“I do everything by hand”

At age 82, former chairperson Ona Enslin of Chrissiesmeer is officially the oldest member of Tuiskoop, and the people of Mpumalanga continue to queue for her home-made pies and offal.

race – all pure grace,” says Ona Enslin about the fact that she and the women who work for her make about 500kg-550kg of pies each month for Tuiskoop and a restaurant in Dullstroom. She used the money to put her own children through school and university, as well as the grandson of her domestic worker, Tryphina Mtambo – Piet is now a teacher.

What’s more, here on the farm – a stone’s throw from Chrissiesmeer – baking isn’t limited to the sought-after beef, mince-and-veg, chicken-and-sherry, pepper-steak, ham-and-cheese, game, lamb and bobotie pies they produce. There is also a variety of biscuits, apple-andpineapple tartlets, cheese-and-onion biscuits, fruit cubes, chicken-andbeef meat rolls, cupcakes…

Then, they also make the peachand-banana chutney used for the sausage roll filling. And don’t forget the jam: tomato, peach, apricot and gooseberry jam, watermelon chunks, orange pieces, marmalade...

Ona laughs and says that when she and her husband, Theunis, moved here from the Free State 45 years ago, she was able to garden and prune trees, but knew absolutely nothing about baking.

“There were a lot of apple trees on the farm, which have all died over the years. But around 1974 or 1975, I asked Tuiskoop if I could deliver some apples. That’s when it all started... I remember my first Tuiskoop cheque was for R26.”

Between 1987 and 1992, Ona was the chairperson of Tuiskoop, but those few years were enough. “It’s the type of job that requires you to be very strict and to stick to your guns, because some members can be difficult or stubborn, and it’s up to you to solve all the problems.”

She deliberately does everything by hand and by using her brain. When she receives telephonic orders from Tuiskoop or her clients in Carolina or Dullstroom, for example, she doesn’t write them down but “stores” them in the back of her mind. And she does all her sums by hand, too. “I only use a calculator to double-check myself when it’s absolutely necessary.”

‘Oh no, I don’t eat my own things. Imagine how fat I would be if I tasted everything.’

Tea arrives, with a plate of the women’s baked goodies. Ona pours tea, but doesn’t eat anything.

“Oh no, I don’t eat my own things. Imagine how fat I would be if I tasted everything. But please help yourself,” she says.

“And don’t worry – this doesn’t come from me; it’s what our clients say – if you eat our pies, you never have to reach for the Rennies.”