For Joan Adonis, the greatest source of pride in her work at Groot Phesantekraal in Durbanville comes down to one thing: “Onse mense!” (“Our people!”)
Now 46, Adonis has spent roughly half her life working on the farm and all of it in Durbanville. She serves as frontwoman, leading the female workforce, as well as block woman and head of the on-site butchery.
“What is your work without those you work with?” she says. “From Oubaas and Ronelle as head custodians, who have taught me so much, to colleagues who have become family over the years.”
She says the team shares a common goal: to build and maintain Groot Phesantekraal’s reputation as one of South Africa’s top-performing farms.
Located just outside Durbanville, Groot Phesantekraal dates back to 1698 and has been in the Brink family for more than a century. Today, André (aka Oubaas) Brink and his sons, Rennie and Jeandré, represent the fourth and fifth generations on the farm.
André oversees the strategic direction of the business. Rennie manages the grain and wine divisions, while Jeandré is responsible for livestock operations and the farm’s feed factory. André’s wife, Ronelle, leads marketing, administration and wine exports. They are supported by a team of 110 staff members.
The farm has received several industry accolades. André was named South Africa’s Farmer of the Year for 2024 by Agricultural Writers SA. In 2022, Groot Phesantekraal was awarded Grain SA’s Grain Producer of the Year, and in 2015 it won the Protein Research Foundation’s Canola Yield Competition.
Despite these achievements, Brink has maintained a focus on long-term sustainability and continuity. He measures success in part by his children’s commitment to the family business and their role in expanding its operations.
He also places strong emphasis on the economic empowerment of workers and the surrounding community, viewing success as the creation of an inclusive and sustainable agricultural enterprise.
Adonis says this approach is reflected in the culture on the farm. “It’s a close-knit team,” she says. “I am proud to work here. We all are.”
She joined Groot Phesantekraal 25 years ago as a vineyard worker. “I remember it was September and my baby was only one year old,” she says. Prior to that, she worked for a local butcher for around 12 years, experience that later led her into the farm’s butchery.
“I started helping out and now I lead. Today I know every cut like the back of my hand. I also know which ones are the tastiest,” she says.
Her work ranges from producing boerewors and patties to processing whole animals for larger clients. “It’s my passion,” she says.
Adonis recalls that when she started, the farm was still developing its vineyards. “Oubaas and Ronelle had only started planting in the late 1990s,” she says. “My main job was to help grow the vines. They were new, I was new. It’s something I will always value.”
Since then, the farm has expanded significantly. Under André Brink’s leadership since 1996, it has grown from 350 hectares to 4 650 hectares, including leased land. Operations now include wine production, small grains, livestock and a feed factory. The farm supports 3 500 Dohne Merino ewes, a 400-strong Hereford herd and 180 hectares of vineyards.
Working in agriculture comes with challenges, Adonis says, particularly the unpredictability of nature. “To farm takes patience, not only with yourself, but also with others and with nature,” she says. “There are many challenges, but it’s how you handle them that matters.”
One of her proudest moments was being appointed frontwoman, a role previously held by men. “I was totally blown away,” she says. “But I was given the opportunity to attend management courses, and I made it work.”
She believes personal growth depends on both opportunity and commitment. “No one knows everything on day one,” she says. “But if people are willing to invest in you, you have to do your part.”
Outside of work, Adonis is actively involved in her church community. She previously taught Sunday school and now sings in the choir. “We even sang at Solly Philander’s recent memorial service,” she says.
For Adonis, the farm’s success ultimately comes back to its people.
