All of Tahiti Organic’s vanilla vines come from wild vanilla plants harvested from vines found deep in the jungle. Unlike hybrid vanilla that has been genetically bred for the sole purpose of increasing production yields  that also weaken the plants natural defenses against insects,  wild vanilla is naturally resistant to insects and hence require no pesticides. 

Vanilla flower to be pollinated, 9 months later, the bean will be…

Charles harvesting wild vanilla vines, high up a coconut tree deep in the jungle. I still have my hands and feet tickling from this climb…

Preparing and planting the vanilla with Charles and Esme. I went in the forest to get old coconut husk, Esme is cutting it in small pieces, Charles is softening the earth and we mix coconut husk, old wood and leaf compost on where we put the vanilla vign… Coconut leaves are planted on the east side to give shade to the vanilla.