Jane Kimari is a strawberry farmer.
However, what sets her apart from many other farmers is that she holds a first class honours degree in Psychology and Counseling.
Jane ventured into farming during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 as a way of supplementing her income from her counselling job.
Here is her story as told by WoK.
Jane ventured into farming in 2020 as many people were cautious of their well-being due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In an interview, she explained that she was not going into farming only for its financial benefits but also because of the therapeutic nature of gardening.
“With this economy and with children, you need a side-hustle. It is a side- hustle that I enjoy, a kilo of strawberries is around Ksh 600. It made sense and was very easy to manage. That was the selling point for me,” Jane shared.
To grow her strawberries, Joan uses organic manure such as goat droppings which balances the soil pH and slows down the release of nutrients.
“In most things, when growing something or want to sell, you should be the first consumer. Do not grow something that you should not consume yourself,” she added.
Additionally, Joan uses the multistory method of farming as they prevent fruits from rotting and it is less tiresome compared to traditional farming.
On marketing her produce, the 30-year-old said she simply advertises them through her social media platforms where she says is easier to get clients.
Joan also sells her berries to bakeries, yoghurt manufacturers and residents of a gated community within her neighbourhood.
She advised the youth to get into farming and refrain from claims that farming is difficult and it should be the last option.
Strawberry farming in Kenya is done outdoors.
However, for better performance, greenhouses are recommended because protect the plants from drought and excess rain.
Strawberry farming does best in areas whose soil PH is 5.5 6-6.5. The soil should be well drained and weed-free.
The crop thrives in hot climate and does not tolerate frost or extremely low temperatures.
They do well in levelled or slightly higher grounds and require 6-10 hours of direct sunlight each day.