David Mwanaka, 60, moved to the UK from Zimbabwe more than 20 years ago and started growing traditional Zimbabwean vegetables on an allotment.Demand for the produce grew, and he latersecured 500 acres of land in Landbeach, Cambridgeshire, where people travelled from across the UK to visit.âI was the first farmer to grow white maize in the country, for a single reason, because I wanted to eat white maize,â said Mr Mwanaka, who said it had a short shelf life, so could not be imported.Mr Mwanaka grows and sells white maize, along with other exotic crops like horned melon (pictured) and pumpkin leavesJohn Devine/BBCHe started growing produce in Enfield, north London, before securing a farm tenancy with Cambridgeshire County Council in 2022.Mr Mwanaka now has almost 500 acres of land where he grows white maize, along with other exotic crops like horned melon and pumpkin leaves.â[White maize corn] has a very short shelf life, just one day, so you canât import it from another country,â he said.âThatâs why I started growing it in this country.âWe have people come from all over for white maize, as far down as Bournemouth and some from Scotland. We also do a delivery service.âPerpetual Gumbo travelled to the farm shop from Chatham in Kent, which took almost two hoursJohn Devine/BBCPerpetual Gumbo,19, has driven to the farm shop from Chatham in Kent.âIt took us like two hours to get here,â she said.âWhite maize is so iconic and I canât get it like this anywhere else⊠straight from the farm.âIt feels like youâre in Zimbabwe, it takes you straight home.âChristine Chimhuka, 31, travelled to the shop from New Malden in London and made the trip up about three times during the summer months.âI found it through Facebook about 10 years ago, so Iâve been coming here since then,â she said.âEvery year, we canât wait. Iâm always calling and asking when it is ready.
I told my family Iâm coming⊠they have sent their orders through from WhatsApp.âPrincess Anne met David Mwanaka and his wife BrendaCambridgeshire County CouncilPrincess Anne visited the farm on 19 September and planted a peach tree to mark the occasion.Mr Mwanaka thanked her for supporting farming, and he spoke about the importance of encouraging young people into the industry.âIt was really a highlight of my career to have her come to encourage, support and watch,â he said.âShe is so down to Earth, I couldnât believe it.âBBC AfricaLeave a ReplyCancel reply David Mwanaka, 60, moved to the UK from Zimbabwe more than 20 years ago and started growing traditional Zimbabwean vegetables on an allotment.Demand for the produce grew, and he latersecured 500 acres of land in Landbeach, Cambridgeshire, where people travelled from across the UK to visit.âI was the first farmer to grow white maize in the country, for a single reason, because I wanted to eat white maize,â said Mr Mwanaka, who said it had a short shelf life, so could not be imported.Mr Mwanaka grows and sells white maize, along with other exotic crops like horned melon (pictured) and pumpkin leavesJohn Devine/BBCHe started growing produce in Enfield, north London, before securing a farm tenancy with Cambridgeshire County Council in 2022.Mr Mwanaka now has almost 500 acres of land where he grows white maize, along with other exotic crops like horned melon and pumpkin leaves.â[White maize corn] has a very short shelf life, just one day, so you canât import it from another country,â he said.âThatâs why I started growing it in this country.âWe have people come from all over for white maize, as far down as Bournemouth and some from Scotland. I told my family Iâm coming⊠they have sent their orders through from WhatsApp.âPrincess Anne met David Mwanaka and his wife BrendaCambridgeshire County CouncilPrincess Anne visited the farm on 19 September and planted a peach tree to mark the occasion.Mr Mwanaka thanked her for supporting farming, and he spoke about the importance of encouraging young people into the industry.âIt was really a highlight of my career to have her come to encourage, support and watch,â he said.âShe is so down to Earth, I couldnât believe it.âBBC Africa David Mwanaka, 60, moved to the UK from Zimbabwe more than 20 years ago and started growing traditional Zimbabwean vegetables on an allotment.Demand for the produce grew, and he latersecured 500 acres of land in Landbeach, Cambridgeshire, where people travelled from across the UK to visit.âI was the first farmer to grow white maize in the country, for a single reason, because I wanted to eat white maize,â said Mr Mwanaka, who said it had a short shelf life, so could not be imported. David Mwanaka, 60, moved to the UK from Zimbabwe more than 20 years ago and started growing traditional Zimbabwean vegetables on an allotment.
Demand for the produce grew, and he latersecured 500 acres of land in Landbeach, Cambridgeshire, where people travelled from across the UK to visit. âI was the first farmer to grow white maize in the country, for a single reason, because I wanted to eat white maize,â said Mr Mwanaka, who said it had a short shelf life, so could not be imported. Mr Mwanaka grows and sells white maize, along with other exotic crops like horned melon (pictured) and pumpkin leavesJohn Devine/BBC He started growing produce in Enfield, north London, before securing a farm tenancy with Cambridgeshire County Council in 2022.Mr Mwanaka now has almost 500 acres of land where he grows white maize, along with other exotic crops like horned melon and pumpkin leaves.â[White maize corn] has a very short shelf life, just one day, so you canât import it from another country,â he said.âThatâs why I started growing it in this country.âWe have people come from all over for white maize, as far down as Bournemouth and some from Scotland.
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We also do a delivery service.â He started growing produce in Enfield, north London, before securing a farm tenancy with Cambridgeshire County Council in 2022. Mr Mwanaka now has almost 500 acres of land where he grows white maize, along with other exotic crops like horned melon and pumpkin leaves.
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