Training in Conservational Agriculture (CA)

During winter time we gave a few training sessions in Conservational Agriculture (CA). The last few years the training consisted mainly of theory on CA with a small practical part. Typically a beginners style of training. We have now learned that this way of training doesn’t necessarily mean that people change their way of farming or encourages sustainable agriculture Slowly we started to work more visual by making more use of pictures and practical demonstrations (e.g. angled trays on which erosion is simulated).

This year we started to use slideshows and short video’s to show desirable and undesirable agricultural practices and symptoms.

The main story line is:
1) God’s creation; man is steward.
2) what went wrong; the fall disturbing the relationship between me and God, myself and others, in respect to myself and in respect to Creation. Resulting in all the negative sympotoms seen in agriculture: erosion, low productivity, inefficient use of rainwater.
3) How to turn this vicious circle: practical and sustainable agriculture and the involvement of the Church. The biggest issue the famers want to resolve is how stockbreeding and agriculture go together. During the training we spend quite some time on this question.

With gratitude the agricultural awareness team, in which I (Jaap) take part, look back on the training sessions we had these last few weeks. There are still some training sessions planned coming weeks. This way of training is very interactive and seems to be succesful. An average training lasts for approximately 3 hours and most of the time they continue to talk for a long time about different techniques, agricultural material and so on.

This type of training we do during the winter. During spring and summer the goal of the training sessions is different. More about visiting farms, mentoring farmers and facilitating support groups for farmers. December/January and June/July are the months in which we are pretty busy with Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) and collecting different kinds of data (e.g. status of crops, weed management, yield determination).

Questions? Please ask: email Jaap on jaapenilona9[@]gmail.com (remove brackets in the email)

Until next time!

Pictures training and exchange visit

Exchange visit

On the 8th and 9th of July we had an exchange visit with some farmers in small mountain village near Maphutseng. The concept of conservational agriculture (CA) is adopted by many of them. Ilona and I have nice memories of our visits tot his village.
This village is characterized by good leadership and co-operation. Out of necessity the farmers started to use sustainable agriculture; the steep slopes, de remote and therefor isolated location made is necessary for them to support themselves. Many people in the lowlands would have preferred to beg for money, but these 25 farmers had a good work ethic and work well together. E.g. they addressed the illegal grazing. The cattle owners and the herdboys get a hefty fine for their illegal practice.

Last April these farmers had indicated that they wanted to learn more on CA and wanted to have a look on our farm. The visit did not start off that good because the taxi did not show up. In the end the crowded taxi arrived at 21h00: 9 farmers, 2 Growing Nations colleagues, de taxidriver and his buddy. Fortunately we have room enough!

We visited two CA farms, looked at some grain silos, a farm shop and some storehouses As a bonus we got to see a lot of game: wildebeast, zebras, ostrich and all sorts of buck. During these days we talked a lot, evaluated, did bible studies and had a braai. For them it was informative to see how big the cultural differences are. On the other side: we are all one big family of our heavenly Father. We also talked about that and encouraged each other to make a difference in each others lives....thanks to or despite our cultural differences!

On the way back to the village they made stop at the new mall in Maseru. For some of them a whole new world. Mountain village versus big town Maseru. The farmers had to walk another four hours to their village after the taxi dropped them off; they felt that it was worth every step!

When you gotta go...

Hiking

From the first until the third of Juli we hiked for two days in the area around our farm. On the first day we hiked along the Caledon river to a farm 12 km further. Our friend Andri knew we were coming. That evening, after a campfire, we went to bed early. It was a hard and cold night for all of us, sleeping under de open skies :-) But with 8 of us on a row it was a nice experience.

The next day we hiked another 20 and hitchhiked anoter 10 km in the back of a bakkie. Gideon, being the youngest, walked all by himself the first day. But the second day he wanted to be carried most of the way...

Our destination was at Thandy & Glen on the farm, about 15 km away from Modderpoort. We had a great meal there, home brewed beer and a great night sleep on a soft matras :-) A world of difference to the night before.
The third day we hiked around the farm and visited a cave.

It was good to be out as a family for a couple of days.

Enjoy the pictures.

Four

Gideon turned four. He's crazy about 'cars' so you can be sure his piece of the cake was extra tasty...

A week before his birthday he went to school for the first time :-) It went we and he enjoyed it!

the big 6!

a picture says more than a thousand words...

Update before the winter holidays

What a privelage to also have an English website!  Its time for an update now that winter holidays start. From June 22 until July 15 the kids are free from school.

The special news is that Tobias took part in Tae Kwon Do championships in May and he did won 2 golden medals! He was very happy!!

Merian is doing cross-country and she is enjoying! She won a silver medal and, at the time of writing, she still has 2 matches to go. The netball season has finished and she is looking forward to the hockey season will start after the winter holidays.
Henrike is doing well at school and she is enjoying her sports. Hockey season is finished and I think cricket is starting after the holidays.
Jonathan, Tobias en Daniel are doing very well at school and are enjoying their sports either. The rugby season is over and cricket season is coming. In the winter holidays a trainings camp is planned and Jonathan and Tobias are selected for this camp. They're looking forward to it!!
And then! The  high-light of this winter will be that Gideon is going to start school after the holidays. We told him he can go to school when he is turning 4. And when you're 4 you're big enough to go to school. He is telling me that he doesn't want to go yet, but the interest is slowly starting to come. We are very curious how it is going to be!

Winter is not really here yet. The days are still warm and the nights are also not to bad yet. We only had frost ones (something like -3). It is windy and warm at the moment (20 degrees). 'They' say winter is coming, but we'll see. We are ready for it!!

Jaap is still busy with his studies. He hopes to get all the data together this winter to finish his studies.
At his work he had some positive experiences of spiritual renewal. That was very encouraging. At Marakabei they had some video-nights which were also heartening.

A few weeks ago Jaap took the oldest three kids and some friends to a rugby game in Bloemfontein. For those interested: Cheetahs 25 – Blue Bulls 30. Quite an event!

I, Ilona, am doing fine also. In the morning I am still nice at home with Gideon, busy with all sorts of things. In the afternoon I am pretty busy as 'taxi driver' for the kids. At night I am exhausted and long for my bed!
The bible study I attend is very encouraging. And it is very nice to have some good friends where I feel comfortable and at ease.

Furthermore we are so looking forward to visit the Netherlands next year! I have to say that it feels kind of strange to have the plan, but not the money (yet!). But we are confident that God will provide financially. We are serving an AWESOME God!

did you know?

That Toby is participating in a oratory about "who knows"?! 

Some pictures

A couple of pictures of the athletic games: Daniel is running...

Henrike throwing spear and doing the hurdles on Eastern Free State matches at Bethlehem.

Gideon needs to rest after a hard days work :-)

Henrike turned 14 on Februari 11th.

De twins turned 8 on  Februari 3rd.