On the Road to Growth: My Day at Wambugu Apples Farm
By David Muema, Founder – Green Earthing
The morning air in Nyahururu carried a cool freshness that felt like possibility. As I drove toward Wambugu Apples Farm, the rolling hills, scattered homesteads, and mist-draped fields reminded me why I fell in love with working the land. This trip had begun as a simple road journey, but in my heart it felt like a quiet pilgrimage—to learn from innovators shaping the story of Kenyan agriculture.
When we arrived, my family and I were welcomed by Wambugu's wife with warmth that felt like coming home. She led us through the homestead, proudly showing us their thriving dairy cows, peach trees, and apple orchards. The farm is abuzz having hired so many workers tending to the various animals they keep from sheep, rabbits, chicken, ducks and dairy cows. The scent of ripening fruit mingled with the fresh mountain breeze. After the tour, she served us tea and perfectly golden mandazis on the farmhouse veranda. It was more than hospitality; it was an invitation to share in the rhythm of a life rooted in care and abundance.
Later, we joined the farm team among the orchard rows. There, the story of the Wambugu apple came alive: how Mr. Wambugu had dared to imagine apples flourishing in Kenyan soil and, through patient grafting and observation, created a hardy variety that matures in just three years and produces fruit throughout the year. Standing beneath trees heavy with glossy leaves, I felt humbled by their journey of persistence and hope.
Wambugu (Left) explaining his pixie farming methods to me.
The lessons that followed were practical yet profound. I learned how to prepare soil with organic manure, how steady watering shapes resilience, and how pruning young branches invites sunlight and strength. We talked about pests and yields, but also about patience—the quiet kind farmers must carry in their bones.Before leaving, I selected 100 Wambugu apple seedlings to plant at our Ol Maroroi Farm, along with 80 pixie orange seedlings to enrich our orchard. This would be a great addition to our orchard which already has lemon, mango, avocado and raspberry trees in plenty.
As we loaded them onto the truck, I imagined their roots digging deep into the soil, anchoring dreams of nourishment and opportunity.
My daughters enjoying a bountiful harvest of pixies and apples at Wambugu Farm.
Driving back through Nyahururu’s winding roads, the seedlings beside me felt like companions, whispering of what they might become. I thought of the communities we serve, the young farmers we mentor, and the landscapes we are working to restore. These trees are more than a harvest waiting to happen—they are a promise that sustainable farming can thrive when we honor both tradition and innovation.
That day at Wambugu Apples Farm reminded me why Green Earthing Community Based Organization exists: to nurture life, hope, and resilience from the soil up. As the sun dipped behind the hills, I felt grateful—not only for the seedlings, but for the generosity of the Wambugu family, whose kindness turned a learning visit into a memory of belonging. The journey began as a road trip, but it ended as a lesson in what it means to truly grow.