adminMhlanga is a multi-talented person and besides being an artiste, he is also a farmer.
Saturday Leisure caught up with Khulu Mhlanga at his home in Bulawayo and he had a lot to share with his fans on who he really is.
Mhlanga said he was a qualified farmer who later developed a passion for art, which saw him forming Amakhosi Arts Theatre in 1980.
“I trained as a farmer and soon after I became more interested in the arts as I was into physical training,” he said
Mhlanga said even though he later ventured into the art industry he never stopped being a farmer as it was an in-born thing. He still practises farming at his five-hectare plot in Bulawayo.
“I might have decided to be an artiste full time but I still do farming part-time as I am a qualified farmer,” he said.
Mhlanga said he grows different crops for his family.
“I do not focus on one crop but I do plant a variety of crops so that my family can have a balanced diet.
“In my small farm at the moment I have got more than three crops and these include maize, tomatoes and potatoes,” he said.
Mhlanga said farming saves him a lot of money as he produces most of his food from his small piece of land.
“I do not believe in buying a lot but people should produce on their own food through farming and this makes the family healthy and happy,” he said.
Mhlanga said he usually goes to the field with his family during the festive holidays as they would be on holiday from the school and the arts centre.
“My small piece of land also works as a platform for my children to get to know each other better. We have enough time to discuss family issues and this helps us to bond very well,” he said.
Mhlanga said he usually produces surplus from his piece of land and last year, he produced two tonnes of maize that he later sold to raise money to buy what he cannot produce on his own.
“My family really likes milk products so I use the money we get from farming to buy those products that include chocolates and yoghurt,” he said.
Mhlanga said he had also learnt to use farming as a way to refresh and come up with new ideas that he can use in the arts industry.
“I usually go to the fields to get new ideas and from the discussions that we usually have and that’s where some of the films that you see come from,” he said.
Mhlanga said through art, he had learnt to be patient. He applies that technique to closely monitor his crops up to maturity stage.
“When planting, I am more concerned with the type of seeds that I use. I prefer good type of seeds that give me good results at the end of the day.
“This has actually given me good results at the end of the day as I closely follow the growth of my crops up to harvesting time,” he said.
Mhlanga said he hopes to turn to commercial farming as he wants to use the knowledge that he got from training to feed the nation.
“I hope that I will get into commercial farming and I will do this to help the nation get more food and at the same time I will be putting what I learnt a long time ago into practice,” he said.
Online Reporter