A new breed of farmer: Mmadipilo blends Brahmans and tourism

When her brother said no to farming, Mmadipilo Letlape took over. In this episode of the Farmer Mentor series, she shares how she runs a Brahman herd alongside an agritourism venture that is attracting international attention.

Mmadipilo Letlape is soft-spoken and modest by nature. Yet behind her quiet voice and unassuming presence, she is a serious businesswoman. As a dedicated Brahman cattle farmer and founder of agritourism initiative Nature Nation Camp, she is forging a path that is uniquely hers.

Letlape, whose farming business is based in Rustenberg, North West, comes from a family steeped in farming tradition. Her dad, uncle, and aunt were all farmers.

“Growing up, my cousins and brothers would go to the farm, and I always wanted to be part of it, but they sidelined me,” she recalls. Despite the exclusion, she persisted, finding her own ways to join the family on the farm.

Over time, circumstances, including her father’s illness gradually opened the door for her involvement.

Letlape’s father had always envisioned her brother taking over the family legacy. When he decided against it, Letlape stepped forward to take on the role herself.

“It took time for my dad to accept that a girl child could be a farmer. I told him I couldn’t keep going to the farm without any benefit,” she explains.

After a tense exchange and some reflection, her father made an offer: a choice between three cows. She chose the pregnant one. “I told him, ‘I want this one because I’ll have a calf soon. The heifer still needs a bull, and the other one is sick.’ That’s when he realised I knew what I was doing.”

That moment marked the true beginning of her farming career. She later negotiated her “payment” in calves rather than cash — two calves per year, to be exact. “I’d keep them for a few months in a feedlot and then sell them at nearby auctions,” she says. This strategy became her launchpad into livestock farming.

Setbacks fuel drive to succeed

Of course, building a brand in agriculture comes with its own set of challenges. One of Letlape’s greatest obstacles was navigating shared ownership within a family structure. “The cows were shared. So even if I bought a bull, it was for everyone. And if my relatives didn’t treat their animals well, it affected mine too.”

She also admits to making costly mistakes in her early days, like buying too much medication, inconsistent feeding, and dealing with unreliable farmhands. The most heartbreaking of all was losing a prized bull just nine months after purchase.

“I had to sell some heifers to buy it, and then it was stolen. I couldn’t sleep for months,” she recalls.

Despite the setbacks, Letlape remained steadfast. “I love Brahmans, but I also wanted to branch into Simbras for their milk. That didn’t go as planned, but I’m working on it.”

Asked how she approaches financial decision-making, her advice is practical and grounded.

“Start small. Work within your means. Farming takes time to be profitable. If you start big without experience, you’ll burn out financially. Be patient.”

Where farming and tourism meet

Mmadipilo Letlape is more than just a cattle farmer. She is also the driving force behind Nature Nation Camp, an agritourism initiative that fuses her love for events with her passion for agriculture.

“I studied events management and wanted to combine that with farming. So, I created a space where farmers can come together, network, have fun, and sell their produce.”

Initially, the farmers’ market concept struggled to gain traction. She even tried bringing in a business partner, but the collaboration didn’t work out. Still, her persistence paid off. Two years later, Nature Nation Camp and the farmers’ market were born as a united project.

“It’s still growing, but I hope it becomes one of the biggest agricultural events in South Africa.”

What makes Nature Nation Camp stand out, she believes, is its community feel. “We don’t just come to listen to talks; we network, we laugh, we learn. Farmers meet others from different industries, and that exchange of knowledge is powerful.”

The initiative has already started drawing interest from beyond South Africa’s borders. A group of farmers from Botswana joined them recently, and next time she hopes to attract farmers from Namibia and Zimbabwe.

Balancing both cattle farming and agritourism is no easy feat. Letlape admits it’s still a work in progress. “It’s hard. I’m still learning to manage both, but they complement each other well. I just need more time to get it right.”

Looking ahead, Letlape sees herself as a Simbra cattle farmer with a butchery. “I also want to have a permanent home for Nature Nation Camp. A plot that reflects my full vision, rather than relying on hired venues.”