HWFG

Paid for my 5th borehole to be drilled and it’s happening today

Plowing tings.

This is a flower called hypericum (I only learned how to spell this recently) we’re exporting to the Netherlands for decent guap.

Some of my carrots

These are my peppers!

Land prep done
Potatoes seed incoming
June harvest season around the corner

16 more beds of carrots planted today. The guys on the ground doing an excellent job. Bumper harvest incoming

1/5 of the potatoes planted so far

Asparagus planted. High value crop. Takes about 2 years for the plant to establish before you can begin to harvest seasonally.

But after that you’re eating good for the next 20-30yrs. Literally and figuratively.

The reservoir. 3 boreholes feeding into this. 10 pumps feeding into the field.

Irrigation infrastructure

This is one of our greenhouses, it has 3 tunnels (I need to invest in another).

Here, my guys are using a method called “misting” in order to keep temperatures low, to prevent the plants from wilting due to heat

Kept the audio on on this one. 23 beds of carrots planted in 1 day.

Now up to 120 beds of carrots altogether at different stages to be harvested and distributed to the local market on a weekly basis commencing in June.

Excited is an understatement!

Last year my farm manager had an idea to start running educational tours at the farm in order to generate extra income (He’s former Head Teacher of Twin Rivers, Harare).

That was obviously disrupted by Covid but next week we’re starting again and fully booked for April!

Agriculture is a big part of the school curriculum so it’s been a pretty easy sell to the local schools and even some of the colleges/universities have shown an interest.

Last week we had our power cut off due to some vandals tampering with our meter. ZESA took FOREVER to come and fix it and the irrigation system requires electricity. Risked ruining 100+ beds of crops if it wasn’t fixed quickly. I panicked for days. But anyway, it got sorted

Local store came to collect their weekly supply of carrots today!

Another day of planting about to go ahead in Glen Forest. Harvest szn soon land.

Eating good literally and figuratively!

Potato seed arriving Monday

Some of the land prep completed already

Very busy and important week ahead in Glen Forest.

Team on the ground working very hard every day. Everyone determined to make this year a huge success at the farm and going forward

Just more land, all prepared for potato seed sowing next week!

Hi, back again

Yellow pepper on the right - high value crop! Some type of lilies on the left. Lilies are being removed from the greenhouse tomorrow, as they can survive outside, to create space for more yellow pepper

3 tonnes of potato seed arrived today (6 days late but we move)!

One thing I’ll tell you about doing business in a developing country, you have to manage your own expectations well.

Delays, interruptions and unforeseen hindrances are the norm. You’ll learn this fast

Hypericum flowers for export to the Netherlands in October

Potato seeds being planted today, the powdery substance is fertiliser!

So happy to see new people being employed almost every 2-3 weeks now.

Potato beds planted earlier in the week now being watered. Hopefully plant another 0.5ha next week.

New employees’ uniforms also arrived. These people are incredible and work so hard. The future is very bright for us at Glen Forest

Today we had land prep plus additional potato seed sowing.

I honestly admire all the guys who work on the ground. Most amazing ppl I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. Constantly humbled by their willingness to go the extra mile.

Side note: I need a new tractor.

Potatoes are sprouting

Negotiating to purchase or lease another 30hectares of land tomorrow. Currently struggling to satisfy local demand. Everything selling fast.

All potatoes on the ground already on order from supermarkets for sale in July.

New plot of land we’ve just exchanged contracts on pending my signature (30 hectares) even more excited about this project!