Farming God’s Way in Northcliff
Found at Tshepo Community Development Initiative, this garden sees itself as a way to change the lives of those less fortunate.
For years Farming God’s Way has been helping to change lives through upskilling many in our communities on the process of farming.
These sorts of vegetable gardens are spread across the whole, with many following its model. One satellite branch can be found at the Northcliff-based Tshepo Community Development Initiative.
George Roberts explained their garden started 10 years ago with just a compost heap and through years of persistence they have managed to impact lives that go on to positively impact others. This kind of farming consists of a few principles, one of them being the conservation/agriculture approach which implores them to only use what is available to them as it incorporates some of the oldest technologies on the planet to farm. Farming God’s Way has also been described as a solution to the food security and poverty crisis facing communities.
For Roberts, it was important to be part of this type of farming because not only did he grow up on a commercial farm as a child, but it was also a way for him to take something close to his heart and use it to actively help those less fortunate people who are unable to feed themselves. It also fits with his Christian ethos.
Working alongside Roberts all these years is Raymond Ndlovu who went on to their environment as an antidote to waste. “We see people throwing away their leaves and grass, but they could put it to better use by using it as compost, as they can be used to make your soil better, give it nutrients, and be used for mulch.”
The centre does not charge for their training, as the whole point is to impart knowledge and skills that trainees can use for life. They do sell seedlings they have harvested as well as the organic compost they make, a facet Roberts is very proud of and is excited to have in their garden.
Ndlovu said this garden is a way of restoring dignity to the homeless who take part in caring for the garden. “We know that not all of them will become farmers or gardeners, but they can use the principles for anything else they want to do.” For him being part of this farming process has encouraged growth within him and has given him a good foundation to build on being a better person not just for himself, but for others too.
