midlands, owned and managed by Matthew and Karien Crowe. The farm has been operational since 1933 when Jasper Crowe bought Fairfield and later, in 1970, purchased Langverwacht the neighbouring farm from Illovo Sugar. Matthew returned to the farm in 2000 after spending 5 years in USA and farmed alongside his dad and brothers. In 2019 Matthew purchased his brother’s portion of the farm and is the fourth generation on Fairfield Estates. The farm’s area totals 1127ha, timber accounting for 982ha comprising of 480ha of Acacia mearnsii seedlings and AF01/SF644 clones. There are 26ha planted to Acacia decurrens that Matthew has planted instead of E. dunnii to capitalise on the bark mills now accepting Green Wattle bark; the timber has been acceptable by NCT for a while. The area under Eucalyptus is 348ha planted to GxN and E. dunnii, due to serve damage by Gonipterus scutelatus (Eucalyptus Snout Beetle). Matthew is phasing out any future E. dunnii plantings replacing them, depending on the site, with GxN, Wattle clones or Green Wattle. Karien and Matthew Crowe with Duncan Fryer of Stihl
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