FARMER FOCUS: Kosher dairy products bring mutual benefits

The rainy season started late – but when it started the rain came in abundance. We received 120mm in just over two weeks, most of it soft, drenching rain.


The result was that the pastures have almost overnight changed into an intense green from a pale grey. I have also started to plant maize and sorghum. This year, for the first time my aim is to reap two harvests of maize and sorghum during summer and one of oats during winter. I also recently completed a new soil dam on the farm and I hope it will be filled up this summer so it can be used for irrigation soon.


During this winter I did not plan anything, but I went out of my way to spread as much manure as possible on the fields I intended to plant during this summer. I am confident that I will be richly rewarded for this. I always say that I produce milk, cream, butter, cheese and manure on the farm and, of the five products, the manure is the most valuable.


I must previously have referred to the kosher dairy products made on the farm. Perhaps it merits more attention. The products are made to the highest level of kosher, which is referred to as Chalav Yisrael. This requires the whole process, from the pre-milking stage to the final stage when the product is sealed, to be properly supervised. This supervision is normally done by a mashgiach, who has been authorised by the relevant kosher authorities.


Ian Port, who is the mashgiach for my farm, represents a particular Jewish community in Johannesburg. Every Tuesday he arrives on the farm before 5am, having driven the 70km from Johannesburg. The milking parlour and all the processing equipment is then cleaned and sanitised in his presence. The cows are then milked and the milk, cream and butter are processed and packed under his supervision. About four hours after arrival on the farm he drives away with the products for distribution to the families who have placed orders.


This arrangement is now in its fifth year and I believe it is to our mutual benefit. I get paid within days at retail-related prices for the various products and the Jewish community gets a unique, and I hope, a much sought after product.


Danie Schutte is an organic Ayrshire dairy farmer who also processes dairy products on his 90ha farm near Pretoria, South Africa


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