Peter Stuart is a farmer who has taken his parents\u2019 and grandparents\u2019 visionary conservation and regenerative farming practices and further developed them to create an innovative and sustainable farming operation in the Bot River area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
His 35-ha farm is called Natimby \u2013 an acronym for Nature In My Backyard \u2013 a name that reflects a \u201cclosed ecosystem\u201d of regeneratively farmed fields, pastures and vineyards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stuart also has a commercial compost production operation of 10 000 m\u00b3 (and growing) to supply compost to 500 ha of apple orchards in the Elgin Valley. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe compost is made from municipal garden waste and dairy slurry,\u201d he explained, \u201cboth of which would contribute to significant emissions of methane global warming, but instead are now contributing to regenerative agriculture and soil health. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAlien invasive trees are also used as the aeration chamber in the compost contributing to the urgently required alien tree clearing program in the area.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stuart has also developed a composting and domestic water heating system that will provide a continuous and energy free source of hot water and compost for a small-scale farming operation. Agricultural and other sustainable living developments <\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n
In his work Stuart has provided skills training and employment opportunities for more than 50 people. He is currently working with the Overstrand Municipality to reduce landfill waste, and has founded both the Organic Stock Exchange and the (Green) Day Zero initiative to increase the demand for compost and assist municipalities in achieving their target \u201czero compostables to landfill\u201d by 2027.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stuart is partnering with RegenAg SA to create a soil-health certification scheme to reward farmers for improving their soil health by measuring soil carbon microbial population density. He has cleared 130 ha of 90% of alien invasive plants on an additional 90 ha on land to create conservation areas and reintroduced flowing water into dry waterways and wetlands. \u201cThis has attracted more than 15 endemic bird and animal species, significantly increasing the biodiversity of the area,\u201d he pointed. About 50% of the original 130 ha land has been rezoned as a conservation area, including a 15 ha Cape Nature Stewardship site to protect several threatened botanical species. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Peter Stuart is a farmer who has taken his parents\u2019 and grandparents\u2019 visionary conservation and regenerative farming practices and further developed them to create an innovative and sustainable farming operation in the Bot River 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