The festive season is often a time for celebration, relaxation, and family, but for South African farmers, December brings a mix of challenges, busy schedules, and moments of joy. From planting and harvesting to family gatherings and reflecting on the year, each farmer has a unique story to tell.
For Thulani Magida, a crop farmer in the Eastern Cape, December is a carefully orchestrated balancing act.
“Over the past two years, we’ve noticed, learned, and now plan accordingly. I have made sure we finish planting by the second of December. We don’t have any produce on the land needing to be harvested, and we have no weeding needed. Obviously, it’s not perfect [and] there is some weeding needed,” he said.
Magida has planted his last cabbage seedlings and is preparing for a quieter yet productive holiday.
Spending time with loved ones
“On the 20th, we officially close for holidays, but you would know that with farming, we can’t really close. So ours now is to put water on our potatoes, cabbage, pumpkin, and butternuts on the lands. I will continue preparing land between Christmas and New Year for our last potato planting in January. This I will be able to carry out with just me and my son; we don’t need additional labour,” he explained.
Despite the workload, Magida ensures there’s time for family. “Most importantly, it’s family time. We’re celebrating our marriage anniversary with my wife. My in-laws are visiting us in Jeffrey’s Bay from Limpopo, so it’s a full house. Instead of relaxing, I will still have a busy holiday, but that is the nature of a start-up business,” he said.
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A working holiday season
In Limpopo, goat farmer Selinah Ntjana finds joy in sharing Christmas with her livestock and team. “[I am] celebrating Christmas with my team and the goats. Goats are part of me and my family,” she said.
Meanwhile, Ashell Maenetja, a livestock farmer also in Limpopo, takes a pragmatic view of the holiday season.
“I don’t really have Christmas plans. What I know is I’ll be herding cattle on the day. There isn’t really a holiday, especially for us communal farmers.”
On the West Coast of the Western Cape, mixed farmer Roland Trout is hard at work preparing for the season.
“I’m busy planting 3 000 flowers now and taking away five pigs to abattoir later, so we’re still busy. And God is with us now, so we can plant with this weather,” he said.
Kamogelo Thobejane, a poultry farmer in Limpopo, is seizing the season’s opportunities. “I’ve increased the number of chickens. Right now, I’m having 400 chickens ready for Christmas.
“During Christmas, even people from Gauteng are coming to this side. People are going to have different kinds of events, so I’m ready for them, I’m ready for Christmas. I’m ready to receive more customers.”
“Even though due to the heatwave the mortality rate is kind of high, I’m trying my best to reduce it,” he said.
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