I grew up in Potchefstroom in the North West province of South Africa and studied plant and soil science at the Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education. I was involved in a cut rose nursery for 12 years and started my own consultation firm, Agrisol in 2010. Agrisol has a software development team that is developing a geographical information system to help us give advice of the highest standard to our farmers. It also assists us to handle the whole process from planting and sampling to the final report and the relationship with our customers. Soil is my passion.

I am married to Hesme and we have two sons, Naude and Stef. We have the privilege to live on the family farm, as I am the sixth generation, in Vredefort dome world heritage site, on the banks of the Vaal River. Hesme manages the guest houses on the farm and home schools our children. Have a herd of indigenous Nguni cattle we manage as a family and supply organic grass-fed meat to our local community.