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A maplotter of big dreams
A
dedicated Walkerville smallholder, and good friend to
this magazine, Rowan Roberts, died suddenly last
month, just six days short of his 60th birthday.
His death ~ a great loss to his family, his friends and his
community ~ gives one pause to focus on the life of a classic
working smallholder and his relationship with the land, his
animals and his lifestyle.
For Rowan, an immigrant from England, was a classic working
smallholder, until last year when he was retrenched.
On his plot in Walkerville he had, over the years, done all the
things that so many of us do, starting with dreaming big. We
envisage our plots becoming productive little pieces of heaven.
We'll build this barn, that stable block, put up a water tank stand
over there, dig a pond for ducks in the corner, plough up the
bottom field for a commercial vegetable operation, erect a
greenhouse, plant fruit trees … sounding familiar yet?
Many of us achieve quite remarkable things on our plots over
the years, and learn (and spend) a lot in the process. Others do
what they can, as time and finances allow.
Rowan did many of these things, balancing the long hours of
commuting, and a job in Joburg, with time on the plot with
family and friends, and building, scheming and planning, and
like so many of us, too, acquiring livestock along the way.
He was also an active member of the wider smallholder
community. In the early days of our internet-based smallholder's
forum, Rowan joined up and became an frequent contributor to
the chatrooms we established. His often very sound advice and
good humour made him many friends among our readership.
In time, his two sisters and his mother in England became active
members of the smallholders' forum, too, and many posts were
made comparing the differences in seasons, weather, lifestyle
etc, between the two countries.
The internet, of course is a truly international thing, and our
smallholders' forum attracted interest all over the world. One of
those far-flung people who joined turned out to be Rowan's
long-lost cousin living in New Zealand, so the Smallholder was
able to play a small part in reuniting family members.
But more than just being an active member of our internet
forum, he was an active member of his community. Young
people at his funeral ~ neighbours and offspring of friends ~
spoke of how he would spend time introducing them to his
livestock, and teaching them how to work with his ponies, etc.
And beyond the surrounds of his plot in Walkerville he was an
enthusiastic participant in the workings of the steam machinery
of the Sylviavale Heritage Museum in Van der Bijl Park (which,
incidentally, is well-worth a visit if you haven't already been).
His knowledge of steam power was legendary, and his ability to
impart knowledge in a clear and logical manner was appreciated by the many who congregated around him when he
started ta