Nufarmer November / December 2017 NUF NOV.DEC 17 | Page 3

Nufarmer Africa From Nufarmer’s Pen A nother year is closing on us. For some it meant the ever raging drought that spread losses among animal and crop, possibly unemployment, hunger, thirst and obviously infringe on the agri- cultural economy. For others it was a booming year for exports, new avenues to market along, new developments and even new alternative farm- ing avenues to obtain an extra income. Talking of which – recently an interesting conversation took place and the question of South Africa’s high and ever-increasing input costs to farm and what per- At fi rst light centage the farmer reaps actually, came to the fore. As an Eastern-Cape brought up youngster, I could never understand why we raise these beautiful Merino sheep, shear the wool and send it to Brit- ain to have clothes made. So we import the cloth and the suits and whatever wool garments, pay im- port taxes etc, etc and then pay through our ears for clothing THAT WAS MADE FROM OUR WOOL? Stupid? All answer was that we have not the buy- ing number (at the time) to aff ord local woollen weavers and the rest of the line to make it fi nan- cially viable. Now why can’t we put up the weav- ers, clothing factories and create employment and manufacture a proudly South African garment or other product and export the majority? I got bland Matthew 1: 21-23 21 “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.” 22 “Now all this was done, that it might be fulfi lled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,”23 “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” The calamity of today is that people have become lovers of themselves. They lend their ears out to voices which will do everything inhumanly possible to discredit the Deity of God! We listen or view the bad news and we formulate vengeance, fear, hate and all kinds of thoughts in our inside man. These, as has been researched over and over are most often the cause of ill health and even cancer. God never intended man to be ill – instead He created man from the dust of the Earth and called him Man! He wandered with him and taught him to eat fruit from the trees and nuts and food from the earth. He was the fi rst gardener and had to ‘reign over the animals’! What did we do to ourselves? We eat the animals, scoff at those who live a bit veg- etarian and created a lawless society! But; against all odds, Jesus was born through no intercourse by a carnal man and brought forth by a virgin. This pure Jesus was born to reign over all the earth and make all the beautiful creations we see around us, including ourselves, to be His Kingdom – by OUR WILL! There- fore we are learnt by the word of God that “Whosoever shall lay down his life before Me, shall be fi t for the Kingdom of God!” This is what the Christmas Season is all about – to consecrate your life to the One whose birth we refl ect on this time of the year and become one with the King of Kings! Many thousands of earthly kings lived and died and had followers – who also died. But Jesus was born to be slain on a cross for our sins that we may accept Him and rise at His return to be with Him FOREVER! God bless every family in agriculture this Season! Amen. PROPRIETOR: Suzanne Oosthuizen (SO) Cell: 082 832 1604 [email protected] FINANCE / SUBSCRIPTIONS: Marion Oosthuizen Cell: 071 6399300 [email protected] ADDRESS: P O Box 759 Montana Park 0159 EDITORIAL CONTENTS: Johan Swiegers Email: [email protected] OFFICE NUMBERS: Tel: 012 – 543 0880 Fax: [phone] ADVERTISING: Suzanne Oosthuizen - 082 832 1604 looks. Today, we realize as a country we should have put our resources; manpower, education and training and fi nance into processing plants of note. We could have made South Africa a super power processing and export country to Africa and the rest of the world. But it is not too late – more than enough agro-processing research has been done. It remains an excellent thought for the fresh pro- ducer to consider having an own food-processing and marketing division right on his farm. I know a young farmer who almost lost his fruit farm in the Western Cape and decided to process his fruit in jams and preserves which he fortnightly sold to Gauteng boutique hotels and guesthouses – he saved his farm and sent his sons to University! ‘Think and grow rich’ the wise man said! Ed. Cover pic: Sanele Mbhele – ARC Farmer of the year Award Winner (See article on page 4) SUBSCRIBE NOW!!! Receive this valuab le publication that has been serving semi-commercial, and now also commercial farmers in this A4 format. NURFARMER AFRICA is moving with the times! If you have a computer with internet or have access to a friend’s SUBSCRIBE NOW FOR AN ELECTRONIC COPY We take the opportunity of wishing all our readers correspondents, advertisers, creative and printing individuals, all South African farmers a Joyous Christmas Season and a most Prosperous 2018 with dams full of rain, well-fed cattle, kilometres of grains and fresh produce by tonnes! God bless all our agricultural families! Director. D.T.P: Yolandé van Zyl - 082 775 1002 Nufarmer Africa | November/December 2017 3