Nothando Mokone shares how farming is about more than food. It’s about family, values, and conscious living.
Pretoria, South Africa (29 July 2025) – What began as a way to put meals on the table during a difficult time has grown into a deeply fulfilling journey for Nothando Mokone, a brand and marketing professional whose hands are now just as comfortable in the soil as they are in the office.
Farming started as a practical decision.
“It was just a desire to have an alternative to feed my family,” she recalls. “With one seed, with one egg that you have, and you see it grow. It brought in a lot of satisfaction knowing I was able to provide.”
With her husband as the sole breadwinner during lockdown, the garden became more than a hobby, it became a symbol of resilience for her family.
“It also supplemented the salary of my husband,” she adds. “It was a natural thing. It can be done. It’s possible.”
As a committed vegetarian, Nothando says her connection with food has transformed.
“I’m passionate about the ability to feed from the land, but also the respect that comes with just soil, what goes into it,” she explains. Her love for organic farming shines through. “We use our chicken manure, we go around the neighbourhood getting cow manure, and we just cultivate the soil and make it healthy.”
But it’s the impact on her children that truly lights her up.
“There’s less of eating out and more eating from the house. Everything on the plate comes from the house. If it is a chicken from the coop, they know exactly where it comes from. There is less food wastage and more appreciation.”
The farm has also taught them discipline, like separating peels for composting.
“They know a banana peel can’t just go in the bin. It must go to that bucket,” she laughs. “Because that banana peel is going back to the soil.”
For Nothando, farming has become both therapy and mindfulness.
“The world required us to be quiet during COVID, and I just found my quietness outside,” she reflects. “Now, it’s probably my best form of relaxation.”
What surprised her most was being able to feed her family for a long period of time.
“I didn’t know I could feed my family for more than six months without going to a vegetable shop,” she says. “That was a huge, huge, huge surprise.”
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