A woman’s touch

Small in stature, big of heart – this is probably the best description of Tess Gebers. Well Pict European South Africa is proud to have her flying our colours in the Eastern Cape Province. Tess currently grows Commitment, Endurance, Eris and Chandler varieties, and although her strawberry production is still relatively small, her success in growing some of the highest quality berries in the country means her business is set to grow exponentially.

When did you decide to grow strawberries?
I started growing strawberries in 2000. I initially wanted to do a cut flowers project and then did strawberries because I think they are a beautiful product. Also, the Eastern Cape has a very high unemployment and, with this being a labour intensive industry, it all fits together very nicely.

What is your background?
I grew up in a farming environment in the midlands of Natal. I did Social Science and the University of Cape Town and Business Management with the Cape Town Chamber of Commerce afterwards. My career was in marketing and advertising. I married and had three children, after which I studied horticulture.

What type of production do you have?
I have some tunnels, but more open fields. We use open hydroponics (soil as medium) with pressure compensated drippers.

How has the industry changed in four years?
Better varieties are now available. The local market has grown significantly but there is still room for growth if you provide a quality product. Ouor customers are now far more discerning.

How did you get involved with Well*Pict South Africa?
It’s all the Windsors’ fault!

What do you think of the Plant Sciences / Berry Genetics varieties?
It is still early days with these varieties but so far they have been really great four our enterprise. We have had a particular success with Endurance (PS592) but still have a bit of tweaking to do on Commitment (BG269).

What does the future hold?
Who knows? I think the possibilities are endless.

Tess and Paul’s operation, Barn Berries, is ideally located within earshot of the temperate Indian Ocean; not too far from the provincial city of Port Elizabeth. A moderate winter with cool summer breezes gathering from the sea gives Tess the ideal climate for berry production. The farm’s sandy solids allow her to control her nutrients to an exacting degree. Hal and Judith Johnson, on a recent visit from Plant Sciences / Berry Genetics of California, commented that her growing skills were probably among the best they had seen in South Africa.

Tess is a real innovator, combining sound growing principles with interesting lateral ideals such as the use of lion dung hung on her perimeter fences to scare away the indigenous buck that have in the past paid homage to her precious strawberries.

Tess has a great sense of humour and is well respected by all her male counterpart growers, suppliers and customers and her contributions to the various processes are always well received. It seems as is her husband Paul’s patience is finally paying off since Tess is now regarded as one of the region’s preferred suppliers. She was recently honoured by receiving the Fresh Produce Supplier of the Year Award from Pick ‘n’ Play Eastern Cape. Chris Charter, head of the Well*Pict European Marketing Trust (SA) congratulates her and says, “This is the first of many awards that Tess will receive”. Helene Keyser Pick ‘n Pay’s national berry technologist had the following to say: “It is a privilege dealing with a farmer who is so passionate about her farm, her strawberries and her customers. The constant excellent quality, good and open communication with the whole produce team and her commitment towards food safety makes Tess a worthy winner of Pick ‘n Pay Easter Cape Supplier of the Year Award.

Winter 2004