Random Harvest Nursery was founded by Linda De Luca in 1990, with a vision of transforming Johannesburg into a nature reserve, one indigenous garden at a time. Random Harvest is built on a legacy of providing excellent service and a commitment to improving the environment.
Since its establishment in 1990, Random Harvest has made significant strides towards creating a serene and rejuvenating environment. In 2005, the self-catering accommodation in Muldersdrift opened for bookings when a need was identified for comfortable, quality, affordable overnight accommodation close to but out of the bustle of the City of Johannesburg. This addition has made Random Harvest one of the favorite places to stay in Muldersdrift, offering a peaceful escape into nature.
We invite you to explore a brief pictorial history of Linda De Luca’s journey. Witness the dedication of her staff and the evolution of Random Harvest Nursery, Farm, and Cottages from its humble beginnings to the thriving, eco-friendly business it is today.
Linda as a youngster – with her Nonna (Grandmother), who shaped her love for growing plants and vegetables from when she was tiny. The little one is her brother, Paul. Linda recounts the story of her Nonna sitting her on the kitchen table and pretending to buy fruit and vegetables from her.
The three remarkable women that gave Linda her love for gardening – her mother Rita (left), her Granny Cora (centre), and her Aunty Rose (right).
In 1968, Linda and her mother and siblings moved to the farm that is now Random Harvest. This was mainly to accommodate the horses, but Linda’s mother always loved cows, and they had to come along to the farm.
Linda has always been close to the land and the creatures that share it. On her trusty horse Stardust, a teenage Linda traversed what was then countryside around Johannesburg, fostering a deep love and understanding for the plants and animals that she saw.
A great love affair with Indigenous Trees of South Africa began when Linda and her mother started experimenting with growing seeds of the trees on and around their farm, and from travels around the country. This picture shows Linda in front of the first shade house that her mom built for this very purpose. Some years ago, Linda was referred to in a magazine article as “Linda De Luca… Tree Woman of Africa!”
The beginnings of Random Harvest … Linda was 41 years old, with a bakkie and R20,000. She promptly spent all her money on a borehole, which meant that she started with no money in her pocket! Trained as a bookkeeper, Linda spent all her spare money on plants and books. Not much has changed, except that now a significant portion goes to the welfare of the impoverished community around Random Harvest.
Starting as a wholesale nursery, mainly municipalities and some landscapers were supplied with trees.
As awareness of the indigenous gardening movement grew, so did the demand for a greater diversity of native plants. Our first homemade shade house went up as a result, and we have just kept growing.
Jeffrey Mapila, Linda’s Senior Manager, joined Random Harvest in 1996 and has been with the business now for nearly 30 years. He is now a Senior Manager and Linda’s close confidant and visionary.
Who remembers the first newsletters Random Harvest published? Way back in 1996 – they were printed, stapled, and posted out once a quarter. Full of the magic of indigenous plants. As demand rose, printing and postage costs became unmanageable, and the newsletter took on a digital format. Sign up here if you would like to receive this emailed newsletter.
Random Harvest Country Cottages were first opened as charming countryside accommodation in Muldersdrift in 2005.
David Valoyi
David Valoyi proved to have remarkable people skills and rose from a position as a security guard to being another of Linda’s close confidants, the financial manager, as well as one of the key “Faces of Random Harvest” that our guests recognize as the epitome of warm, helpful, and welcoming hospitality.
Our versatile and special team of current hospitality staff are just as true to this reputation. They too have been with Random Harvest for many years.
Jonathan Taylor joined the team about 14 years ago and his versatile skills have made an invaluable contribution to our cottage gardens and general planning and management.
We constantly strive to improve our service offering, learning from our experiences and appreciating customer feedback. We take our commitment to the environment, our ethics, and sustainability, as well as what our customers think, very seriously. These values shape our way forward.
Here’s to the next twenty years! Our wish is to welcome you back again and again for your Muldersdrift weekend getaways and memorable stays in nature.
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