Professor Irene Barnes and Cheyenne Theron recently visited kiwi growers from Magoebaskloof, in the Limpopo Province and White River, in Mpumalanga. They travelled over 1000km and visited seven farms from the two growing regions. The field trip was planned alongside the chairperson of the South African Kiwi Growers Association, Jonathan Trusler. The primary aim of the field trip was to learn the ins-and-outs of kiwifruit growing in South Africa and access the various disease and insect problems the growers are experiencing, including a dramatic flower decline. Fieldwork included the sampling of flowers and dead vines, and collecting fruits with blemishes, in order to determine the possible causal agents of disease. The current field trip was the start of a formal research collaboration between FABI and the South African Kiwi Grower’s Association. The FABIans would like to thank the kiwi growers and owners from Sequoia Garden Retreat for their hospitality.