Mphiri Tleane is new to farming, but he is most definitely not new to business. He approached farming with a healthy mindset and a lot of commitment. It was a tough season with some of the most challenging environmental conditions that we’ve experienced in a long time. Even through these trying times, Mphiri managed to grow beautiful crops of butternut and watermelon, and we decided to ask him a few questions to help guide new growers as to what they can expect from farming.
Question 1:
“What about farming drew you in close enough that you decided to start farming on your own?”
Answer:
“I came to the realization that food security is a big challenge facing humanity. Not only do people go to bed hungry, they also have limited access to food with good nutritional value.”
Question 2:
“What was the biggest unexpected challenge during your first growing season?”
Answer:
“The biggest unexpected challenge was the cold that persisted through August until mid-September. This is uncharacteristic for my area. We planted from seeds, and the cold led to delayed emergence and uneven seedlings.”
Question 3:
“What was your biggest reward until now?”
Answer:
“The biggest reward is getting the best fruit that everybody talks about. Battle half won. Now I will start working on improving my yields and taking better care of my plants post-harvest.”
When asked what he would suggest to new prospective growers, he said that new growers need to get the right people and service providers on board, for advice and mentoring. “They need to take a step-by-step approach and learn the game that way”.
Mphiri, it was a pleasure to work with you! Your hard work and dedication paid off, and we hope that there will be many more successful crops!
Mphiri planted Sakata Butternut variety F1 Hybrid Pluto. Read more about Pluto by visiting this page: https://sakata.co.za/shop/vegetables/squash-butternut/pluto-f1-hybrid-butternut-squash/
