This week we chat with Irene Hattingh who runs her plant business Elis’ha Living Waters with her husband, Shaune.
Tell us a bit about yourselves.
We have been married for nine years and have two daughters and a son. I am an administrator at Little Sparklers Educare at Hope School and my husband is the caretaker there.
What made you decide to start your business?
I was experiencing a few health issues and was advised to add fresh herbs to my diet. Our garden began in December 2020 with just a few herbs, chilli plants and flowers, all in containers. Our meals are filled with various herbs and flavours fresh from our garden. What makes it more special is we both enjoy gardening. At the end of 2021, we started attending flea markets selling our Christian products. This year has been a testing period to see what sells; but also keeping with our vision.
A few months ago we started cleaning our garden and all the excess plants we planted into bags and pots, we started going to flea markets, and have been growing and selling plants ever since.
We sell a variety of herbs such as parsley, thyme, rosemary, wild garlic, fennel, basil (various), oregano, chives, mint and wynruit (rue). We also sell a variety of peppers as well as aloes, agaves, strawberries, catnip and various succulents
Which herbs and plants have you found to be more popular?
We find people are interested in buying herbs and therefore we are adding new herbs on a regular basis. Fruit trees are in demand too. We had 30 lemon trees that have all been sold.
What else does Elis’Ha Living Water Christian Products offer?
When we started Elis’Ha Living Water we started with Christian mugs, keyrings, jewellery and T-shirts (order only). We recently introduced the Reindeer Sweet bottles that we are selling during the festive season.
What is your vision for your business?
We are deeply rooted in stability, nourishment, growth, living water and sustaining ourselves in the face of droughts or storms that may come our way, remaining firmly rooted in the life-giving love of God. “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will it cease from yielding fruit,” Jeremiah 17.7-8.
Do you have any long-term goals for your business?
We aim to have a self-sustainable guest farm, to establish a nursery, gardens, and a café to support not only ourselves but also by planting “seeds” in the lives of others. We would like to build a Christian environment where people can come relax in God’s presence, drink a cup of coffee, walkthrough or just relax in the gardens, essentially a place where relationships are formed.
Where can people find you?
Facebook: ElisHaLivingWaters,
Irene at 081-321-7603 or Shaune at 065-970-5547,
email elishalivingwaters@gmail.com
