MIXED FARMING | HILLANDALE
Under the watchful eye of his Belgian Malinois, Vicky, with the words“ No Pet Dog” stamped on her collar, Roy speaks about the constant experimentation needed to find the right crops, the right farming methods and the right cultivars for this specific area.
“ We do a lot of experimenting with our production cycles and strive to grow crops that the masses eat. You cannot grow niche crops like blueberries or baby spinach in this area. You also cannot base your whole business on supermarkets.”
“ We made R300 000 from a small patch, and we thought: this is it.”
“ For us, we have to be involved in the informal trade, and in our area and market spread, the Indian trade is massive. The Indian stores in Chatsworth and Verulam are huge, so if that is your focus, you must grow crops that are eaten in large volumes, like spinach, coriander and lettuce.”
Roy farms with his wife, Sue, and sons, Miles and Justin, on 450 ha outside Mooi River. Their vegetable operation includes spinach, cauliflower, broccoli, coriander, lettuce and cabbage, but coriander has become the crop around which much of the business now revolves.
OWNER: Roy and Sue Caldecott, with their sons Miles and Justin AREA: Outside Mooi River, KwaZulu-Natal SUMMARY: Hillandale is a 450 ha mixed farming operation focused on year-round vegetable production, particularly coriander, as well as spinach, lettuce, cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower. Protective netting, crop rotation and careful soil management help reduce weather and disease risks, while a Dohne Merino sheep enterprise forms part of the broader farming cycle.
JUL 2026 GROND TOT MOND 97