Our journey started in 2013 with a sustainable vegetable and fruit garden at our ground floor apartment. In May 2015, on a small piece of land near Gordons Bay, we planted 2000 cloves of Giant garlic.

Later that year we moved to Paarl and planted watermelon, sweet melons, zucchini and gerkins. Harvest started in November and by early January 2016, the last of the watermelons and sweet melons were harvested. All our produce was sold to the local retailers.

In 2016 we made the move to the Overberg and began with 40 chickens and 3 Roosters, today we have over 1200 laying hens.

We have planted garlic every year since 2015 using only organic methods.

The Georgiev Farm team comprises of Sasha and Terry, John, Hawa and son Shukram, 3 rescue dogs; Zigi (Great Dane), Diesel (Border collie) and Mizo (American Staffie) and 2 Maine Coon cats; Vladimir and Al Pascal and the residence Dikkop family.

How many chickens do you have at any one time and what size area do they live in?

Currently 3500 layer hens. 7 coops of 300 for Terry and she has 5 other farms who farm according to her regenerative protocol for her now

What feed do you use for your chickens? Please specify % of each feed,whether any hormones are used and whether any are GMO free.

GMO Free and NO colourants, bone or fish meal, antibiotics or hormones - 100% natural

What do you do when an animal is sick?

Depending what is wrong with them, they are treated and put in hospital or crated and monitored regularly

What supplements are they given?

Vitamins, Effective Microbes, apple cider

What % of daylight hours are the chickens outside?

We open up in summer just before first light and close them back into their coop after sunset. In winter, we open at 6am and close around 6pm. We use a low watt solar lights in the coop, so those that want to get up and get moving can see as they do not see well in the dark

What breed of chicken/duck/other poultry do you rear?

We buy in POL hens from Overberg pastures now! The breed is silver hyline, Amberlinks or Lohman browns. We do this to give them a better life and can enjoy doing chicken things

Are the hens kept in lay cages?

No, not at all. We have 3 mobile coops and 3 fixed coops. The fixed coops have 2 different pastures, so that we can rest the one while they are in the other pasture.

Are they pasture raised: when outside, are they on grasses/pasture crops?

Yes, a pasture mix grazing

Are they regeneratively farmed: housed in mobile homes and rotated daily to improve the carbon in the soil?

Yes. Even our fixed coops we use mobile poultry nets which we can put them on new pastures. We also use IMO in the fixed coops deep litter system with pine wood shaving. When too full, we remove 3/4 with goes for composting our garlic and veg

What do you do when a hen produces eggs with poor shells?

This could be for a number of reasons, so we assess what the cause is before treating. When the hens get older, we do supplement with poultry grit

How often are the eggs collected?

4 - 5 times per day hand collected

Are the eggs cleaned/treated/pasteurized?

cleaned by hand, no treatment, washing or pasteurised

Do you accept returned egg cartons?

Only the 30’s tray and lid. If the clients want to return the boxes, we donate it to the community growers in Masi

How and when are the birds slaughtered or are they sold live?

After they are coming off lay, around 16 to 18 months old we sell them live. We take 100 at a time into the local township and sell them directly to the end user.

How do you manage predators?

Solar power poultry nets around the coops, this stops ground predators. From the sky, the girls have trees and a lot of cover to hide. I also give a high pitch scream as a warning and they all run for cover.

Are you either PGS certified or Organic certified?

Yes, PGS Overberg

OTHER QUESTIONS

Is the majority of your produce made from or grown in South Africa?

Yes, in the Overberg, WC

Is part of the explicit intention of the business to uplift socially and/or economically disempowered individuals and communities? If so, we’d love to know more.

I give training to community members who are interested in farming with chickens. We are certified by PGS Overberg and they have done a training video on our farm to use in workshops that they run.

Do you have any special provisions in place that focus on your worker’s health and well-being?

Nothing specific, we employ a husband and wife team who live on the farm with their 3 year old son. We work closely with them and assist taking to the clinic and to town so that they can do shopping

Is part/all of the business woman owned?

I am a female, sole proprietor trading as Georgiev Farming, so 100% owned by a woman. Staff consists of 2 woman (myself included) and 2 men

Is part/all of the business black owned?

No, this is a sole proprietor business

Is part or all of the business owned by its employees?

No, as mentioned above

Are your products packaged using a material that is biodegradable in a home-compostable environment?

Yes, the egg boxes are made from 100% recycled fibre

Are your products packaged in 100% locally recyclable packaging? Is the packing biodegradable in water?

Yes, the egg boxes are made from 100% recycled fibre

What measures have been taken to reduce packaging?

Our products are delivered in plastic crates and unpacked on delivery. In the event that the order is sent to be collected at a point, we recycle and reuse egg delivery boxes

Do you take back packaging for reuse (egg boxes, plastic or glass containers etc.)?

Only the 30’s trays and lids, due to health and safety constraints. If a client wants to return their boxes, we do take them back and give them to the community growers to grow seedlings in.

Do you offer a monetary incentive for returned packaging (return deposit)

Do you use preservatives or additives e.g. synthetic chemicals in your product/production process?

No, we are certified natural for our eggs and organic for our elephant garlic

Can you provide a list of ingredients and allergens (dairy, eggs, fish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans) for each product?

Currently we supply GMO Free Free range eggs produced from outdoor / pasture hens. The feed is GMO Free and contains NO colourants, bone or fish meal, antibiotics or hormones. We treat our hens with EM, DE power, Apple cider vinegar and use IMO’s in their deep litter

Eggcellent eggs, GMO free PGS certified