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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. |
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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. |
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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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| Here he 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 has a fine herd of Charolais cattle.
Below, a handsome mombie watches us pass. |
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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 relishes. |
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