| THE FARM
Our hosts, Andy and
Samantha, have a 3,000 acre farm in the historic Banket area north of the
capital city, Harare. Mostly, they cultivate tobacco (Zimbabwe is
among the three top tobacco producers in the world), but also breed
magnificent Charolais cattle, and have smaller interests in corn and chili
peppers.
Tobacco
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The House
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| Virtually all stages of tobacco production are done
by hand: from planting, pruning and picking to drying, sorting and
packing. Andrew employs up to 800 workers, both resident and
contract, to keep the farm producing. |
Most of the white farmers
are commercially successful, and have beautiful homes and
gardens, as well as servants to cook, clean, and look
after the grounds. But, the windows and doors of this house are
all barred, and the property is surrounded by chain link fencing
topped with razor wire.
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Andy's mother her own home
on the farm property. Above, she shows us the pool and view. The
farm manager, Brian, also lives in a fenced and guarded bungalow
on the farm property.
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| Above, Andrew shows us the drying sheds, where the
clips of tobacco leaves are hung to cure to just the right shade
of soft yellow.
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Mombies
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The Compound
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| Mombies.
or cattle, are everywhere in Zimbabwe. Andy and Samantha have a
fine herd of Charolais cattle. Below, a handsome mombie watches us
pass. |
The black farm workers and
their families have their own village on the farm, called the
compound. Recently, a school has been built and education for
the children is now mandatory.
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| Because the farm is irrigated, crops can be grown
all year round. While we were there fields of sweet corn,
the "green mealies", were ready for sale. Corn is a
staple of the native Zimbabwean diet, with which they make sadza,
a cornmeal mush that is delicious with gravies, stews and other
relishes.
July
2001: Important Update
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