Juicy red strawberries are being picked by the thousand in the middle of one of the fiercest droughts in living memory in the Karoo and grasslands of the North Eastern Cape.A Daily Dispatch team was visiting some of the most-devastated farming areas around Aliwal North, Jamestown, Burgersdorp and Molteno last Thursday when we spotted punnets of the delicious looking strawberries on sale at Roxy’s Art and Coffee shop in Molteno’s main road.
Mandy Aucamp, owner of the popular book-and-magazine filled shop, is also co-owner of Berry Nice Berry Company on Langlaagte farm 30km outside of Molteno.
“My borehole ran dry for five months. I have eight blocks of 45000 berries the size of four rugby fields, but I can only afford to water one little block of raspberries and 2000 strawberries.
“We are only able to water 25% of the plants. I didn’t think anything would happen, but with a little drip irrigation and only 25mm of rain in six months, the strawberry plants still managed to produce fruit. We are picking 200kg a week.”
“I’m primarily a raspberry farmer, and we usually pick half a ton of raspberries in a week now. Yet, I’m not able to pick one because the raspberry plants are dormant. They are only 50cm high and should be 1.5m high. The strawberries are surrounded by a plastic water retainer sheet and don’t need as much water as raspberries.”
Describing how they were picked, she said: “It’s my cardio! Twice a week we go in and pick those strawberries flat-out. I can kick-start planes with these thighs,” she said laughing.
“We were originally a European Union and ECDC-funded company, but that ran out in 2012 and we have carried on successfully. Our main focus out of season is our sugar-free, Banting-friendly Berry Nice range of jams which sell like hot cakes around SA.”
Aucamp owns 50% of the company and the other 50% is owned by 11 staff members, organised under the Langlaagte Berry Agricultural Cooperative.
“The staff are doing well off the project and work with me picking berries and in the jam kitchen. Strawberries have saved my butt this year. We have five kids – two foster, one adopted and two of my own. Four are boys with hollow legs. Our sheep and cattle farm is in a very bad way.”
lYesterday, Aucamp said: “We received 30mm this week from two cloudbursts and it has been fantastic. I am hoping my raspberries will start doing something.” — mikel@dispatch.co.za
Strawberries tough out the drought
A Daily Dispatch team was visiting some of the most-devastated farming areas around Aliwal North, Jamestown, Burgersdorp and Molteno last Thursday when we spotted punnets of the delicious looking strawberries on sale at Roxy’s Art and Coffee shop in Molteno’s main road.
Mandy Aucamp, owner of the popular book-and-magazine filled shop, is also co-owner of Berry Nice Berry Company on Langlaagte farm 30km outside of Molteno.
“My borehole ran dry for five months. I have eight blocks of 45000 berries the size of four rugby fields, but I can only afford to water one little block of raspberries and 2000 strawberries.
“We are only able to water 25% of the plants. I didn’t think anything would happen, but with a little drip irrigation and only 25mm of rain in six months, the strawberry plants still managed to produce fruit. We are picking 200kg a week.”
“I’m primarily a raspberry farmer, and we usually pick half a ton of raspberries in a week now. Yet, I’m not able to pick one because the raspberry plants are dormant. They are only 50cm high and should be 1.5m high. The strawberries are surrounded by a plastic water retainer sheet and don’t need as much water as raspberries.”
Describing how they were picked, she said: “It’s my cardio! Twice a week we go in and pick those strawberries flat-out. I can kick-start planes with these thighs,” she said laughing.
“We were originally a European Union and ECDC-funded company, but that ran out in 2012 and we have carried on successfully. Our main focus out of season is our sugar-free, Banting-friendly Berry Nice range of jams which sell like hot cakes around SA.”
Aucamp owns 50% of the company and the other 50% is owned by 11 staff members, organised under the Langlaagte Berry Agricultural Cooperative.
“The staff are doing well off the project and work with me picking berries and in the jam kitchen. Strawberries have saved my butt this year. We have five kids – two foster, one adopted and two of my own. Four are boys with hollow legs. Our sheep and cattle farm is in a very bad way.”
lYesterday, Aucamp said: “We received 30mm this week from two cloudbursts and it has been fantastic. I am hoping my raspberries will start doing something.” — mikel@dispatch.co.za
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending Now
Latest Videos