IRRIGATION FARMERS ON THE ORANGE-RIET SCHEME

LOCATION

Jacobsdal , FreeState.

The Middeltons came to the 1 200ha farm, with 300ha of scheduled irrigation, as tenants in 2007. As land reform beneficiaries, they have a 30-year lease with an option to buy. Their farm, African Joy, was a land reform acquisition on the Orange-Riet irrigation scheme.

The irrigated hectares are planted to maize, lucerne and 10ha to pecan nut trees. The pecans have expansion potential and Keith and Jacqui are in talks with the Industrial Development Corporation about developing 95ha of pecan orchards. They also run 150 Bonsmara cattle and 300 Merino sheep.

Their greatest limiting factor is access to water as they currently have rights to extract water for only 103 scheduled hectares.

Keith describes his early days of farming as difficult but says he learnt, and did, so much. “I met many farmers and developed a valuable network of contacts,” he says. He has been disappointed in some of his business partners over the years