Aaron Edmonds, Australia Nuts

Ironically it is a native plant that has not been exposed to modern man’s short sighted breeding efforts that offers Australian grain farmers the ability to greatly reduce energy dependency in food production. Australian sandalwood (Santalum spicatum) is a unique native tree crop highly adapted to Australia’s harsh conditions. The tree produces nuts that are high in oil (60%) and protein (18%) with the kernel oil being largely monounsaturated (55%) - the healthiest of oils. It requires no nitrogen fertilizer inputs as it is hemi-parasitic and hosts on the root systems of native legumes such as Acacia’s sourcing nitrogen needs that are biologically fixed. The energy saving from removing the need for artifical nitrogen fertilizer with the traditional crop of wheat is around 150L/hectare alone. The sandalwood nut will be an important oilseed crop on the broadacre farm of Aaron Edmonds.

Calingiri, Western Australia, Australia

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