FAST FACTS
Lizette Kloppers has seen her tiny backyard experiment with tomatoes develop into a successful herbgrowing operation producing 23t of basil in a season.
South Africa’s fresh herb market is very small, but the market for dried herbs is lucrative.
It is extremely important to secure a market before planting herbs, says Kloppers.
In the mid-1990s, Lizette Kloppers, a former landscaper, planted cocktail tomatoes in a tunnel on her family farm Rooikrans, on the outskirts of Worcester in the Western Cape.
“I started to experiment with tomatoes for family consumption and shared the surplus with friends,” she recalls.
At the time, she was reading one of Margaret Roberts’s books on herbs, and came across the concept of companion planting.
“This is based on the principle that certain plants can attract or repel insects or provide beneficial support to other plants. The book suggests that tomato and basil are a good match for companion planting, so I decided to give it a try.”
She replaced two rows of tomatoes with basil. “I knew nothing about herbs and, as the basil started growing taller and more lush, I started wondering what on earth I should do with it all.
“Then my neighbour came across a small advertisement in a magazine from someone looking for basil. I phoned the number and ended up in the kitchen of Kathleen Quillinan, the founder of Pesto Princess, with a refuse bag full of basil leaves!”
The meeting marked the beginning of a change of direction for Kloppers.
EMPHASIS ON HERBS
Denne historien er fra November 27, 2020-utgaven av Farmer's Weekly.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Denne historien er fra November 27, 2020-utgaven av Farmer's Weekly.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
New farmers' seedling pitfalls
Inexperienced farmers may be tempted to grow seedlings from seed themselves, but they have much to gain by trusting a seedling grower at a nursery to perform this task for them instead
South African avocado production: a success story
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Unlocking value through livestock exports
Exporting livestock might sound like a daunting business that's better left for big companies, but Gerrie Ferreira, who farms near Oudtshoorn in the Western Cape, has been doing it successfully for almost 30 years, sometimes in partnership with other breeders. He spoke to Glenneis Kriel about the huge potential this market holds, and offers some advice for farmers who are contemplating going this route.
An agribusiness's dedication to community upliftment
For agribusiness NWK, located in Lichtenburg, North West, corporate social investment is an important part of creating a positive influence alongside financial returns. Johan Bezuidenhout, NWK’s group manager of corporate marketing and communication, spoke to Annelie Coleman about why the company chooses to invest millions of rands in the area it operates in every year.
Empowering dreams, transforming lives
Since its launch in 2013, the Agri's Got Talent competition has revolutionised the lives of many farmworkers by unlocking their hidden talents and fostering a culture of empowerment. Glenneis Kriel spoke to various finalists about how the contest has changed their lives.
Foreign investment: agriculture maintains its appeal
South Africa remains a popular destination for foreign investors, despite an often negative outlook from its citizens. It is a gateway to Africa, and with its counterseasonal production to the Northern Hemisphere and favourable weather, local agriculture is especially well placed to attract foreign interest, bringing with it hope for rural communities
The real value and message of COP29 for SA agriculture
While the 2024 Conference of the Parties may have disappointed those who hoped for real progress, it's more important for South African agriculture to highlight its role in carbon mitigation
Improving efficiencies in feed and grain milling
Bühler, a Swiss-based company that provides solutions and equipment for various industries, including food and animal feed processing, has pledged that by 2025, it will deliver scalable solutions that will reduce energy, waste and water by 50% in the value chains of its customers.
Tips for better olive production
At an SA Olive Association field day in November, industry experts shared ways to improve olive production efficiencies, from soil preparation to harvesting.
More effort needed to protect vulnerable cheetah
On International Cheetah Day, commemorated every year on 4 December, emphasis was placed on the vulnerability of the species.
