Category Archives: farms

Tweefontein Farm

On top of the Pikteberg Mountains, located 22km from Piketberg, Tweefontein Farm was bought by Dirk Kotze (the current owner, Jaco Kotze’s, grandfather) in 1947. This picturesque farm consists of 525 hectares, with the main farm nestled in a valley. Of the 525 hectares, only 58 hectares are cultivated – 50 hectares being used for fruit, 8 hectares used for boegoe, and the rest consists of mountainous areas with various fountains, streams, dams, and a river.

The farm was originally used for stone fruit, citrus, and tobacco. Over the years the family realized that Tweefontein is best suited for stone fruit, so now their main focus is to cultivate the best stone fruit possible. The farm has lots of different cultivars, including white-fleshed nectarines, yellow-fleshed nectarines, dessert peaches and cling peaches.

Jaco took over the farm in 2003 after his father’s passing and has been farming since. He

has two production managers, Matthys Wilkinson and Dawie Arries. Dawie has been on the farm for at least 17 years.

Tweefontein’s largest source of water is the fountains and boreholes, with an average of 800 to 1000mm of rain per year. The farm also has 5 dams which are used to catch the rainwater, which is then used for irrigation during the season.

Tweefontein’s fruit season starts at the beginning of October and ends in the middle of March. To prolong the fruit season, the height advantage is used to plant cultivars at different heights above sea level – the cultivars which need a colder climate are planted higher. Tweefontein has the perfect combination of soil types, chilling units (which vary from 500 to 1200 units), rainfall, slopes, etc. to plant stone fruit.

Tweefontein gives permanent housing to 12 families, with 25 permanent workers on the Farm. Once the seasonal workers start working in June and in high season, Tweefontein supplies over a hundred workers with jobs.

Stanislaus

Stanislaus Agri: A Fruitful Venture in Tulbagh Since 2007

Founded in 2007, Stanislaus Agri epitomizes the fruitful alliance between a farmer and a businessman. This partnership has flourished into a thriving fruit farming venture across five distinct units, two of which are leased from the Theron and Viljoen families. Our farms stand as a living testament to the blend of agricultural expertise and entrepreneurial insight.

Nature’s Harmony: Stanislaus Agri thrives thanks to Tulbagh’s rich soil and favourable climate. This combination provides an ideal foundation for growing various fruits. Tulbagh’s distinct seasons infuse our fruits with a balance of sweetness and succulence, resulting in a natural symphony of flavours.

Diverse Bounty: Our orchards yield an assortment of fruits including apples, peaches, nectarines, plums, apricots, and pears. This variety guarantees a steady supply for our partners and caters to evolving consumer preferences. Committed to delivering quality, our selection resonates locally and internationally.

Sustaining Tradition: Stanislaus Agri’s roots in this unique partnership underscore our commitment to sustainability. We prioritize orchard health and environmental preservation. This approach safeguards resources and ensures our legacy endures, illustrating the positive impact of cooperative stewardship.

As you explore Tulbagh, Stanislaus Agri invites you to experience the fruit of a collaboration that began in 2007. Our farms embody the fusion of farmer and businessman, guided by ecological harmony. Rooted in sustainability and a varied fruit selection, Stanislaus Agri offers a journey of Flavors and enduring partnership.

Abendruhe Farm

Abendruhe is a fourth-generation family-owned farm located in Wellington, South Africa. Originally bought in 1972, the farm is currently owned by Pierre Blake Snr and his two sons, Robert and Pierre Jnr.

Situated next to the picturesque Bergriver, Abendruhe enjoys an average annual rainfall ranging from 400 – 450 mm. With access to abundant water resources, the farm is able to sustain its diverse agricultural activities throughout the year. In addition to Abendruhe, the family also owns two other farms: Koornlandsdrift in Hermon and Botterberg in Philadelphia. These farms contribute to the overall structure of the family business and further expand their agricultural activities.

Covering a total area of 307 hectares, Abendruhe focuses on cultivating various crops. The farm dedicates 64 hectares for growing stone fruit, which is harvested from week 43 up until week 6. Additionally, the farm allocates 13 hectares for cultivating pomegranates, which are harvested from week 4 to week 16. Finally, Abendruhe boasts 230 hectares dedicated to the production of wine grapes.

Overall, Abendruhe Farm stands as a testament to the Blake family’s hard work, innovation, and generational knowledge. With their ongoing commitment to excellence, this fourth-generation family-owned farm will continue to be a source of pride for the Blake family and a symbol of agricultural success in Wellington, South Africa.

Loxtonia Farm

Loxtonia Farm is situated in the heart of the Western Cape farmlands, in the Ceres Valley. The farm has been owned by the Whitfield family since 1990 and is run with core family values – considering honesty, commitment and sustainability as priorities for the success of the business.

Loxtonia is situated about 550m above sea level in a winter rainfall area with an average rainfall of 850mm annually. Apples, pears and plums are exported worldwide from this farm, while a small percentage of fruit is also supplied to the local South African market. All fruit types grown on Loxtonia are cooled, stored, packed and dispatched from the Farm.

Loxtonia has also recently launched their own Apple cider brand named after the farm: Loxtonia Cider. The philosophy is “Orchard to bottle” and sustainability is at the core of it all. The ciders are preservative-free, gluten-free and vegan-friendly. The ciders are made at their facility on the farm from their own apple varieties. The left-over pulp is used as mulch in the apple orchards, resulting in full utilization of the apples and no wastage.

Sustainability is one of Loxtonia’s core values and is highly prioritized in all aspects of the business. Sustainable farming and water usage practices are prioritized, as well as the use of solar power to generate as much green electricity as possible. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is used to eliminate or drastically reduce the use of pesticides. IPM uses a variety of techniques including cultural, biological and structural strategies to control a multitude of pest problems and find practical ways to minimize the toxicity of and exposure to pesticides and chemical products.

GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY

Land Reform: Dwarsberg Farming

Larry Whitfield acquired the neighbouring farm, Dwarsberg, in 2017 at an auction. His vision with this farm was to empower 10 of his long time-time serving farm workers to become shareholders, each owning 10% of the Farm. With guidance and assistance from Gerrit van Vuuren from PALS (Partners in Agri Land Solutions), they successfully formed a 100% black empowerment company called Dwarsberg Farming. Each shareholder is involved in a specific function which forms a crucial element in running the Farm. The farm now consists of 6.7 hectares of pears and 27.51 hectares of stone fruit.

Creche:

Loxtonia creche is a home away from home for their workers’ children, with the added benefit of committed and well-trained staff members. The education and well-being of every child is top priority.

Computer Library:

Rural areas are most affected by poor learner grade results due to lack of access to good materials such as computers with internet. There is also a high percentage of school dropouts before matric (grade 12), because learners are not motivated due to the illiteracy of their parents.

With this in mind, a refurbished container has been set up at the worker housing area which provides access to computers with educational programs and internet access. The vision is to ensure that the children develop to their full potential and remain committed learners until they finish school. The long-term goal of this project is to improve Computer Literacy, Society Upliftment and a Reduction in the Digital Divide.

Verdun

Verdun Estates

Verdun Estates is a family business in character and tradition. The farm was acquired by Izak and Bertha Wolfaardt in 1918, and it is one of the oldest farms in Prince Alfred’s Hamlet. What started as a mixed farming venture (as was the norm of the region in those years) has now turned to focus on stone fruit, specifically nectarines, since the 1980s.

It is noteworthy that the first Wolfaardt Nectarines graced the markets of the UK as early as 1924. Over the years the tradition of complete family involvement was honoured, and the business is currently in the hands of the 4^th generation – Peter Wolfaardt and Georgina Hewitt.

When Verdun’s planting potential was maximized in the early 2000s, the Company looked at acquiring other land with the goal to expand its business. The business has grown so that it now consists of 6 production units, all providing specific microclimates which are most favourable to the nectarines, peaches, flat peaches, plums, apricots and pears grown by the group. Verdun Estates has an aggressive growth and replacement strategy, continually searching for new falvourful varieties to expand their offer. They also continually invest in infrastructure and technology to stay competitive in the global market.

Sustainability

Conservation is also high on the Company’s priority list. Despite abundant good quality water resources, special measures are taken to schedule irrigation to protect this natural source. Alternative, non-chemical plant protection options are continuously investigated. Energy efficiency and the protection of the biodiversity of the land, are further priorities on the estate. 165 Hectares of Windhoek Sandstone Fynbos are still found in the mountainous areas of Verdun.

The management of Verdun Estates recognized the importance of a dedicated, skilled and committed labour force. They are immensely passionate about and committed to the recruitment, training and development of their people. They also believe in healthy and happy communities and continually invest in the well being of their work force and their families.

Land Reform: La Vouere

In 2017, as part of their Land Reform goals and the PALS initiative, Verdun Estates became involved in a farming venture together with Raymond & Mary Koopstad, owners of La Vouere Farm in Ceres. Together they formed a joint venture, of which Verdun holds the minority share. La Vouere has access to many of the new varieties, and the well-established packing and marketing channels through Verdun Estates. This has been a very fruitful partnership for all parties involved.

Sonskyn Farms

Sonskyn (directly translated as Sunshine) lies on the beautiful R317 between Robertson and Bonnievale – known for the striking lanes of canna flowers in bright reds and yellow. Historically Sonskyn Farms was a subdivision of the larger Goedemoed unit – the desolate farm of Simon Bekker bought in 1769 by Abraham le Roux. After Le Roux, who was the first person to cultivate the land, the farm changed hands a few times before JT Rabie bought Sonskyn from J. Schoonwinkel after World War II (1946) for £16 200,00. At that stage Sonskyn already produced over 200 tons of wine grapes.

The first addition to the Sonskyn unit was Goedemoed, bought by the sons of JT Rabie, Maree and Barend in 1983 for the cultivation of wine grapes and tomatoes for the local market. These tomatoes were packed in the farm packhouse – a facility which later, as volumes increased, was converted into a state of the art export packhouse. Equipped with the latest technology, the Greefa SmartSort grading machine sets a new standard in the market optimizing capacity and precision; a robust machine with unparalleled reliability. The modern coldroom facility, adjacent to the packhouse, enables the Rabies to load containers directly from the farm to Cape Town Port.

In 1988, the Rabie brothers broadened their commodity range by planting Citrus for the export market. Stone Fruit was added to their export basket in 1991.

As the sons of Maree (Cobus and Wilhelm) and Barend (Koos) entered into the family trade, the business expanded even further with the acquisition of Middelplaas and Hermon in the Bonnievale region (2007). The latest addition is Corona that was bought in 2014. The brothers and their sons are a formidable team; each with their own unique strengths and expertise.

The main water source of Sonskyn Farms is the Breede River. This river originates from the snow-capped mountains surrounding the Ceres valley. This river serves mainly as a winter water source, but also flows during the summer months when higher rainfall is measured. During mid-summer, when water levels drop, Sonskyn relies on the Brandvlei dam that serves as a reservoir for the Breede River.

Môrelig Farm

Môrelig Farm has been in the Bourbon-Leftley family since 1992 when Billy Bourbon-Leftley fell in love with this beautiful farm nestled in the picturesque Wemmershoek valley in Franschhoek. Of the 180 hectares, only 40 hectares are cultivated – the rest being wilderness, river and mountainous areas. Originally a wine farm, the estate was transformed into a fruit farm in 1993-1994. Billy’s son, William, took over the management of the farm in 1995 and has been farming since. Môrelig forms part of the Bourbon-Leftley family business. William’s brother and sister share his passion for farming and are managing their other property, Loewenstein.

The micro-climate in this area is unbelievably well-suited for the production of fruit. While the summers are relatively warm, the winters are cold and wet with an average rainfall of close to 900mm per year. The good rainfall ensures that there is enough water year-round for farming activities. Môrelig packs their own fruit for the export market.

Since 2010 Môrelig, as well as the other family farm Loewenstein, are certified annually in terms of Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE). They are currently a non-compliant contributor, and score especially well on Employment Equity, Enterprise Development and Socio-Economic Development. They strive toward uplifting their workforce through education and training. A good example thereof is the key role that William’s right hand and assistant Farm Manager, Anna Damonse, and her husband, Hermanus, play in the production and harvesting of the fruit on Môrelig. In the Packhouse and the orchards, Anna’s team leaders consisting of Nolene Willemse, Lee-Ann Johnson and Benjamin Pretorius also see that operations run smoothly.

Kalos Farming

Kalos Farming (Pty) Ltd

Daniel Goosen is part of the fifth generation of Goosen’s farming on the original Waboomsrivier farm, on which the town of Prince Alfred’s Hamlet originated. After two generations, the farms were split between the brothers and the part he currently farms, became Bo-Jagerskraal (later renamed Waboomskraal). His father, Gerhard Goosen, farmed on this property since 1968, but after his sudden death in 1991, Daniel took over the reins. Kalos Farming currently consists out of five production units on which we farm with peaches, nectarines, pears, wheat, canola, sheep, and cattle.

In 2009 a stone fruit packhouse with cooling facilities was built on the Perdefontein production unit. This facility handles the packing of all fruit from the different units. In 2017 the packhouse was expanded with a second pack line and larger cooling facilities to accommodate the growing volumes of stone fruit as well as pears from the production units.

In 2015 a production area was identified and set aside for the KAJA Project to empower Kalos workers in the agricultural sector. The farming and business knowledge and experience that the Kalos Farming management team offers is used to mentor the workers effectively.

Kalos Farming further provides for the well-being of their staff by encouraging valuable training, ensuring safe and secure housing, and offering daycare facilities for the children of their workers.

Daniel and his wife, Lilian, base their success on faith and a strong social and environmental responsibility, all of which form a stable foundation for their business. They believe in an open and approachable management style that enables good communication, and they further promote this through a very active workers’ committee. Daniel believes his faith, his passion for farming, the staff knowing what is expected from them and the investment he makes in creating a positive working environment are the keys to his success.

Goosen Boerdery

DP & JC Goosen Boerdery (Pty) Ltd

The Goosen Family started farming on Jagerskraal in 1861 and is one of the oldest farming families in the Prince Alfred’s Hamlet area. Born from a lineage of pioneers, the management of the business currently lies with the 5^th and 6^th generations, including Danie, Janus and JC Goosen as directors of the company.

The business consists of three farming units: Jagerskraal (Prince Alfred’s Hamlet), Ou Stasie (Wolseley) and Nuutbegin (Rawsonville). Farming on both sides of the Skurweberg Mountain range has the benefit of two climate zones, providing the opportunity to grow a wider range of varieties from early to late season.

Since 2003, the Goosen Family has also been part of a Black Economic Empowerment project. The Denou Farming (Pty) Ltd production unit was purchased with the aim of the Den Haag Workers Trust owning 51%, and the Goosen Family owning 49%. The Den Haag Workers Trust is represented by the workers of Ou Stasie and Jagerskraal, and offers the opportunity for said workers to be empowered through this project.

All stone fruit for Stems are packed at a state-of-the-art packing facility on the original farm, Jagerskraal.

Excelsior Farm

Excelsior / Highlands Farm

Excelsior Farm is Located 12km from Villiersdorp, while Highlands Farm is situated a little further in Bo-Doornrivier, about 25km from Villiersdorp. The Jacobs family started farming in August 2001 when they bought Excelsior Farm. As their operations grew, they also acquired Highlands Farm in May of 2018.

The team consists of Janco Jacobs, who majored in Agriculture and previously acted as an agri-adviser. His wife Evelyn, who previously worked as a Technical Manager for an export company for 9 years, also assists him with the management of the Packing Facilities as well as the finances of the farms. The husband-and-wife duo makes a mean team with Janco taking charge of production, whilst Evelyn manages the packing, audits and finances of the business.

They are supported by a strong team with Jaco van der Merwe on Excelsior Farm and Gerhard van Rensburg on Highlands. Elinda van der Merwe is in charge of wages and also acts as the compliance manager. The packing facilities are headed by Ryno Geldenhuys on Excelsior Farm and Chrisan van der Westhuizen on Highlands Farm. All mechanical maintenance and services on machines are done by Rocco van der Westhuizen.

Excelsior Farm has 45 hectares which have been planted and consist mainly of plums, nectarines, apricots, pears and late citrus. A little further down the valley, Highlands has about 120 hectares under plantations, mainly producing wine grapes, plums and citrus. Both Excelsior and Highlands are unique in that both farms are situated in narrow valleys adjacent to each other. Excelsior is at the foot of the Riviersonderend mountains that separate the Breede Valley from the Overberg, while Highlands is in the Risjes Valley at the top of the Doornrivier area.

Each of the production units has a unique microclimate offering as they are situated in a drier area called the Bossieveld (shrub veld) area. This sunnier and drier environment allows for lower fungal pressure, higher sugars and good size on their stone fruit. Both Excelsior and Highlands accumulate around 600 chilling units annually, resulting in good quality fruit harvested from early to late.

Both farms house permanent families and the team strongly believes in the well-being and development of their employees. Wonderful daycare facilities for all children under the age 6 years are provided, with after-school assistance for all learners who need computers and printers. Employees are evaluated every year and are sent on training courses to develop their skills.

The Jacobs family is serious about conservation and strives to reduce the spraying of chemicals on their crops. They have been involved in the SIT-Project (Sterile Insect Technique) as well as mating disruption. They have a very good monitoring system in place. The mulching of the orchards also reduces the need for the use of herbicides.