Guest Profile
Angus McIntosh
He grew up on a cattle ranch in Kwa-Zulu Natal on the west coast of South Africa. Angus McIntosh studied Management Accounting at Stellenbosch University before stockbroking for Goldman Sachs in London for just over four years. Then he declined the offer of promotion, left his job and moved to South Africa. Angus built a clay home with inspiration from various people along the way, leading him to become a biodynamic student, grass farmer and carbon sequestrator.
After reading Michael Pollans' The Omnivore's Dilemma he decided to become a farmer. Inspired by Joel Salatin of Polyface Farms in Virginia, USA, on his farm outside Stellenbosch, South Africa, he applied BioDynamic agricultural principles and practices in raising cattle, laying hens, vegetables and vines. The 126 hectares of irrigated pasture form the foundation on which his operation rests. He plants a diversity of perennial summer and winter legumes, herbs and grasses each of which brings different nutrition to the animals eating them as well as beneficial relationships with the soil microbes.
Angus' pasture management is based on the high density grazing methodology, espoused by Andre Voison, Allan Savory and Ian Mitchell-Innes. This simple principle of having a lot of animals in a small space for a short period of time deposits enormous amounts of manure and urine on the land and leads to healthy, vigorous growth achieved without applying any artificial fertilizer NPK to the land. He moves his cattle twice daily and the laying hens, accommodated in 'Eggmobiles', move every day.
His client base is almost entirely local restaurants. And his produce is also available in a growing handful of retailers. Angus offers real food safaris farm tours by arrangement and would be very happy to show you around.
