Manisha Shah from KZN

Tell us a little about yourself!

My name is Manisha Shah, I currently live in Merrivale, in the KZN Midlands. I was raised in Pietermaritzburg but, while growing up, I spent a lot of time with my grandmother in the small town of Richmond, just 20 minutes out of Pietermaritzburg. My grandmother lived on a smallholding where, because she was expected to look after her large family, she had become self-sufficient.

This idea of self-sufficiency sparked my love for the land and the promise of what it could become, with just a little love and hard work.

I'm pursuing my passion for off-grid living and sustainable growing. We currently rear pigs, ducks, chickens and geese. Recently we built a large pond and have stocked it with fish. The various honey boxes, throughout my garden, attract and house my busiest workers!

My goal is to be as self-sufficient as possible, relying on the land for my needs, depending less and less on commercially grown produce, while minimizing my impact on the environment.

How did you start doing what you are doing now? 

My journey into homesteading began when I realized the importance of living sustainably and the impact of industrial agriculture on our planet. The ever-increasing illnesses in today's times seems linked to chemicals that are applied to mainstream produce, and to the increase in highly-processed foods.

This got me learning about permaculture and regenerative farming practices, which led me to establish my own small-scale food garden. I met a very influential lady, called Nikki Brighton from the Midlands who is a blogger, writer, foodie, and forager, and through a barter market she got me to join the local markets in the area and an international organisation movement called Slow Food, it's mission is to promote a better way to eat by advocating good, clean and fair food, In 2022 I got chosen to represent The Midlands region and South Africa at one of the biggest food festivals and information and regenerative practice exchange training in Turin, Italy. It was nothing short of amazing! It opened up my eyes to what the rest of the world is doing and was refreshing to see how many were contributing to this way of living.

Back to my story, I initially wanted to create a food forest, where the food production mimics the structure and function of a natural forest ecosystem, but soon realised my OCD wouldn't allow it. Structure is important to me! Although, what we have is still very productive with not much effort put in.

My " formal" growing garden started with a couple of raised beds but quickly spread to cover almost one and a half hectares.

It wasn't easy, but with time, patience, and perseverance, I'm creating a thriving ecosystem that provides for my family's needs, and any surplus is sold, traded or preserved for the off season.

What are you most proud of in this process? 

I'm proud of the progress I've made towards self-sufficiency. From growing my own food to harnessing renewable energy, every small victory feels like a significant achievement.

What is the most helpful piece of advice you received when you were just starting out? 

One of the most helpful pieces of advice I received when starting out was to "start small and start now." It's easy to get overwhelmed by the magnitude of the task, but focusing on small, achievable goals has been instrumental in my journey.

What advice would you like to give to others who are younger/earlier on their journey? 

To those just starting out, I'd advise being patient and kind to yourself. Homesteading is a journey, not a destination. It's okay to make mistakes and learn from them, every mistake makes you more knowledgeable! Surround yourself with like-minded individuals who can offer support and guidance.

Where do you see growing going in South Africa? 

I see a bright future for small-scale farming and homesteading in South Africa. With the right support and resources, we can create a more sustainable and resilient food system that benefits both people and the planet.

I am also creating a home plant nursery which I am slowly stocking up for the upcoming season. Plants acclimatized to the midlands weather will be available for sale locally.

Seeing my family enjoy the fruits of my labor (literally!) is the greatest reward. Which brings me to one of my other passions... cooking food. To be able to grow a large proportion of the ingredients in my garden has allowed me to experiment endlessly.

This has also led to me offering garden tours to the public, where I take people through the garden showing them my journey. How I'm trying to become self sufficient, the mistakes i made and what I did to remedy those mistakes. The experience allowed my guests to touch and feel and see and taste produce from the gardens and also to understand how things grow together. As part of the experience my guests are served a themed lunch where the majority of the ingredients come from the garden. What amazes me the most, was how intrigued people are by the versatility of some of the produce I grow.

Where this journey takes me.... I don't know. But it certainly has been an adventure, made even more special by the people I've met.