Berghoff
was purchased by Denis and Aleysia Shaw in 1959. At that time
the top of Porterville mountain was practically undeveloped and
in comparison to prominent agricultural areas in the Western Cape,
like Grabouw, it was downright primitive. Hard
work, commitment and a love for the land led to gradual development
of the farm into a very good mixed fruit and fynbos farm, with the odd
herd of Angora goats and tobacco plantations in between. Despite the
bad condition of Dasklip Pass (which
was only recently tarred), Berghoff consistently delivered high quality
pome and stone fruit to the then sole deciduous fruit exporter,
Unifruco, and a number of quality merit awards made their way back
to the Berghoff pack shed. Simultaneously, the fynbos business was
evolving from the initially veld-picked flowers to cultivated plantations.
Berghoff's flagship product, the Queen protea ( Protea magnifica,
known as Barbigera or Barbi in the trade) became well known and
sought-after in the Dutch markets, and this stimulated further plantings.
The glut of deciduous fruit from the mid-1990's, coupled with the realisation
that the conditions on Porterville mountain were marginal in comparison
to other areas like Ceres Koue-Bokkeveld and Grabouw / Vyeboom
/ Villiersdorp diverted Berghoff's focus away from fruit and intensified
the efforts in the expansion of the fynbos production which is
our natural advantage.
The
Berghoff Flagship - The Queen Protea
About our farm
Farm
- with view towards Piketberg
Today Berghoff has about 40 hectares of
fynbos plantations, a very active nursery and a strong involvement in the
marketing of the products. New plantations are established annually, and
the product range has been appreciably diversified without losing the emphasis
on Barbigera. The marketing leg has been strengthened significantly by
dealing more directly with the importers and less with South African-based
export agents.
The farm is about 310 hectares in size, of which a total of about 60 hectares
are deemed suitable for intensive fynbos production. Berghoff is blessed
with abundant water and natural beauty, which has been shared with many
visitors through the Berghoff Mountain Top Chalets. At an altitude of between
850 and 1000 meters above sea level the farm has a relatively cool Mediterranean
climate, with an average of more than 1500 mm of rainfall per year. Snow
in winter is not uncommon. The soils are generally sandy, being derived
largely from weathered sandstone. A shale ridge adds some localised variability.
In keeping with changing times and needs, the land was recently sold into
a Trust, with the farming enterprise leasing the land. One of the Shaws'
sons-in-law, Marius Huysamer, is now part of the business and aims to continue
the further development of the farm in collaboration with Denis and Aleysia
who are gradually scaling down their involvement. With a proud history
as foundation, an enviable reputation in the international markets, and
some exciting new developments, the future looks bright for Berghoff.
Contacts
Office landline: +27-22-931-2937
Fax: +27-86-517-7693 (fax-to-e-mail) OR +27-22-931-3143
(which
was only recently tarred), Berghoff consistently delivered high quality
pome and stone fruit to the then sole deciduous fruit exporter,
Unifruco, and a number of quality merit awards made their way back
to the Berghoff pack shed. Simultaneously, the fynbos business was
evolving from the initially veld-picked flowers to cultivated plantations.
Berghoff's flagship product, the Queen protea ( Protea magnifica,
known as Barbigera or Barbi in the trade) became well known and
sought-after in the Dutch markets, and this stimulated further plantings.
The glut of deciduous fruit from the mid-1990's, coupled with the realisation
that the conditions on Porterville mountain were marginal in comparison
to other areas like Ceres Koue-Bokkeveld and Grabouw / Vyeboom
/ Villiersdorp diverted Berghoff's focus away from fruit and intensified
the efforts in the expansion of the fynbos production which is
our natural advantage. 
