Tish McGregor
Writer
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Biography
All I ever wanted to do was write. I have been passionately doing so since I graduated from university with a Bachelor of Arts degree and teaching diploma in the mid-Seventies.
After teaching for a couple of years and working for the National Parks Board, now SanParks, I raised children while I continued freelance writing. When my first article on the women in commando in the Kruger National Park was published in a women’s magazine, I wrote to the editor: ‘Now I can die: one of my most important goals have been realized with the publication of this article!”
My formal career as a journalist started in 1994 when I joined a national newspaper as the editor of a special supplement which aimed to help matriculants pass their final exams. I had the privilege of attending courses at the famous School for the Advancement of Journalism, which was headed by Allister Sparks and Donald Woods – both veterans of the fight against the apartheid regime in South Africa. I joined the school as coordinator of writing courses for journalists from all over the continent. This helped me make lifelong friends in journalism and build networks.
When media giant Naspers started News24, one of the first online news agencies in the country, I joined the team. When their office moved to Cape Town in 2001, I relocated to help train new staff and then stayed on to establish the new venture.
In 2005, I joined Die Burger newspaper in George in the picturesque Southern Cape district of the Western Cape. This introduced a wildly exciting period of writing about natural disasters such as major floods following torrential rains, devastating infernos, and prolonged droughts that necessitated a countrywide effort to provide bottled water for drought-stricken communities…
In addition, I was the leading crime writer for the Southern Cape edition of the newspaper. My beat involved writing about gruesome murders from the moment a crime was committed, and the body of the deceased was found, until the final verdict was delivered in court.
To remain sane in the face of up to 16 cases of unnatural death at one time, I started writing articles on the environment and travel, which offered a welcome relief from the emotionally draining crime beat.
When I went into early retirement to follow my dream of freelancing, I started focusing on writing about the environment and travel, as well as agriculture. I moved to a rural town where I continued to freelance for newspapers, but also contributed articles on miscellaneous topics to various magazines and did promotional writing on different topics for PR companies.
During this time, I was also the writer and editor for an agriculture supplement to a local newspaper group. This allowed me to research and write on agricultural commodities, including the production of food and fiber, and the communities that produced these in the harshest of circumstances. In the Little Karoo, these included angora, sheep and goats, tobacco, and vegetable seed production, as well as ostriches, the backbone of farming in this arid area for many centuries. I also wrote extensively on honeybees, the diseases that inflict them and the production of honey and related products, especially when circumstances such as fire, drought and the destruction of food plants, inhibited it.
Throughout, I continued to travel in the area to write about little known destinations, including the Knysna woods, where elephants once roamed but where ‘a minimum of one’ remained, according to a spokesperson for SanParks, and off the beaten track destinations such as Toorwater (Magic Water), where the British forces built stone forts to keep at bay a Boer invasion into the British-ruled Cape Colony during the time of the Anglo Boer War.
In 2015 I became author and publisher of books with an agriculture theme. These books, in the Master Farmer series, included traveling around the country to conduct personal interviews with farmers of a wide range of commodities.
Then followed a book focusing on game ranching. Once again, I travelled to all provinces to interview leading game farmers. The book was published by the leading Game and Hunt Magazine.
I am proud to mention that Mr. Cyril Ramaphosa, then deputy president and now president of the country, who is also a game farmer, agreed to write the foreword, thereby underwriting the value of this beautiful and comprehensive book on one of the most important farming activities which has played a major role in restoring wildlife numbers to a level where vulnerable species are no longer threatened with extinction.
At present I am finalizing a book on the ancestry and present agricultural activities of a major fruit and vegetable farmer. He was nominated Farmer of the Year in 2013 and enjoys recognition as one of the best exporters of fruit and supplier of fresh vegetables to top supermarkets in the country.
I enjoy doing thorough research and write comprehensively about topics close to my heart. These include regenerative farming by intelligent restoration of the soil, addressing Covid-related famine by teaching communities to grow their own vegetable gardens, and giving voice to female farmers who are regarded of the backbone of agriculture in Africa. Regarding the latter, a book on Women in Agriculture is in the planning stages.
To remain updated on world events, I am subscribed to Quarts Daily News, as well as BBC and CNN news channels. I also closely follow Facebook posts on regenerative farming, indigenous food plants of Africa, and food gardening. Inspirational quotes – and the occasional joke or pun - lighten things up a bit.
John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath gave direction to my interest in regenerative farming, as I come from a farming background, where even as a child I was concerned about traditional farming practices.
Non-Fiction, Biography & Memoir, Health & Fitness, History, Parenting & Relationships, Religion & Spirituality, Travel, Self Help
Content snippets
African wild dog
BJ Vorster Game Breeders is one of a handful of game ranches that actively contribute to the conservation of the African wild dog. ‘My father loved the wild dogs that would migrate one a year in May from the Kruger National Park,’ says Barend, the CEO of Mahela Group (Pty) Ltd in the Letsitele area of Limpopo. ‘We were monitoring the sable antelope very closely and knew when the wild dogs were on the move.’ His father Edward even fenced off certain sections on different farms where the dogs could be kept for their own safety, as farmers relentlessly pursued them.
BJ Vorster Game Breeders have been involved in wild dog conservation since 2002 when a number of African wild dogs were captured around the sable antelope camps in Tiergarten and put in a separate camp. ‘We applied for a permit, but nature conservation suddenly wanted to confiscate the animals and take them to a rehabilitation center.’
With the police watching on and threatening to arrest them if they interfered, the males were captured. Three days later, they also captured the female after we had alerted them to the possibility that she might have given birth.’
The pups were found after three days and handed to a veterinarian, and they eventually ended up at a rehabilitation center. Barend took the Case to the high court and won. The adult dogs were returned to the farm, and later the puppies were also brought back. Barend asked the Wild Dog Action Group (WAG) to advise him on how best to take care of the dogs. WAG appointed a student who collared the alpha male and female and monitored them. Through WAG, BJ Vorster Game Breeders donated wild dogs to conservation areas, such as Tswalu in the Kalahari and Pinda in KwaZulu-Natal. The wild dogs at Tswalu did not survive because they were killed by lions. ‘We found out afterward that while the dogs were at the rehabilitation center, they were kept in an enclosure next to lions, so they did not fear the lions at Tswalu.’
After 10 years, Barend eventually obtained a permit for BJ Vorster Game Breeders to keep the wild dogs. ‘It costs us a lot of money to feed them warthog or impala six days a week. A present we have 14 wild dogs in one camp and another three in a second camp.’
Some of the wild dogs have been donated to Kapama. ‘We offered to donate wild dogs to the Kruger National Park, where there were only 95 African wild dogs at the last official count, but they declined as they did not want to interfere with nature,’ says Barend. - Master Game Ranchers of South Africa - Passion and Power
Jewelled Delights
Some even suggest the forbidden fruit in the biblical Garden of Eden was not an apple but a ripe red pomegranate bursting with stunning red rubies,” – Niel Els, chef and co-owner Turnberry Boutique Hotel.
Words: [removed] [removed]
Pictures: Melanie Maré
Pomegranate products and whole fruit for photoshoot provided for by Ignus Campher, the regional distributor for The Passionate Pomegranate Co, and Magdalena Nel of Vanzylsdamme farm outside Ladysmith.
Intro
Deliciously sweet and tangy, exceptionally healthy, and unapologetically pretty, pomegranates are a welcome seasonal addition to the table. Southern Cape producers and a local chef share their tips on growing, harvesting and cooking with this wonder food.
Body
In his kitchen, at Turnberry Boutique Hotel in Oudtshoorn, well-known chef Niel Els is turning the humble sweet potato into an exotic dish. “I serve the oven-baked sweet potato with pomegranate arils, light coconut milk and flakes, chopped coriander leaves and lime,” he says.
As president of Skål International Garden Route and honorary president of La Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Cape Town, Niel promotes South African pomegranates.
“I love experimenting with pomegranates – not only does their stunning colour add aesthetic value to the dinner plate, but their exotic flavour also lends itself to a variety of applications. Pomegranates can be used for much more than just juice and salad.”
Another adaptation of a traditional favourite, Niel mixes Cosmopolitan cocktails with pomegranate instead of cranberry. Sweeter than the original, this drink is a refreshing alternative that hints at the fruit’s romantic reputation. “In ancient times, pomegranates were believed to have aphrodisiac qualities and were a symbol of fertility. Some even suggest the forbidden fruit in the biblical Garden of Eden was not an apple but a ripe red pomegranate bursting with stunning red rubies,” he says with a smile.
Niel also uses pomegranate juice when cooking Karoo Lamb and includes the arils in veggie bakes, scrumptious spinach salad and decadent dessert (see box).
Pomegranates also tick the health box. They have the highest concentration of naturally occurring antioxidants of any fruit – about double the amount of antioxidants found in red wine, blueberries or even green tea. They are believed to prevent heart disease and cancer and help prevent depression.
Their growing reputation has resulted in increased demand, both locally and abroad, and an increasing number of farmers have added hardy plants to their product offering.
Jack Whittles, chairman of the Pomegranate Association of South Africa (Pomasa), has been passionately and successfully promoting pomegranates as a viable industry to local farmers. “About 760 hectares of pomegranates are presently grown in regions of South Africa where a Mediterranean climate – with hot and sunny summers and cold winters – prevails, including the Western Cape, Southern Cape, Klein Karoo, Northern Cape and north of the Vaal River.”
Most of the fruit is exported to Europe, the United Kingdom and other African countries. Fruit that does not comply with stringent export standards, but which is in no way inferior, is destined for the local market.
In the Southern Cape, pomegranates are grown in and around Ladysmith, Calitzdorp, Oudtshoorn, De Rust and Riversdal. “Provided that farmers have enough water for the establishing phases, the Klein Karoo is the ideal climate for pomegranate production,” says Jack.
But growing pomegranates commercially is not always easy, as Louis le Grange of St Helena farm outside Calitzdorp will tell you. He planted two hectares of the Wonderful variety eight years ago and has been blessing and cursing the plants ever since.
“During the first four years I often considered pulling out the darn orchard,” Louis says as he looks out over the orchard on the banks of the Gamka River. “We paid a lot of school fees; only lately has the orchard become more profitable.”
According to Louis, it costs about R65 000 to produce a crop like his, including labour, insecticides, judicious watering, paper bags painstakingly tied around ripening fruit to protect it from the sun and stringing a wire among the trees to prevent chafing and to support the heavy ripe fruits. “I even put fake pheromones in the trees to confuse false Codling moths, one of the most persistent pomegranate pests.”
Magdalena Nel tends 11 hectares of Wonderful-, four hectares of Acco- and three hectares of Kesari varieties at Vanzylsdamme farm outside Ladysmith. “Export standards are very stringent and only 10 per cent skin damage is allowed, and fruit must be free of cracks, cuts, bruises, sun scalding or decay – all things that can complicate production and impact on your financial returns.”
But you don’t have to produce commercially to reap the benefits of pomegranates. Just one tree in your backyard could provide a decent harvest for your household and some friends. “Pomegranates will grow almost anywhere, also along the Southern Cape coast where the climate is moderate,” says independent soil consultant Peter Greeff.
If you harvest more than you can eat, the good news is that fresh pomegranate arils can last two weeks in a sealed plastic container in the refrigerator and frozen pomegranate arils can last for many months in the freezer.
However, like all things natural, they are best enjoyed fresh. Finding these jewelled delights on the shelves can prove tricky at times, so make your way down to your local dealer and enjoy them while they are still in season, albeit a relatively short one.
Box 1
Pomegranate basics
• To deseed a pomegranate, cut off the crown, score the skin in quarters and hit the bottom of the fruit with a wooden spoon. Liquidise the arils with a kitchen liquidiser and filter through a cloth to remove the seeds.
• To freeze pomegranate arils, spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Place in a freezer for two hours or until frozen. Transfer frozen pomegranate arils to a resealable plastic bag or container.
Grow your own
• Dig a 1m-deep hole and fill it with mulch.
• Water thoroughly every two weeks.
• Let the tree grow wild during the first year, but prune back to three to five trunks in the second year.
• Remove flowers during the first two years and allow 50 to 60 flowers to grow to fruition during the third year.
• Gradually increase the fruit to about 120 to 150 from the sixth year.
Box 2
Niel’s pomegranate delights
Cosmopolitan
Mix equal parts vodka, fresh pomegranate juice, orange liqueur and fresh lime juice. Garnish with a few pomegranate arils and a twist of lime.
Karoo lamb
Use pomegranate juice instead of wine for an oven-baked leg of lamb, which gives it a sweet and tangy flavour. Combine two cups of pomegranate juice, lemon juice, sliced carrots, onions, garlic, fresh thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh arils and mint or dhania (coriander) leaves.
Veggies with a vengeance
Oven-roasted vegetables, including rounds of butternut and sweet potato, red, green and yellow sweet peppers, sliced carrots and onions and cherry tomatoes, whole garlic and pan-roasted slivers of aubergine are rounded off with a cup of fresh pomegranate arils, creating a beautiful dish bursting with flavour.
Scrumptious salad
Baby spinach, avocado slices and fresh pomegranate arils, drizzled with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste, and garnished with pecan nuts, create an exquisite salad.
Decadent dessert
Niel creates pomegranate and apple jelly served with whipped cream, a dollop of ice cream or a lick of custard for a delicious dessert. - South Magazine
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