Weekends for fun farm visits and learning

 Story by Anele Zikali

Since food is our daily need and basically we cannot survive without it, why not just get to know more whilst having fun with our priority? It is time to learn and explore a different environment. 

Making time to book a farm visit for those that are open to the public is one of the good things you can do. This helps to get close to the product and know more about it. 

Fruit farms 

By far fruit farms seem to be at the top of beautiful plots to visit when it is harvesting season. Just because you get to see it hanging from its shrub to picking it, and some farms sell them at a bargain and even prepare end products like juices and smoothies. 

Mooihoek Strawberry Farm in Eastern Cape 

The farm is open to public visits, especially around school holidays which brings so much joy to the little ones. The place has time intervals for visitors and affordable prices for entrance to pick strawberries. They also sell mini-cakes, smoothies and juices for a sit-down or takeaway. 

It is better to put the picked strawberries in the deep freezer and prepare them for smoothies and shakes made in a blender, juice maker, or baked goods of your choice. This fruit goes well when mixed with other fruits and ingredients. 

It is popping bright sunflower in Limpopo 

Image from Vukuzenzele Newspaper 

One of the biggest sunflower farms in Limpopo was opened for a media tour in June 2023 by the Department of Agriculture. The sunflower farm harvest season pops in bright yellow and in leafy greens. The farm tour was great for just understanding how cooking oil in particular is made. 

The black soil in this province is so rich because not only one farmer owns more than 1000 hectares of sunflower. Even women from previously disadvantaged communities are in the business of making cooking oil and feeding the nation. 

Small-scale farms and informal farmers 

Image of local avocados exported to China 

It is where most people are inspired to start their plots. Next to it is a cabbage farm started by young graduates from an Agricultural FET college. You might find yourself inspired by such moves and start your farm or just a new healthy hobby you know.

There are plenty of nearby small-scale farmers that sell watermelon which is quite big and rich in taste, quality avocados and litchi that are often sold on the roadsides for travelers at low cost and readily available in bulk. 

Small-scale farmers are popular in this side of the country which is a good thing for easy access to good food and unemployment reduction. Others are informal farmers as they do not register their businesses, they just sell. 

Addo orange farm

Back to Eastern Cape farms, the biggest citrus producers are in this province. Mainly based on Addo and Kirkwood town, followed by Fort Beaufort and Port Edward. It is raining oranges, naartjie, grapefruit and lemons in this part of the country. 

Imagine how many orange juices can be made from the tasty fruit that comes from the trees that produce endlessly. Children also go for repeats in the naartjies since they are soft and small making it easy for them to chew whilst they get a good dose of vitamin C. 

The are also interesting farms in the western pondo in Eastern Cape, places like Port St Johns thrive in guava and nuts. When one passes by there's plenty to choose from that are ripe quality taste something that is not easily found in such fruits. 

Keep tabs on-farm events 

The Department of Agriculture also promotes farms and publishes magazines of publicly profiled farms in local areas. That is where one can find out which farms allow visits or buy directly from the farmer which allows a choice to pick your fresh products on site. 

Sometimes people also attend agricultural events like the biggest show in the Southern Hemisphere, Nampo Park in Free State which is hosted yearly nationwide. Organized farm expos to get some edutainment. You will probably end up knowing where to buy your next favorite fresh product. 

Image source: Nampo 2025 from Maklera Magazine 

Farm market places

This is one of the easy ways to cut matters short. Most farmers go to nearby farm marketplaces looking for buyers. As a consumer, you get a chance to view and bring along your family and friends. Most farmers nowadays post on local Facebook pages in their areas for events and updates for public interest. 

Animal farm exhibitions 

Meat is so much loved and offers loads of protein. A visit to a chicken farm to buy a living hen is popular in South Africa, especially in rural communities. Even people who want cattle or sheep can do a roundabout on a farm. 

Image source: exhibitions at hobby farms website 

There are even show-off events where chickens are just groomed and different breeds are introduced in the market. Such events are done just for exhibitions and to show creative and innovative showcasing intriguing things and different ways of doing things in the industry. 

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