Salt Harvest

Sea Salt in the kitchen, take a moment to appreciate the journey it took to reach you from the shimmering ponds of Lake Grassmere to the pantry, it's a fascinating tale indeed.

The Fascinating Trip for the Salt Harvest

It's hard to believe how fascinating it is to visit the only salt farm we have in New Zealand. I recently had the unique opportunity of visiting Dominion Salt for their salt harvest as NZ Premium Foods, is one of their leading customers. The adventure began with a briefing where we learned some truly interesting facts about the history of Dominion Salt.

 Established by founder George Skellerup in 1942 during a time when chemicals were in short supply due to the war, Dominion Salt has a rich history. It's intriguing to know that there is even a bombing range in the middle of the salt farm along with an aerodrome that was used during the Second World War. The original design of Lake Grassmere back in 1947 covered 526 hectares, but now it spans across a vast 1800 hectares.

After the informative briefing, we ventured out onto the farm itself, where we were met with a stunning sight. The landscape was a vibrant mix of blue, green, and red ponds where salt algae work their magic to produce high quality salt. The process is surprisingly simple yet incredibly effective. Seawater is continuously pumped into the ponds until it reaches a saturation point. Once this stage is reached, the ponds are left to solar dry under the sun, resulting in completely sustainable salt production.

While the process for regular salt is straightforward involving a wash, dry, crush, screen, and bag, the production of Flaky Sea Salt is a bit more intricate. The salt is taken to large warm salt baths where it is carefully turned by the Salt Maker, Barry.

He makes the call on when the crystals have formed and are ready to be extracted from the bath. The salt is then cooled, bagged, and boxed, ready to be couriered out to customers. The best part? You couldn't get fresher Flaky Sea Salt, and would you believe the entire process takes a total of two years!

In conclusion, the trip to see the salt harvest at Dominion Salt was both eye-opening and educational. Witnessing the simplicity, yet the delicate process of salt production was truly a remarkable experience.

The next time you reach for the Pure foodies Flaky Sea Salt in the kitchen, take a moment to appreciate the journey it took to reach your table from the shimmering ponds of Lake Grassmere to the pantry, it's a fascinating tale indeed.

Rachael Speedy

NZ Premium Foods

← Previous Post