Ocf - Orly Cactus

The Orly cactus pear farm is located in Israel's Negev desert covering over 100 hectares of rugged desert terrain. It appears to the observer almost as a mirage – a gay green splash of vitality on the background of the arid grey desert surrounding it. The farm cultivates special varieties of Opuntia, the product of exclusive Israeli plant breeding. It is unique in its role as a technological center that promotes and develops "Green Ventures" agro-industrial initiatives that marry agricultural production of the Orly Farm's exclusive cactus pear creations with food processing technologies that produce a line of over 30 healthful food products, all based on the cactus fruit or the green biomass of the stems. Along the 200 kilometers of cactus "boulevards" in the farm, thousands of smooth, spineless vibrant Opuntia cacti grow organically, without need of dangerous pesticide sprays or weed killers that can trickle down into the precious groundwater below the desert floor and pollute it. The plants yield fruit in brilliant desert colors of red, yellow, orange and purple. The fruit and green stems of the cactus pear produce fresh invigorating cactus pears and green material that can be marketed directly for fresh consumption. They also serve as the base for production of processed foods, including spicy spreads, sweet desserts, jams and confitures, refreshing cactus pear nectar, pickles and even bread and baked goods. The fruit and stems of this new cactus and their products are special in that they have proven health traits that offer help to the obese, to sufferers from type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol. The farm houses a versatile visitors' center that entertains professionals and specialists from the world over, farmers and agronomists and just plain tourists interested in ecology and agricultural tourism.