Growing sweet success in the Garden Route

Tucked away just outside George, Redberry Farm has become a landmark of both agriculture and agritourism excellence in the Southern Cape.

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Founded in 2000 by Mark Miller and Dave Cruse, this thriving enterprise began with a handful of strawberry plants and a dream - to produce the finest berries in South Africa.

Finding the perfect berry

Like many great farming stories, Redberry's journey started with trial and error. The farm initially planted Israeli strawberry varieties, only to discover they were ill-suited to the region's climate. "We soon realised we needed to adapt," says Miller. By 2002, Redberry Farm began planting California-bred short-day varieties, including Honor, Virtue, Endurance, Inspire and Victory, developed through breeding institutions such as Plant Sciences.

These varieties thrive under specific day-length conditions, with the winter solstice - 21 June - marking a pivotal point in their flowering cycle. Alongside these, Redberry also cultivates day-neutral varieties like Fragaria, known for their high yields and consistent production regardless of daylight hours.