The foundation upon which Kfar H̱erut was established was the cultivation of citrus orchards. Even before settling the land, members of the founding organization prepared a model citrus nursery in Kfar Saba. This nursery became widely recognized and drew many visitors, including leaders of the Yishuv. It also served as a center for pre-settlement organization and a venue for meetings and gatherings of the group.
Simultaneously, another group of members worked on land preparation, including initial plowing using large plows drawn by teams of 6–8 horses.
A third group was tasked with digging wells - an arduous task carried out manually. Water has always been a critical issue in H̱erut. The local aquifer belongs to the coastal basin and, though relatively accessible at depths of 20 to 60 meters, it has low yield and limited sustainability. Over the years, the soil of H̱erut has become riddled with dozens of collapsed or depleted boreholes. From its earliest days, the moshav has maintained its own independent water system, fully funding its own drilling operations. To this day, five wells supply the moshav’s agricultural lands through an extensive network of reservoirs and auxiliary pumps.
In the early 1940's, a new branch of agriculture emerged: rose cultivation. A number of members dedicated themselves to growing roses across dozens of dunams. As no refrigeration was available at the time, flowers had to be picked close to the time of shipment - a process that required labor-intensive night work, with deliveries sent to the city either by the early milk truck or the first morning bus.
Another sector that developed in the moshav was fruit tree nurseries, especially citrus. H̱erut’s nurserymen became known for the high quality of their saplings and their contributions to the advancement of the field.
By the time of Israel’s independence in 1948, Kfar H̱erut’s agricultural area covered approximately 1,500 dunams. Each farming unit typically included six dunams of orchard, three to four dunams of vegetables, potatoes, or peanuts, a cowshed with several Dutch-imported cows, and a small chicken coop. However, such holdings could not fully support a family or sustain development. As a result, most members worked additional jobs outside the moshav, placing a significant burden on the women, who managed both domestic responsibilities and farm work. The competition with Arab agriculture was fierce, and many years passed without profits.
Following independence, a major transformation took place. The moshav’s land area doubled, population growth drove demand for agricultural products, and the European citrus export market reopened after being closed during World War II. New orchards were planted, poultry farms were established, and the variety of agricultural produce expanded. New branches were introduced - including avocado groves, flower cultivation, turkey and broiler farms, and larger vegetable plots. By then, every dunam was under cultivation.
This agricultural boom lasted for nearly 50 years, into the early 2000s. Water - once the cornerstone of the moshav - became expensive. Annual water quotas were reduced, and heavy fines were imposed for exceeding them. The European citrus market shrank due to increased competition from Mediterranean countries. Rising costs and declining profits led many to abandon farming.
Animal husbandry diminished as revenues dropped. Water scarcity also led to the disappearance of most avocado orchards and vegetable plots.
Today, the citrus sector continues to struggle for survival, mostly supplying the domestic market. Flower farming adds color to the moshav, though it too faces challenges with water quotas and labor shortages. Most members of the moshav are no longer engaged in agriculture, and the younger generation is seeking more profitable career paths.
A number of members were involved in beekeeping for many years. The cultivation of bees brought mutual benefit - both to the beekeepers and to the orchard growers, through improved pollination.
-Asa Bartov, Kfar H̱erut, 2004.