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One would be justified in observing that farming in the Karoo is certainly not for sissies. There are many idealistic city folk who dream of halcyon days of quiet bliss; who slave away at dreary jobs to save up for that magical time when they will have sufficient funds to retire to the pastoral peace and quiet of the lovely countryside; furry animals frolicking about their feet while they rock gently on the stoep, sighing contentedly as they survey fields of lucrative crops silhouetted against the sky as the last rays of sun go down on another productive day in paradise. If that is your dream then it might be an idea to visit River and Bev, who four years ago bought Hartland, a farm in the Klein Karoo, that is indeed the fulfilment of a dream. It certainly has fluffy lambs gambolling across grassy fields, waddling geese, squawking bantams, contented piggies, glossy cows gushing torrents of foamy milk, happy quackies splashing on a pretty pond and purple mountains framing a dam of pure, clean water. But whilst the beautiful fields of lavender emanate a heavenly scent, there are times when River and Bev will tell you it all seems far from heaven sent! In fact perseverance has become their motto and their mantra: Every great success, in business or in your personal life, begins with a dream or vision. But the road from dream to reality is full of obstacles. When everything in your life goes wrong and the barriers seem insurmountable, you will face a choice between giving up and persevering. You will face the choice between faith in your vision and becoming cynical. Contrary to popular belief, it is perseverance that distinguishes ordinary and extraordinary success - not intelligence and talent! Dreams and perseverance are a winning formula for success. Accept that obstacles are there to make you stronger. Dream, persevere and your vision will become a reality. Awaken your potential knowing that the power to succeed is already within you.
Creating An Eco-Farm Though River was a vegetarian for most of his adult life, he has accepted the reality of the drought prone environment of the Karoo. The main source of income in this area is meat. Since his determination to succeed knows no bounds, he had to become a breeder and eater of meat. But this is done using very different methods to conventional farms. These two intrepid farmers have a pioneering instinct, and were determined to find a way to farm totally organically, despite the dictates of the surroundings. They researched the options, and discovered the wonderful world of Effective Micro-Organisms. They propagate and multiply these effective organisms in molasses and then inoculate the land and the animals with them. Effective Micro-Organisms are similar to probiotics, in that they replace the benevolent micro-organisms that sustain health in all living matter. Man-made pollution has affected almost every atom and molecule on Earth. Antibiotics have been successfully used in the last 40 years to attack the harmful organisms that cause disease. They have successfully saved us from some of the worst ravages of illness. However, as most people have noticed, they bring in their wake scores of other problems such as reduced immunity to other infections. This is because they indiscriminately kill all organisms, including those that are beneficial to the health of humans, animals, plants and in fact life itself. These therefore need to be replaced in order to maintain a balance. One of the first things visitors notice when visiting the farmyard is that there is very little smell of any sort. Likewise the toilets, drains and tanks on the farm have no odour. This is the result of farming with Effective Micro-Organisms. Visitors also remark on the glossy coats, the wet noses, the abundant fluff and glowing health of all the farm the animals. Some of the animals are sustained by the lucerne grown on the verdant pastures of the Field Of Dreams. Children love the touch pen with geese, ducks, peacocks, chickens, turkeys, white guinea fowl, dwarf goats and a tortoise all happily going about their business around a big pond fringed with sunflowers, their golden heads following the trajectory of the sun. An olive grove and herb garden thrive on these organisms in the Field of Joy, where olives and lavender can be picked in season. Hartland has fields of rose geranium and lavender. These are distilled to make essential oils. River has a nursery of “mother plants” from which he grows cuttings. He grows herbs to make compost and special oils. He uses these to repell insects. He also uses plants between his crops that are known for their insect repelling properties, such as garlic and marigolds. In this way he has no need to use toxic chemical pesticides. Legacy: Factory Farming Considering how this land was treated up till a few years ago, and the perennial lack of rain, the crops are growing rapidly and are visibly healthy. Hartland, like most of the farms in SA and elsewhere, was maltreated by generations of farmers who were more interested in shortterm profits than in long-term respect for the land. Invasive farming methods were used extensively. Nature was regarded as an enemy to be exploited and ruthlessly conquered. This fast recovery is due in no small part to farming with earthworms. It has become quite a trend to keep an earhworm farm in one’s home to dispose of organic garbage without any odour or flies, and to make compost. They were a natural part of the earth’s eco-system until very recently, when they were destroyed by fertilisers and pesticides. But earthworms can do much more than this. Who would have thought that the lowly worm could provide the difference between success and bankruptcy? Yet these remarkable creatures aerate the soil, help to restore the PH balance, replace nutrients that were lost and break up the ground so that roots of plants can penetrate deeper, thereby making them stronger.
Eco-Vacations A visit to Hartland is guaranteed to fill you with health, happiness and inspiration. A number of self-catering cottages are available, each with different decor and fabulous views of the mountains and valley. Its a great place to take kids, who might even get to ride a pig or a cow. Some have outdoor showers or baths and allow an experience of the most amazing show on earth – the magnificent Karoo sky. Mus ic courtesy of bird-song and crickets. Endless entertainment is provided by free range pigs that often look more like baby hippopotami, their fat pink piglets wriggling about in the most fragrant muck you’ll ever find, ostriches strutting their stuff, calves frolicking about the meadows and cows contentedly chomping the hay. Baskets of fresh farm goodies can be delivered to your cottage: free range eggs, full cream or skim milk, double cream, farm butter, freshly baked bread, jams and cheese and seasonal organic veggies, succulent lamb and free range pork. And, of course, fresh mountain spring water. You can join River on a farm tour, whilst those who are feeling energetic can follow him up the gorge to a river that cascades down the mountain, feeding the dam and essentially sustaining all life on the farm. Holistic, sustainable farming methods ensure that nothing is wasted, so milk left over from Jessica, Jezebelle, Jasmine and Jay is fed to the pigs, whose manure feeds the earthworm farm and the compost heap, which in turn provide nutrients for olive trees, herbs and the nursery.
Building The Community Hartland Farm is run by two friendly refugees from the city: an ex-plumber and lawyer who have served their time. In love with nature (and each other), Bev and River are warm, nurturing, practical people who are filled with energy, vigour and unbridled enthusiasm for this magnificent venture. They are determined to not only return the land to health, but also to provide a benevolent force for the local people. They have recently purchased three nearby farms, and are hoping to obtain funding to build a creche and a school. If they can successfully turn these farms into commercially viable ventures they will be in a position to provide better housing, medical care and education to the surrounding farm workers, but in the meantime they need to obtain corporate or government funding. Few farmers are better positioned to make a real difference in every way than these two wonderful, newly minted organic farmers! Tel 023 5815252, email:
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, www.hartlandcottages.co.za Photos: David Boeglen Story: Arlene Cameron
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