Fresh from the oasis: the desert miracle date

Do you need some grounding again? The world's oldest cultivated plant can inspire you: The date palm's performance undoubtedly qualifies as a superpower. With its phenomenal adaptability, it provides delicious energy in scorching heat. For humans and animals, near and far - for decades.

Anna Moscagiuri

18.04.2024

in Product stories

Reading time: 5 minutes

Wüste mit Palmenhain im Vordergrund, Berge im Hintergrund, klares blaues Himmel.

A sunny ascent in Tunisia

Our dates start where caravans pass through the picturesque desert and the air buzzes with heat: the glowing south of Tunisia is a landscape that does not directly call for cultivation and agriculture. Nevertheless, the region is surprisingly fertile, which is partly due to the impressive Chott el Jérid - a huge salt lake that brings together watercourses from the northern mountains and surrounds several oases. Due to the massive evaporation, a lot of salt remains in the lake and sometimes forms crusts on which even trucks can drive. Extreme heat and salt - the conditions could be better. But when the temperatures rise to 50 °C plus and there is hardly any rainfall, an impressive plant really comes into its own: the graceful mother of all Seeberger dates.

Honey-sweet pearls of juice from salty embers

The conditions in the hot Tunisian desert are anything but barren for the majestic date palm. On the contrary: under the scorching sun, it performs a spectacular miracle of nature that almost makes you forget the natural beauty of the region. Because here, on salty, dry desert soil, it produces juicy, sweet fruit that is unparalleled in terms of quality and taste. We are talking about the best dates in the world: the "Deglet Nour".

Giants in the landscape: the date palms

The "fingers of light", as the Deglet Nour are called, grow on magnificent palm trees that reach up to 30 meters in height. With this size, they literally put imposing buildings such as the Brandenburg Gate in the shade. Before they bear their first fruit, they allow themselves a full 8 years of growth on glowing desert sand. Then they are ready to produce around 100 kilos of the finest dates every summer - for at least 30 years. This is possible because nature has come up with a special trick: Pollination by airmail. Because you won't find busy bees here.

Ein Mann klettert eine Dattelpalme hoch in einem Palmenhain bei klarem Himmel.

Pollen dust over desert sand

As with many other plants, the flowers of dates can be either male or female. When the pollination period starts at the end of February, the male flowers release masses of their light pollen into the Sahara wind to reach the female flowers. Rain during this time can be fatal: it washes the pollen out of the air and causes it to fall to the ground sticky. To be on the safe side, farmers sometimes intervene by deliberately bringing male and female flowers together.

Growing up in a protected group

Four to six weeks later, the first dates come to light, growing on panicles similar to bunches of grapes. Depending on the age and health of the palm, one panicle can bear up to 600 fruits. From April to July it is the sun's turn. It provides the necessary warmth for the fruit to fully ripen. Some farmers wrap loose netting around the panicles during this time to prevent insects and rain from causing any damage.

The harvest: a ritual with skill

Seeberger dates are ready for harvest from October. But how do you get to them? There's only one way: off to the palm tree, as a team. Experienced harvesters climb up to the ripe fruit, cut off the branches and pass them down to their colleagues. Each branch is passed down from helper to helper until it reaches the ground. Every movement is carefully considered, every bundle cut off is a little treasure. After about half an hour, the palm tree is completely harvested and the experienced crew moves on to the next tree. The next step is to dry and stone the dates. This happens after a day trip to the north of Tunisia.

Plastiktüten hängen schützend an Dattelpalmen, um Früchte vor Schäden zu bewahren.

A feel for the fingers of light

There, in the hands of our experienced partners, the dates undergo their metamorphosis into the coveted snack fruit: After thorough selection and cleaning, they are placed in a short steam bath, which gently prepares them for pitting. During this process, each individual date receives full attention: they are opened by hand with a cut to remove the stone. Meanwhile, they are checked for insect infestation and other damage. If everything is in order, the desert fruits are dried to their target moisture content to give them their delicious texture and golden-brown appearance. From here, nothing stands in the way of their journey to us in Ulm.

Nothing is left to be desired

Anyone who knows us knows that we think holistically whenever possible. That's why we return the removed stones and insect-damaged fruit to the cycle and process them into animal feed. The date panicles are also 100% recycled - the sturdy branches are used to make baskets and the delicate ones are used to make natural fertilizer.Carried by honour for product and partners:insideOur relationship with Tunisia and the people there is deeply rooted and characterized by respect and sustainability. For over two decades, we have been working hand in hand with local partners to not only offer exquisite dates, but also to support the local community. Our partnership is based on trust, fairness and the common goal of protecting and preserving the environment.

Datteln liegen in zwei hölzernen Schalen auf einem Jute-Stoff auf Holztisch.

Your grandiose pleasure with good knowledge

You are what you eat. So it's only logical for us to show you how and where your snacks are made. But enough talk, where are the stars? Grab your juicy, sweet dates from the palm garden of the Orient. Guaranteed from a good home and raised with love. <3