Elizabeth Mmokgomo from Bronkhorstspruit wants to leave an agricultural legacy

Snuggled away in the farmlands of Bronkhorstspruit, is a family run business that was started 24 years ago by Elizabeth Mmakgomo Mahlangu.

When asked why she started the now successful business so many years ago, she simply states, to leave a legacy behind and for my family to make something of themselves.

The productive permaculture farm, whose motto is “no waste”, was formally registered in 2012 and has seven key members (all family), four permanent employees and casual labourers.

Their main sources of income include the selling of vegetables to locals as well as Prazeres Foodzone in Bronkhorstspruit, live stock which include chickens, cows, goats and other poultry and maize of which they sold 40 tons worth to Godrich Flour Mills in Bronkhorstspruit.

Everything on the farm gets recycled and re-used.

A simple example of this is straw which grows on the farm and can be used as feed or mulch or to resell to locals.

Their latest project and one which they are extremely proud of, is the large area that has been covered with shade netting, which will extend the growing season meaning more money can be made. “Elizabeth has lived on the land all her life and knows what to plant when and where,” says the Shoprite and Food and Trees for Africa (FTFA) facilitating team.

As far as possible, they try to grow everything organically and sustainably and also use what is called inter cropping pesticides to curb any disease and anything else that may hinder the growth of the vegetables. For the last 18 months Shoprite has been involved and helping the family by arranging monthly permaculture workshops on premises and installing irrigation around the farm, making it so much easier than using small watering cans to water the vegetables.

“We are grateful for Shoprite’s involvement and their assistance,” says Elizabeth.