Award winning farmer Ncumisa Mkabile from Khayelitsha will feature in a video series by Miss Vermont Earth USA 2023, who visited Cape Town this week.
The two women spoke to the Daily Voice as Ncumisa treated her guest to traditional African cuisine at Kwa Ace, where the pair enjoyed skaapkop earlier this week.
Ncumisa, 30 is a self-taught farmer and specialises in crop production and poultry. She supplies local retailers and street vendors.
She says that Miss Vermont Earth USA 2023, Isabella Williams, reached out to her on Instagram regarding a series about strong women around the world that Ncumisa is going to be a part of.
Ncumisa says: “She [Isabella] came to Cape Town and we met for the first time on Saturday.
“She said that she wanted to see Khayelitsha and where I stay, so I welcomed her on Monday and decided to go to Kwa Ace because it is also a tourist attraction.”
“It was a fun day for us. When I decided to order the sheep’s head, she was not aware because she met me there.
“When she came, I told her that she shouldn’t order anything because I have already ordered something.
“I just wanted her to experience local food and try something different. I thought maybe she won’t be comfortable eating sheep’s head, but I was actually surprised that she enjoyed it.”
Ncumisa ordered each of them a smiley and pote and says the day was about getting to know each other’s culture.
Isabella, 24, who writes children’s books for girls to empower them, says Ncumisa is the first guest on the series.
She adds that this is her second visit to South Africa and the skaapkop was lekker, saying: “It was lovely, I have never seen anything like that, so I was a bit startled.
“I thought how incredible it was for me to be in a place that uses every part of the animal, which is so much more sustainable compared to how the US handles meat.”
The series titled Strong Women Around The World will be launched this Saturday on Isabella’s Instagram page. Ncumisa will be a collaborator.
Isabella adds: “It will be a video series, and eventually a book, her story will be the first I tell.
“I have other women around South Africa I will interview and publish as well. But she is by far the coolest so I will be highlighting mostly her," says Isabella.
marsha.dean@inl.co.za