c i n a g r O
farming done right!
A showcase organic farm is being established in KZN, and we can’t wait to see it grow from strength to strength.
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ale Grobler is a passionate, energetic organic farmer. We’ve featured him before, with his Farm to Forks business that supplies top-notch fresh and organic produce to some of the best restaurants in the country. And now Dale is spreading his wings. As with anyone involved in the restaurant business, Dale has had a tough year or two, with restaurants not able to take the produce that he grew for them. He managed to pivot his business to a degree, with pick-your-own foraging days on his farm, but times have been tough. You can’t keep a guy like Dale down though, and there is a beaming light on the horizon, a light that will become one of the most impressive organic farm gardens in KwaZulu-Natal, and probably the country. “It’s going to be a beautiful show garden, but also a functional farm,” says Dale. “This is going to be nothing like KZN has seen before!” And as luck would have it, this organic masterpiece is going to be just up the road from the Grow to Eat offices, at Stoneford Country Estate in Botha’s Hill. It’s a very structured layout, inspired by other formal gardens found in South Africa, so
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it has to be neat, with not a weed and nothing out of place. There will be chicken and ducks roaming around taking care of snails and other pests. “Ultimately what we want to do is show people that organic farming is achievable – it’s realistic. We want people to see that you can grow restaurant quality, healthy, nutrient-dense food without chemicals, by being responsible and ethical. We want to highlight what it means to eat local, to support local farmers and producers, to get what you can without plastic and the negative effects of transport.” It’s early days, but earth has been broken and Dale has shared his plan with us. We’ll follow his journey, and the farm’s, with interest and share it on these pages. In the meantime, here are some organic growing tips and a recipe from Dale. Instagram Facebook
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