Life sure has a way of surprising you at times, sometimes you are rowing left in the stream of life without realizing that the current is forcing you in a completely different direction.
After major staff layoffs at Splinterlands and a huge tomato crop that failed, I had to scramble to make a plan, shit was real. I was already looking after my mom with dementia full-time, and with my daughter in university, and my dad very close to losing the little bit of eyesight that he had left, the pressure was mounting mentally physically, and especially financially. I needed to find a way to cope with all the new changes as well as the additional financial obligations. One thing I knew was that both the family as well as the farm had to survive, and the task was laying very heavy on my shoulders.
At first, I had no idea where to even start, but I knew that I had to start somewhere.
While I was still trying to figure out how to bridge the situation, I started making some jams and preserves from the fruit that I had on the farm, as I had done so many times in the past. It always used to be a reasonable side hustle and brought in some cash from time to time. But now I had to upscale the process. I sold these jams as well as some roasted locally sourced macadamia nuts. It was a long way from providing a sustainable income, but I figured I could generate enough to buy some seeds and accompanying supplies to plant the next crop.
Little did I know that life was steering me in a completely different direction.
One morning, I stood looking out over my failed tomato crop, the fruit was small and sparse, completely unmarketable, but still good for use in the house. So we decided to start salvaging what we could from the crop. I figured that I could make and store a decent batch of tomato jams and tomato-based causes, and whatever didn't sell we could always use in the house. After making all the jam, sauce, and soup that my refrigerated storage could handle, I was still left with a daily dose of tomatoes that just couldn't be sold. I came up with an idea to try and sundry some, this was something I had never done before, but, the one thing that is ample on this farm is the undying Limpopo sun. After some extensive YouTube research, I considered myself well-informed enough to give it a shot. I got to work putting up some makeshift drying nets and dragged every loose standing fan from inside the house closer. I dried whatever tomatoes I could salvage. Once dried I thought it would be worth a shot to advertise the organic sundried tomatoes along with my other products on local groups, and the response was simply overwhelming.
Before I knew it, I had to start buying in tomatoes to try to keep up with the demand. This of course opened up a door to a new product range. Sundried tomato pesto made with macadamia nuts and quattrocento cheese. Soon my range included not only sundried tomato pesto but also sundried tomato vinegar reduction, (a byproduct made from boiling the sundried tomatoes in vinegar when making the pesto.)
With these new products on my list, my client scope started growing, and along with that the demand for nuts. This in turn allowed me to grow my product list even more.
Came Mango season I added some dried mango to my list as well, and I started incorporating the nuts into homemade candies such as macadamia nut brittles, Italian nougats, and gourmet marshmallows. it was at this stage that the business really started blossoming.
Sundried Tomato / Dried Mango
It wasn't long before word started spreading, and very soon I had people and shops from all over South Africa contacting me with orders. I never dreamed that this little home enterprise of mine would grow so exponentially.
The only problem I have at this point is that the demand is currently exceeding my production rate, and for the most part, I put in at least 12 hours of work a day from Monday to Sunday. At this stage in a one-week window, up to 100kg of nuts get hand roasted, and over 2000 macadamia nut brittle bars are meticulously handcrafted, Then there are all the craft jams/jellies & preserves made from locally sourced seasonal crops, these are all traditional delicacies that you can not find in in your general grocery stores, this range includes traditional Afrikaans favorites such as tomato jam, mango jam, mango chutney, preserved guava, maroela jelly. And that's not even to mention all the other candies.
Macadamia Choc-Chip Cookies / Nougat Toronne with wild honey & Macadamia / Turkish delight & Coffee toffee Marshmallows
More recently I was contacted by the Tzaneen local business forum, which acknowledges me as an up-and-coming local business supplier and would like to put in a standing order for some of the products I make to add to gift baskets for national and international guest speakers throughout the year.
It has reached a point where I no longer have any time left to market or advertise products and my energy is solely dedicated to the production, From December until now 12 additional shops have contacted me wanting to stock my products in their shops, and right now, I simply don't have the capacity to serve them all. I am currently at a point where I am looking into mechanizing some of the candy processes and I am even considering employing someone on a full-time basis.
I have already contacted a few engineering shops to help me get the candy production line up and running. I am hoping that they will come back with some positive news very shortly. Until then I will carry on slaving away over roasting nuts and candy pots <3
So far my little kitchen enterprise has allowed me to keep the family and the farm up and running, it allows me to pay for any and all arising university costs as well as my mothers ever demanding medical needs. And above that, I now also have everything I need to get a new crop into the farm soil, hopefully, this time with a bit more success.
This is essentially how DownToEarth.Africa was born. Necessity sure is a great driving force!
Mooi man!
!Dhedge
!BBH
!WINE
Jy moet lat ek vir jou bietjie songedroogde tamatie asyn reduksie n en maroela asyn reduksie stuur om te proe, beste ding vir n lekker stukkie plankie steak.
Maroela asyn is tweekeer gefermenteer in n prosess wat twee jaar vat, daarna word dit vir ongeveer 14 uur stadig afgekook. Die smaak van hierdie asyn is verbasend soet, en hy gaan briljant saam met n gebraaide varkie of selfs n skaapie, Die sundried tomato vinagar reduction aan die anderkant is uitstekend met n lekker rooivleis, dit woird gemaak deur om songedroogde tamaties in bruinasyn af te kook oor 8-12 uure, daarna word knoffel en ander speserye bygevoeg en n klein bietjie olyf olie word ingemeng. Dis skoon bevok... is heelmoontelik die beste beskrywing wat ek kan gee LOL
MA SE TJOPS! ... Nou praat jy!
Ek is vir 'n dag of twee nog in die Kaap, maar sal kontak maak as ek weer in GP is laat jy stuur... sal !LUV om te proe.
!BBH
!PIZZA
!WINE
@breezin! Your Content Is Awesome so I just sent 1 $BBH (Bitcoin Backed Hive) to your account on behalf of @braaiboy. (1/20)
stunning, ek glo jy het nog my nommer, laat weet maar
@breezin! Your Content Is Awesome so I just sent 1 $BBH (Bitcoin Backed Hive) to your account on behalf of @braaiboy. (1/20)
Greetings @breezin ,
What a lovely post....appreciate your well written journalling of some awesome events that have come your way.....many plates....many hurdles.
Thank you for stopping by Principle of the Day...sounds like it is apropos for your current situ. Its an Elephant....one bite at a time. Smiles!
I personally would very much want God my side should I experience such a crisis as you have described...by that I mean I hope you have believed in Jesus Christ as your Saviour....by faith alone in Christ alone...adding nothing to faith.
..For by Grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves, lest any man should boast. Ephesians 2.8,9
...For you see, God so loved the world (mankind) that He sent His uniquely born Son, (Jesus Christ) so that anyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. John 3.16
God makes all the difference in a crisis...He changes suffering into blessing for those who seek Him and His absolute truths.
Thinking of you and your Mum and Dad....wishing you all the best..God's best.
Bleujay
Thank you @bleujay that really does mean a lot.
I appreciate the motivation and the kind words. If anything my situation has been humbling and it has kept me on my knees, but the upside is that it's a good position to pray from 🙏
Thank you for your kind reply @breezin
Just in case you are in the market for a Pastor who teaches from the original languages of Greek and Hebrew...there is one whose ministry can be found streaming here as well as other means of communication. He is not your regular Pastor/Teacher...thank goodness..he teaches from the Word. What does the Bible say...He answers that query.
https://www.rbthieme.org/samplerecordings.html
Thinking of you, your parents and your situ. Kind Regards, Bleujay
Love the “go getter” attitude and entrepreneurial mindset. I would probably love all the delicacies you are crafting too! Hope you continue to find success!
Thank you, that is very kind of you @elsh. I wish I could send all my hive friends some to try <3
What a tale of fortitude, innovation, and brilliance! Everything you are putting out looks absolutely delicious, nutritious, and delectitious. How long until you're accepting international orders?
Imma need me some chocolate chip macadamia nut cookies, I can already tell. ~30/week. I really look forward to following your continued and ever greater success. Don't neglect security, please. Just for me.
Thanks!
Being in South Africa the exporting permits are a bit of a shlep, and given that the last parcel I sent abroad took three months to arrive at its destination I wouldn't be able to ensure fresh products. But time will tell, maybe new doors open as time goes on.
Would be lovely if I could just teleport you a fresh batch LOL
I slaver at the thought of warm Macadamia and choco chip goodness, slightly droopy yet from the oven, dipped in creamy milk. O, you cruel temptress!
Haha, it's not my fault you live so far. My daughter complains that I make her fat whenever she comes home from university. Not because I force-feed her, but because the temptation is just too big 🤣
You are amazing Claudette, where there is a will there is a way!
Making good use of the land, going the extra mile to keep afloat after all you have been through, good old saying 'when the going gets tough, the tough get going', most definitely born to farm!
@tipu curate 2
The best we can do is to carry on trying until something sticks.
Lets just hope that this is it LOL
Really hope it all pans out, expand working with others, teams go further when all on the same page.
I do. I have been trying to create opportunities for our local community through this. Through networking and teamwork, there are currently 3 families who were in dire straights, who can now provide for necessities such as cancer medication, housing, and food.
other than that I am cross-marketing with some other businesses which has helped a great deal.
I hope to grow enough to help more people in need, not through handing out money, but through handing out opportunities. I believe firmly that you can only help those who are willing to help themselves
Totally agree with you there, when people are willing to work it affects lives throughout many families. Keep it up, you know how difficult life farming is, also very determined to make something work. !LUV
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Great to see things working out so well for you at the moment.
Not an easy ride but could turn into something big.
Its certainly worth a shot, I sincerely hope that I will be able to get the machine manufactured so that I can continue growing. Wish me luck!
Breeze, I always admire and feel impressed by how you reinvent yourself. Knowing your story through your posts and seeing how you keep moving forward despite everything is inspiring. Everything looks delicious btw, and I'm curious about that pesto!
Hey there Gael!!
Thank you ever so much, and yes I have to keep on moving and growing, time is a cruel mistress.
Oh man, that pesto is divine, even if I have to say so myself. And the candy... lets just say that I am creating work for dentists in South Africa 😂
Oh yes, nurture our future work with those delicacies!
Thanks for sharing your very inspiring tale of perseverance and innovation. When life gave you lemons, you made lemonade; except in your case it happened with tomatoes. I wish you continued success in all you do!
Thank you ever so much for your kind words, I appreciate your support so much!
You've done amazing work to get this far, so glad to be lucky enough to enjoy the journey with you.
You are the best. Thank you for always being there, on the bad days and the good. You have been a pillar of strength and a ray of sunshine. Love you to the moon and back!
Wow what an adventure you have been on lol. You have done extremely well and this is only going to get bigger. Where can I find your goods so I can support you? I live in Glenvista, Johannesburg South and don't mind a drive to go and find them.
Hahaha yes, it has been one crazy rollercoaster thus far, but I have managed to keep my hands and feet inside the vehicle at all times!
Sadly, I don't have any shops selling that side yet, I am currently in negotiations with a lady that owns a chain of biltong shops down there, but that will probably only be realized once I have some better systems in place.
On the upside, I courier and pudo directly to clients in Johannesburg, if you are interested you can pop me a message at 0609630038 and I will send you my stockist <3
I sincerely appreciate the support
Perfect will do. You just never know how big an opportunity you have. years ago i was asked by the owners of Food Lovers who had 3 stores back then to supply them with our home made samosas and didn't take them seriously enough because our volume was already maxed out as 40K per week. If they had only let me know their plans I would have mechanized the production process.
I hear you on that, opportunity only knocks once, which is why I am trying to make the most of the ones I have.
I am not getting any feedback from the last engineering shop I delt with and it is a bit frustrating, but I believe that I will get there eventually.
There are other equipment suppliers out there so give them another push and it will happen.
$PIZZA slices delivered:
@braaiboy(1/10) tipped @breezin
Headline: From Adversity to Success: The Journey of a New Business
Annotation: Discover the inspiring story of a determined entrepreneur who turned challenges into opportunities, leading to the remarkable growth of a small home enterprise.
Analytical Report and Forecast:
In the face of adversity, the entrepreneur found themselves at a crossroads, grappling with major setbacks including staff layoffs and a failed tomato crop. However, driven by necessity and determination, they embarked on a journey to sustain their family and farm. Starting with homemade jams and preserves, the entrepreneur gradually expanded their product range, tapping into the abundance of resources available on their farm.
Through experimentation and resourcefulness, they discovered a niche market for sundried tomatoes, unlocking a new avenue for growth. With innovative products like sundried tomato pesto and vinegar reduction, coupled with the addition of dried mango and homemade candies, the business quickly gained traction, attracting customers from across South Africa.
Conclusion:
The success of this new business exemplifies the resilience and ingenuity of the human spirit in the face of adversity. By embracing challenges as opportunities for growth and innovation, the entrepreneur transformed a humble endeavor into a thriving enterprise. This story serves as a testament to the power of determination, creativity, and perseverance in achieving entrepreneurial success.
Hashtags: #Entrepreneurship #SuccessStory #Innovation #Resilience #SmallBusiness #FarmToTable
Keywords: adversity, entrepreneurship, innovation, resilience, success, small business, farm, homemade products, growth.
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STOPReading this article, it is very inspirational. I hope I can do some business ventures in the future while staying at home. Your products are so unique and for real, you don't see it in the groceries.
What an inspiring post. I feel so emotional right now.. Despite the storm, you overcame