Extra green fingers for local farmer
He explains that his mother and father were farmers in Mpumalanga at Bush Park Ridge, and so farming is in his blood
Hisler Mogane is a local farmer who is doing wonders with what little he has.
Together with partners Mshiyeni Khumalo and Yandiswa ‘Shorty’ Marimbela, he has been farming at Matthew’s Farm from 2005 up until present day. There, they have turned a cattle sales yard into lovely vegetable gardens.
They are truly adept at cultivating the biggest, juiciest vegetables around. When people ask what their secret is, the usual answer is that, “We have extra green fingers!” Just look at the brinjals (eggplant) they pull out of the ground and you’ll know what a treat you’re in for!
Battling a lack of funds and water irrigation woes, the latter being their main problem, they soldier on admirably with seeds, fertilizer and ploughing equipment they get from the municipality.
Hisler is well-known in the community for his large brinjals. He says that, “I plant the seeds, give them lots of water, always fertilize the soil, and they grow!” He says that his brinjals grow within three to four days. They also farm butternut, tomatoes, mealies and green beans, to name just a few.
Now 63 years old, Hisler has been a farmer ever since he was a young boy. He explains that his mother and father were farmers in Mpumalanga at Bush Park Ridge, and so farming is in his blood. “I won’t ever stop!”
Hisler, Mshiyeni and Shorty are subsistence farmers, but they dream of becoming commercial farmers one day. They just need the support to help them along the way. They sell their produce at low prices on the streets and also to businesses.
