Shirley Emms photography
Extending a helping hand to farmers in drought-stricken areas
Landmeterskop, known to the public mostly because of its popular holiday cottages, is a substantial farming operation which combines Dormer Merino sheep with wheat crops. The owners, Theuns and Valerie Steenkamp, recently were in a position – with the help of equally generous transport companies – to help other farmers in need.
Parts of South Africa are currently experiencing what some termed “the worst drought in a century”. Farmers in many areas of the country are facing disaster. On 3 February this year, the fourth consignment of animal feed that Landmeterskop donated to the farmers were loaded onto trucks. This time they were delivering to the West Coast. The transport of the load was sponsored entirely by Sean Myburgh and Donald Stockhall from DPMM Hauliers.
Danie Hefers of Fokus, an Afrikaans TV programme about social, economic and political affairs, was on Landmeterskop to film the event. (Watch Fokus on Sunday evening, 14 February 2016 at 18:30 – 19:00.)
Flip de Bruyn who co-ordinated all of this, explains: This incredible journey began one evening in Langebaan in December 2015. Chatting with a group of friends around the fire, Derrick Linde mentioned how his parents in Hertzogville were struggling from the effects of the severe drought in the area. Franco Koch (Derrick’s friend) had generously offered to help with feed but had no means to get it to Hertzogville. The plan seemed so simple in theory but putting it into action proved to be very challenging. As frustration mounted, my wife and I turned to prayer. Believing and trusting God to set the wheels in motion – literally! The next day I went to my friend Jacques Brand of Truck & Cargo. Jacques posted a request on Facebook for transporters willing to drive at no cost. Within three hours we had our first transporter and soon after many very enthusiastic offers came in. The first load soon left Moorreesbburg for Hertzogville. Soon we had willing transporters but no feed. Derrick Linde stepped in and put me in contact with Theuns Steenkamp – he had 500 bales of feed which he donated and off it went to Reddersburg, Bethlehem, Hertzogville, Bloemfontein and the West Coast. It is heartwarming to see how willing people are to step up to the plate when others are in need!
Danie Hefers filming Theuns & Valerie
Flip de Bruyn & Valerie & Jessie, the Scottie
Danie Hefers interviewing Flip de Bruyn
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Danie Hefers of Fokus at work
Danie Hefers of Fokus at work
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Donalad Stockhall of DPMM Hauliers
Danie on the tractor with Aaron of Landmeterskop
Danie Hefers of Fokus at work
Danie Hefers of Fokus at work
Theuns & Valerie Steenkamp of Landmeterskop with Jack, the Dobermann
Danie Hefers of Fokus at work
Danie Hefers of Fokus at work
Danie Hefers of Fokus at work
A memorable stay on Landmeterskop
Dear Valerie
Thank you again so much for the most wonderful time spent on Landmeterskop farm.
Not only did Mila have a fantastic time but so did we. From the accommodation, to the Du Bois home styled cooking everything was delicious and beautiful.
We would also like to give Tsala a special mention… she had such a good way with Mila, always including her and making her feel part of the “group”.
We certainly will be returning with friends.
Gosh, was it hard waking up this morning and going to work.
I have attached a few pictures of our stay.
Regards
Nadine and Allan
Scenes of harvest…
Lou May’s photos of Landmeterskop
Shearing time again…
Family Fun at Landmeterskop
Heifer-calf on a lead… and new chicks!
The latest addition to our family of animals at Landmeterskop, a heifer-calf, normally hangs out with a flock of lambs and our chickens in the paddock nearest to the farmhouse. When the lambs were brought in to the craal to be weighed, “madam” came along. The workers couldn’t separate her from the lambs, as she simply stayed in the middle of the flock. Eventually Louis managed to get a lead around her neck, and she obediently followed him back to the paddock.
Valerie also recently had to fetch new Leghorn chickens as most of our laying hens are a little over two years old and will now start to lay less eggs. The first 2 years of a hen’s life is her most productive. By the time she’s 5 years old she will only lay half as frequently as she did during her first 2 years. While Louis and Luca were “unloading” the new chicks and making sure that they had food and water and were settling in, Jack and Jesse, kept a close watch!
A letter from Terry
Hi ValerieIt is more than a week since we left the farm or should I say tore ourselves away.To write in the guest book is a great way of expressing the amazing stay we had, but I just wanted to personally thank you.Thank you so much of allowing us to share a part of your piece of paradise. Everything was just so fantastic.Janis (my wife) turned 60 on the day we arrived. She had no idea where we were going, only that I was taking her away for the week. I cannot tell you how excited she became when we entered the main gate and came around to the dam and saw a pair of Blue Cranes doing the dance. That was the start of our incredible stay.We so enjoyed feeding the Lambs, the Ducks and the Alpacas! We felt like kids again! We even drank goats’ milk which was surprisingly nice.Then there is Tsala! What a treasure you have in her. So efficient and friendly – a huge asset you have in her! Wow!We were sad to leave but we have tons of photos to look back on and I mean tons. Janis is an artist so she sees art in just about everything even the dew on the grass so she clicks and clicks away.I hope when we next visit, we will meet. Please give Tsala our regardsWarm RegardsTerryPS I’ve attached a few pics
Pretty, but not at all welcome
The masses of pretty purple-blue flowers one often sees along roads at this time of year – also at Landmeterskop – are in fact a menace, and one that is difficult to get rid of. Paterson’s Curse (Echium plantagineum), also known as Salvation Jane (English); Franklin weed or purple echium, is a Category 1 Declared Weed in terms of the Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act, Act 43 of 1983, which must be removed by landowners as it competes with cultivated crops and pasture species and indigenous ruderal species. (In Afrikaans these are called bloudisseldoring or natterkop.)
Echium plantagineum is native to western and southern Europe (from southern England south to Iberia and east to the Crimea), northern Africa, and southwestern Asia. It has been introduced to Australia, South Africa and United States and is an invasive plant. Due to a high concentration of pyrrolizidine alkaloids in the shoot it is poisonous to grazing livestock, especially those with a simple digestive system like horses. The toxins are cumulative in the liver and death results from too much Paterson’s curse in the diet.
It is a deep-rooted biennial that can grow up to 1m high. The leaves and stems are covered with coarse, white hairs. The stem leaves are long and small and the basal rosette leaves are broad and large with prominent lateral veins. Blue or purple flowers appear from spring to autumn.
Landmeterskop Farm Cottages 