Smartt Karoo Organic was Founded in February 2017 by Willie and Sonja Esterhuizen, former city dwellers who swopped the hustle of the Mother City for life on their family farm in the heart of the Great Karoo.
In a nutshell, our journey to organic farming started when we realised there was no organic meat available in the South African market. This revelation inspired us and we were determined to challenge the status quo. Organic farming is a method of livestock and crop production that entails much more than choosing not to use pesticides, fertilizers, genetically modified organisms, antibiotics and growth hormones. Organic production is an all-inclusive system designed to optimise the productivity and suitability of diverse communities within the agro-ecosystem, including soil organisms, plants, livestock and people. The principal goal of organic production is to develop enterprises that are sustainable and harmonious with the environment.
Due to the critical drought in the Karoo over the last couple of years, we were forced to give up our organic certification. The shortage of natural vegetation forced us to start feeding our sheep – and unfortunately no certified organic feed is available in South Africa yet. We are hoping that the tides will turn and that we will be able to certify again. Our sheep is however still free range and as close to certified organic as you will get…
