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PHOTO ESSAY

Farming as a labour of love, to keep families fed and kids at school

From seeding to harvesting, the women of Costa Farm work tirelessly to cultivate spinach in Klippoortje, Boksburg.
Farming as a labour of love, to keep families fed and kids at school An aerial view of women rolling up the covers before harvesting spinach at Costa farm in Klippoortje, on 9 August 2023. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)
Felix Dlangamandla
By Felix Dlangamandla
27 Aug 2023
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The women are seasonal workers, plodding the soil to perfection so that their spinach will flourish. They roll up the row covers that keep the soil moist and cool, and protect the crops from pests. The spinach is harvested in August. It needs six weeks of cool weather, from seeding to harvesting time. Planting, growing and harvesting is very labour-intensive.

Tshepiso Salemane rolls up row covers that maintain cool soil and deter pests, before harvesting spinach at Costa Farm in Klippoortje, Boksburg, on 9 August 2023. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)
Tshepiso Salemane rolls up row covers that maintain cool soil and deter pests, before harvesting spinach at Costa Farm in Klippoortje, Boksburg, on 9 August 2023. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)
Christina Matobatse and Matumeleng Jali laugh as they walk to the tractor to load their bundled soil cover. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)
Christina Matobatse and Matumeleng Jali chuckling in conversation, as they walk to the tractor to load their bundled soil cover. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)
Women rolling up row covers to maintain cool soil and deter pests before harvesting spinach at Costa farm in Klippoortje, Boksburg on 09 August 2023.(Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)
The women roll up row covers to maintain cool soil and deter pests before harvesting spinach at Costa Farm. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)
Matumeleng Jali rolling up row covers that maintain cool soil and deter pests before harvesting spinach at Costa farm in Klippoortje, Boksburg on 09 August 2023.(Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)
Matumeleng Jali rolling up row covers before harvesting spinach in Klippoortje, Boksburg. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)
Nobulelani Maphelo takes a break from rolling up covers that maintain cool soil and deter pests before harvesting spinach at Costa farm in Klippoortje, Boksburg on 09 August 2023.(Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)
Nobulelani Maphelo takes a break from rolling up covers. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)
Sam Darangwa prepares the sprinklers at Costa farm in Klippoortje, Boksburg on 09 August 2023.(Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)
Sam Darangwa prepares the sprinklers at Costa Farm. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)
A tractor spraying pesticides at Costa farm in Klippoortje, Boksburg on 09 August 2023.(Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)
A tractor spraying pesticides on 9 August 2023. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)
Mathapelo walks between the rolls of row covers that maintain cool soil and deter pests before harvesting spinach at Costa farm in Klippoortje, Boksburg on 09 August 2023.(Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)
Mathapelo walks between the rolls of row covers that maintain cool soil and deter pests. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)
Tshepiso Salemane rolls up row covers that maintain cool soil and deter pests before harvesting spinach at Costa farm in Klippoortje, Boksburg on 09 August 2023.(Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)
Tshepiso Salemane rolls up row covers. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)
An areal image of women rolling up row covers to maintain cool soil and deter pests before harvesting spinach at Costa farm in Klippoortje, Boksburg on 09 August 2023.(Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)
An aerial view of the Rondebult women rolling up row covers. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)

Dlangamandla is photo editor at Daily Maverick.

Comments (3)

Dennis Bailey Aug 28, 2023, 07:26 AM

Fantastically positive story about women rising up of adversity. Thank you for profiling this so graphically. Viva.DM, viva!

Barrie Lewis Aug 29, 2023, 05:11 AM

Wonderful, except for the tractor spraying pesticides. No thank you. It's bizarre, we abhor the very visible signs that a snail has visited our so healthy and delicious spinach, but are not in the slightest fearful of the far greater unseen danger that lurks. That snail is the king's taster. No sign of him? Don't touch the spinach!

Barrie Lewis Aug 29, 2023, 05:15 AM

What are those covers made of? And what is their purpose? A farming ignoramus!