Meet Audry Rikhotso, the woman inspiring South Africans to grow their own food, embrace gardening and build confidence one harvest at a time.
Mbombela, South Africa (22 June 2026) – A few years ago, I had the opportunity to meet Audry and Masana Rikhotso at a garden talk that was focusing on growing blueberries. They were just getting started, and over the years, I have watched them build and expand their homestead into what it is today, an inspirational story.
I knew I needed to speak to Audry as part of my mini-series interviewing inspiring South African women. So let’s dive in!
Audry and Masana have been building their homestead in Mbombela and sharing the process online. Since starting, Audry has taken up the task of teaching South Africans about gardening and general homesteading, to inspire a more food-secure and resilient society.
Having influential people willing to share local insights into gardening is changing how South Africans see food and allowing them to try it for themselves. Looking at the life Audry and Masana are building, Audry hopes to share that it isn’t picture perfect, and they are just two ordinary people making it happen.
“We’re building a life that’s a little slower, a little more intentional, and hopefully a little more resilient. We grow some of our own food, keep chickens, preserve what we harvest, and constantly experiment with ways to become more self-sufficient. It’s not a perfect homestead, and it’s definitely not a picture-perfect farm. It’s two ordinary people learning as we go and sharing the journey honestly with others.”
Speaking to the moment everything shifted from doing garden work to having it change their lives, Audry shares that it was very gradual.
“The more food I grew, the more I realised gardening wasn’t really about vegetables. It was about confidence. Every season taught me that I could learn a new skill, solve problems, and provide something meaningful for myself and my family. That’s when it became much bigger than a hobby.”
Many South Africans are disconnected from how food is grown. The ease of it being on the shelves in our grocery stores versus coming directly from the garden changes how we connect to our food. For Audry, it was pretty much the same.
“Like many people, I was very disconnected from where food came from. Food appeared in supermarkets and that was about it. Gardening changed that completely. Growing even a small portion of your own food gives you a new appreciation for the effort behind every meal and a much deeper connection to nature and the seasons.”
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Audry’s hope has been to break the cycle of fear or intimidation when it comes to growing food. It is far simpler than needing lots of farm land, heavy machinery, or even having all the knowledge before starting.
“Social media can also make gardening look complicated or perfect. In reality, most gardeners learn through mistakes. In South Africa, many people are also dealing with limited space, water restrictions, and financial pressures, so gardening can feel like something that’s out of reach when it really isn’t.”
In my opinion (being a hobby gardener for the past 8 years), Audry has made veggie gardening feel accessible and realistic rather than polished or unattainable.
“I wanted people to see what gardening actually looks like. There are failed crops, pest problems, weeds, and mistakes. That’s normal. I think people connect more with honesty than perfection. If someone watches my content and thinks, “If they can do it, maybe I can too,” then I’ve achieved what I wanted.”
Since sharing her content online, Audry has seen a great response. There is definitely a shift; people are looking for ways to be more intentional, to have control over some of their food choices and to learn.
“Sometimes it feels like everyone is only interested in trends and entertainment online, but there are so many people looking for practical skills and wanting to become more self-sufficient. I’ve also been surprised by how many people say they’ve started a garden because of something they saw on my page.”
“Gardening naturally teaches patience. You can’t rush a seed to grow. You can’t harvest before something is ready. In a world that often feels rushed, gardening reminds us that some of the most meaningful things take time. If people learn to grow food and also learn to slow down a little, that’s a wonderful outcome.”
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Everyone can start somewhere, even if space or finances are limited. The key is to start small.
“Start small. A bucket, a recycled container, or a few pots are enough. Grow something simple that you’ll actually eat, like spinach/swiss chard, lettuce, spring onions, or herbs. Don’t focus on building the perfect garden. Focus on growing your first successful plant. That first harvest builds confidence, and confidence grows gardens.”
That confidence grows in so many ways, and for Audry, the homestead is shifting how she measures success.
“I still value career growth and financial stability, but success now includes things that can’t always be measured. Being able to harvest food from your garden, share meals with my husband, learn new skills, and live closer to your values feels like a different kind of wealth (sounds like a cliché, but it’s true).”
And while the focus of this piece may be on Audry, she has not done it alone. Building a life alongside her husband has been very rewarding.
“It’s been rewarding, but like any shared project, it comes with challenges. We don’t always see things the same way, but we’re working towards the same vision. Building a homestead together has taught us patience, teamwork, and the importance of celebrating small wins along the way.”
Challenges and failures are all part of the experience; they teach you to see everything as part of a process.
“I’ve had plenty of failures. I’ve lost seedlings, planted crops at the wrong time, dealt with pests, and watched entire plans fall apart. What gardening has taught me is that failure isn’t the opposite of success; it’s part of the process. Every mistake teaches you something that makes you a better gardener next season. Thank goodness, I am not a perfectionist.”
As their homestead grows, Audry has a great deal of hope for its future. Much like her ethos online, in sharing knowledge, she hopes to keep helping South Africans grow and learn.
“I hope [the homestead] becomes a place of learning, abundance, and inspiration. A place where food is grown sustainably, where skills are shared freely, and where people realise that self-sufficiency isn’t about doing everything yourself. It’s about becoming a little more capable, a little more connected to nature, and a little more intentional about how you live.”
Audry and Masana shared their homesteading via their Millennial Homesteader Instagram account, which you can find here.
This interview is part of a series I am working on, in which South African women highlight fun and fearless pursuits that bring them joy, raise awareness, and sometimes even change perceptions. You can read more here.
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