Getting My Nut Butter Fix: Valhalla Macadamia Nut Farm in Antigua
You know when I was a kid, I never ate peanut butter. Not because I thought there was anything wrong with it, actually I don’t even recall knowing it existed until the age of thirteen. That seems pretty crazy to most of you, right? Peanut butter isn’t big in England like it is in the States, and mainly it’s just wasn’t something that my family were all that keen on. When I was thirteen however, I had my first peanut butter and jam sandwich – and I was hooked.
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realised that it’s not just peanut butter that I need a regular fix of, it’s all kinds of nut butters. Oh yes. Delicious, creamy, nutty, sticky nut butters. If I was going to run a business, it would definitely be selling homemade, organic, one-ingredient nut and seed butters – that’s another story though. With my nut butter obsession right out in the open now, you can imagine how crazy excited I was when I read that not only is there a macadamia nut farm in Antigua, but they also sell jars of macadamia nut butter!
Needless to say, top of my travel to-do list in Antigua was a visit to the Valhalla Macadamia Nut Farm.
Where Macadamia Nuts Come From
Macadamia nuts grow on trees. It seems kind of obvious when you think about it, but more of a challenge to comprehend if you’ve never actually seen nuts growing on trees. Macadamias are a type of evergreen tree which has glossy dark green leaves and tiny white macadamia flowers. The nuts can be harvested all year round but the peak harvest season in between September and February. The nuts are encased in a dark husk and a hard brown shell underneath that.
Sustainable Macadamia Nut Farming
Macadamia nuts are grown organically and sustainably at the Valhalla Macadamia Nut Farm. The project has planted over 350,000 macadamia trees for the indigenous communities in Guatemala, seeking to provide them with a sustainable living and an alternative to the slash and burn method. The macadamia nut farming project is committed to sustainable practices that conserve the environment, including soil and water conservation, use only local resources, and improve the genetic varieties of macadamia nut trees.
Breakfast at the Macadamia Nut Farm
I definitely recommend visiting the macamadia nut farm in the morning so that you can grab some delicious macadamia nut pancakes for breakfast. The pancakes are part-made from macadamia nut flour and come topped with lashings of sticky macadamia nut butter and a dollop of sweet blueberry jam.
How to Get to Valhalla Macadamia Nut Farm
The farm is located 10-15 minutes outside of Antigua in the neighbouring town of San Miguel Duenas. You can take a bus going to San Miguel Dueñas or a tuk-tuk out of Antigua to the farm, which takes around 10-15 minutes. There’s a small sign visible from the side of the road that leads you up a sandy path, through some trees and into the farm.
What’s your favourite kind of nut butter? Have you ever tried macadamia nut butter?
Franca
Oh my… I must get there, love Macadamia nuts and everything that is made with them, butter included of course. I truly appreciate the sustainable approach of this farm, it’s so important for the local communities and the environment too.
Charlie on Travel
So delicious! I definitely want to try making more things with macadamia nuts now – so far I’ve only made honey/maca ice cream, and a savoury macadamia stew.
Also very much agree about the sustainable and community-based approach of the farm. So great to see things like this going on.
Katie Featherstone
Oh wow, I put peanut butter in everything, but somehow have never tried any other kinds. Macadamias are always delicious, so I imagine that would be amazing! It’s good to know they can be farmed sustainably too. :)
Charlie on Travel
Tell me about it! Peanut butter is so good though that it almost tempts you into not trying other kinds haha!
Polly
How cool to see the process! I’m a pretty diehard peanut butter fan (can you tell I’m American?!), but I’d love to give this a try as well!
Charlie on Travel
Haha, you’re funny. But yes, seeing the process was really cool. Made me feel pretty silly for loving nuts and nut butters so much but not having ever understood really how they grow and are harvested until now!
Sharon
What a wonderful place it was and their breakfast so fresh and delicious. I second your recommendation.
Charlie on Travel
Thanks :D
Lily La
This place looks great! Macadamia nuts grow on trees huh? Learnt something new today. I’m not much of a peanut butter fan, but I can definitely appreciate it once in a while. Lovely post :)
Charlie on Travel
Haha yes! Can’t believe you’re not really a peanut butter fan :O Maybe you’d like macadamia nut butter more ;)
Joella // Paper Crane Stories
oh my gosh I loooove any kind of nut butter! I’ve never had macadamia butter though so I definitely need to seek that out- macadamias are my favourite nut!
Charlie on Travel
I hadn’t had it before either! It’s really rich compared to peanut butter but so tasty omnomnom.