Ceravolo Orchards.

Nestled amongst rolling hills and pristine green spaces, Ceravolo Orchards is a fourth-generation family farm in the Adelaide Hills’ Ashton Valley. From apples and pears, to cherries, the Ceravolo’s are committed to circular farming and regenerative practices, with care for the environment driving everything they do. 

“We were raised in the reduce, reuse, recycle generation. Three generations have gotten on board and said let’s do the least we can to impact the environment around us, and improve it where we can,” says Joyce Ceravolo, who runs the farm with her family, and brother, Joseph Ceravolo. 

With this commitment to sustainability at their core, the family have now built a business centred around creating a circular economy. From recycling water, processing fruit that can’t go on supermarket shelves into their Ashton Valley juice range, using apple skins as pomace for animal feed, and composting biomass through their worm farm, the farm is now close to zero waste. 

“A lot of these ecosystems we’re implementing on our farms are reducing our environmental impact and it’s meaning we’re going to hand down the orchard and the land in a better condition than when we received it, which is really cool for the next generation and exciting,” says Joseph. 

Their work also serves other local growers in the community, with the family working with local businesses including Nippy’s and The Hills Cider Company to re-use surplus fruit via their Ashton Valley juicing plant – and in true South Australian style, credit the supporting community collaboration for their success. 

“In South Australia we’re a tight-knit community. It doesn’t matter if you’re growing apples, pears, strawberries, oranges, everybody seems to get behind everybody – people are always willing to give their time, products or whatever resources they can spare” 

“We’ve found over the years that South Australia is extremely unique, and you will never get that support mechanism or network anywhere else,” says Joyce. 

For the Ceravolo’s, progress has always meant more than growing good fruit. With the support of their community, Joyce, Joseph and their family are showing that when growers care for the environment and each other, the future looks a whole lot brighter for the next generation.