As most of you probably know or picked up through my posts, I've been planning to move to the "platteland" eventually. Well, it happened at last. I haven't sold in the city yet, place still in the market, but took the big plunge anyway.
I'm now living in Bonnievale - beautiful little town, surrounded by every fruit/vegetable farm imaginable, mountains, rivers (Breë River), and great old homesteads. The smallholding is on the edge of town, and situated between the water scheme canal and the river. It is absolutely great to be woken up in the mornings by chickens, turkeys, horses, and all the other animals and wild birds you find here in abundance.
Then there's the people - they are just different to city folk. Sorry to my city friends, but here you will still find good neighbors who offer to help when they see you're struggling with work, offers a ride to town, bring some of his grapes in exchange for a few tomatoes, etc.
Oh, and here most businesses close for lunch - something I just love. I'm renting an old shop just 150m from my plot, on the main road and set up practice here. So, I can walk to work/home in 4 minutes!! A lot of people from the town popped in just to say: "Welcome to our town, and wishing you all the best" - sometimes it's difficult to get rid of the well-wishers - they just LOVE new conversation.... Ah yes, I'll have to get online often to keep the English language alive - you seldom hear English here, biggest part of the community are farm workers, fruit packers, dairy workers, etc, and almost everybody speak Afrikaans only.
Well, I'll be getting wireless internet here soon, so then I'll be able to go online more often. My 3G not very effective here. I'll post a picture or two of the area for you guys to see...
Great 2010 to all!
Two pic's of my new life.
First one of my tomatoes which dry outside within 5 days. I don't have a market for the fresh tomatoes - didn't plan on getting so many - so I decided on sun-dried tomatoes. I made my own salt & herb mix which I sprinkle over them before drying. Herbs from my tunnel - mix of oregano, marjoram, basil, rosemary. First lot turned out lovely.
Second pic of my Mom with some Feverfew flowers she harvested in the tunnel when she visited - the folks make turns to come and stay on the plot - it's turning out to be quit a nightmare, they both love it so much on the plot, and Mom didn't want to go home last week! Well I'm going to pick her and her twin sis up in Malmesbury tomorrow - they will be visiting for a week or two, then it's Dad's turn again. Unfortunately somebody has to stay in Malmesbury to look after all the birds, dogs, etc. Until their house is sold, then they'll be joining me on the plot for good!
Hi Bertie
That sounds like just the right place for you congrats
Wish you good luck there
Georg
Hi3
Glad to see that you re getting better Georgeswa bravo
Hi Bertie,
It sounds as if things are are looking very rosy for you and we wish you all the very very best in this new adventure. We are both certain that you will make a success of this "farming" lifestyle....
Quote from: pam spackman on January 08, 2010, 05:05:14 PM
Glad to see that you re getting better Georgeswa bravo
Thanks Pam, its all in the mind what the body cant fulfill LOL
Great Stuff Bertie, There's farming blood in you boy!
woo_hoo
I'm very happy for you Bertie. Bonnievale is a beautiful area. Nice to see a pic of your mom.
So good to hear you happy with your move Bertie ... indeed Bonnievale a beautiful place ... incentive for me to do a visit there again ....
You're all welcome to pop in! Will keep the tea pot brewing, Sandy!
Have 5 dental and 2 phytotherapy patients booked for today - not bad for a start, I'd say. I have a suspicion I'll pick up quite quickly through word of mouth. My first patient came in for extraction - when I asked him to bite on a small cotton roll after I extracted his tooth, he asked me if he had to come back later so we can remove the tooth - he didn't know the tooth was out already.... when I showed him the tooth, he had a look of total amazement and told me I'm a magician... promised he's going to tell everybody. Most of the locals had to go to clinics their whole lives and simply aren't used to the way treatment should be... totally new experience.
Well, let's hope that I'll be very busy soon, I have to buy cat food....
3d smiles(281)
Hehehehehe! Plenty of Bertie's patients in the Cape.....
image201
(http://www.winegoggle.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/toothless-ct1-300x199.jpg)
Yup... definitely two of mine....
:buffo9:
Nay my bra!... tweee Tande vir homemade Tamaties by Farmer Bertie....
laughpoint
The front one had 3 dentures made to fill the gap:
1. Plain set with very small gold slit ---- for church.
2. One with a golden dollar sign, a dagga leaf, and a full gold tooth ---- for the gangsta meetings.
3. One with a "Nike" sign, a star, and a ruby ---- for the dance jol....
swink
Oooh! Me Likey a lot..... do you do Cheetah motifs on teeth, I might have a market for you.....
are-you-there
Quote from: Bertie Horak on January 11, 2010, 05:53:35 AM
You're all welcome to pop in! Will keep the tea pot brewing, Sandy!
Have 5 dental and 2 phytotherapy patients booked for today - not bad for a start, I'd say. I have a suspicion I'll pick up quite quickly through word of mouth. My first patient came in for extraction - when I asked him to bite on a small cotton roll after I extracted his tooth, he asked me if he had to come back later so we can remove the tooth - he didn't know the tooth was out already.... when I showed him the tooth, he had a look of total amazement and told me I'm a magician... promised he's going to tell everybody. Most of the locals had to go to clinics their whole lives and simply aren't used to the way treatment should be... totally new experience.
Well, let's hope that I'll be very busy soon, I have to buy cat food....
3d smiles(281)
Just as you said Bertie word of mouth and where do u spend your time in there mouth's
@ Alfred - bravo! Love it!
@ Mike - I had a look - sorry, couldn't get any Cheetahs motives for teeth - closest I could get which I thought would fit the Cheetah supporters, was gold inlays in the shape of a "Z" (as in the LAST letter in the pack, or it could be put on a few teeth next to each other, to spell Zzzzzzz - as in "asleep")? laughpoint
I have a funny feeling my post's gonna be censored.....
Some pics for you guys...
This one of some of my herbs, taken end of last year.
Two more - I'm splitting my posts for it takes ages to load with my current connection.
First pic of my Aunt and Mom standing behind my Althea (Marshmallow) plants. I got a few seeds from America which I tested - excellent results with the 4 plants I managed to cultivate - books say they reach a height of 0,9-1,2 meters - mine is taller than 2 meter! Greatest thing is... the insects doesn't know the plants, so they don't bother to munch on them!!!! Hope nobody tells them that it's edible!
Second pic of my Echinacea (purple cone flower) plants - really doing well. Got them going from seeds I harvested in the Cape when I only had a single plant. The flowers are much bigger and more colorful, leaves very lush. Much better condition than the parent plants, so I'm very happy!
Your mom and aunt must be twins?????
@ Diana - yes, they're 75 this year. Dad will be 77 next month. I'm struggling to get a photo of him - he ducks and dives between the weeds when I try and catch him! Just went home for lunch quickly, had to literally force him to go take a nice afternoon nap, he enjoys working outside on the plot. He's been visiting for the last week, going back to Malmesbury tomorrow. The twins were here 2 weeks ago, and will come through again end next week to visit me on the plot again for a week or two. The folks are playing musical chairs between Malmesbury and Bonnievale..... Hope their place sells soon, then they'll be moving to join me permanently. Good thing, then I'll be able to keep an eye on them, AND I'll be spoiled rotten with lunch and snacks while I'm working, he-he...
Oh, and at least then I'll be able to go on HOLIDAY for real. I was hoping that everything would be over and settled by now, for I REALLY want to go on a short holiday - Oranjemund is on my to-do list.
First though, I'm studying.... again.... - writing my "compounding and dispensing license" exam at University of Pretoria on 24 April....
The missing word in the first line of previous post is "ducks". Every time I try to edit it in, it just disappears when I save the changes?????
It's happening again!!! Come on computer boffins, tell me why I cant post the word d-u-c-k-s? 3_8_14
ducks
Wow! I just tested that.... never knew that..... Stennie, any ideas?
eende
Sorry, Will look into that... Bertie, whenever you want to come up, let us know, Guest room is available......
So it's not just me or my plattelandse paraffin model dial-up...
Mike you should page down in my posts a bit - I replied to your Cheetahs gold inlay request... Will probably lose connection again soon. Have a great day - I see my "hallo" shout is also not showing in the shout box?
Oh be sure, Mike. As soon as I know I'll be getting away a few days I'll be shouting at you to get permit ready! Long overdue visit I'd say.
I knew that...... wouldn't let me post d u c k in the word game. lets see if we can post luck, muck, buck, puck, ruck, suck and tuck.
okey dokey all the other...... uck words work. So can't be mistaking d u c k for the "F" word.
Maybe the "d u c k" is too scared of all the cat1.gif cat3 catmusic 16_1_231 and a few trex-073 and a lost Cheetah on the site?
Oi! Get back to farming your weed Doc!
image19
Well, my idyllic life here in the "platteland" came crashing down last week. Like they say - it only takes one moron to spoil the party... in this case two morons.
Last Tuesday I walked home to the plot from the practice for lunch. As I opened my gate, I saw my TV sitting on the lawn, but I knew it wasn't catching a tan... two drunk burglars ransacked my place. Got away with my DVD-player and laptop!!!! Other things were recovered from the neighbor's vineyards. They were caught within 2 hours (the advantage of a small town... only so many people) and will appear in court this week, but unfortunately my laptop still missing, "they cant remember under which grass they buried it"... yeah right....!
Well, Dad's visiting at the moment, and together we are securing the fences - I'm getting two vicious dogs by the weekend. One is a mixed breed, but very good watch-dog we gave to somebody 3 years ago (coming home), the other has looks that would scare any intruder away - she's a "hairless African Sand dog".
Oh, and I caught a nice big "Nag-adder" (snake) on the plot this week-end. I put it in a huge bottle, and my Dad showed it to about 10 of the vineyard workers next door, who undoubtedly will tell all their neighbors. Oh, did I mention that I told them that we're going to let the snake loose in the house during the day when I'm not there....?
Should do the trick....
But.... still very happy I made the move.
If I'm a bit quiet.... remember... I dont have computer at home anymore!
Ja Bertie , not nice ... the laptop .. one of the reasons I got a laptop apartfrom its portability is the fact that one can pack it up and hide it .. I have a hidey hole in my home , if I am planning to leave for any period of time more than half hour I pack up my laptop and stash it in hidey hole ... most burglars will grab the obvious that they can get hands on and try get out as soon as possible , that unless they silly dronk and decide to stay behind and party from the liquor cabinet .. like happened to a friend of mine who stays in G bay .. they found the burglars pased out on the floor with their piled up loot .. ha ha .....
Yes Sandy, I will definitely look at a hidey hole for mine as well as soon as I get new laptop (which wont be soon, though)... oh and the snake's cage will be on top of the hidey hole!!!!
Re drunk burglars, Sandy, that's why these two burglars on my plot were caught so quickly as well - they drank my wine just down the road at the river (and ate my cheese they stole from the fridge, and my sweets bottle was emptied for snacks....) - that's where they were caught - at the river, drinking my wine....
Hey, not to worry - they have no class...... why?... they didn't drink my Oranjemund reunion plonk Mike & family gave me.... I got it back!!! image061
Mm methinks Mikes gonna get you for that plonk comment ... here he comes duck ... Birdie
Now we all know where Bertie's hidey hole is ... just follow the snake ... catmusic
@ Sandy - Oops, I might have phrased it wrong - what I meant was that they were very stupid, not drinking the classy stuff, like the Oranjemund plonk (which is the most classy wine in my cupboard, no doubt ...) woo_hoo
@ Pat - I'll just have to get a few more snake cages, hey, so you wont know which one is the real hidey place.... secret(1)
Don't worry Bertie, there's no way in hell I'm going to come to your place whether there's one snake or more ... cat1.gif
Well, still struggling without computer at home, so I have to pop on line few seconds at a time at work, we only have 2G reception here. Maybe Father Xmas will bring me a new computer including better wireless connection a bit early this year... am I greedy?
No not greedy Bertie ,, more like NEEDY of a new PC and decent connection ...
Breedenet
Common Name: Breedenet
Formal Name: Breedenet CC
Joined WAPA: 2006
Network Coverage:
Western Cape: Worcester, Dedoorns, Rawsonville, Slanghoek, Breërivier, Wolseley, Tulbagh, Witsenberg, Ceres, Robertson, Eilandia, LeChasseur, McGregor, Bonnievale, Ashton, Montagu, Koo, Keisie, Stettyn, Villiersdorp, Vyeboom, Grabouw, Touwsrivier.
Coverage Map http://breede.co.za/coverage/breedenetcoveragemap.gif
Eastern Cape & Freestate: Aliwal North, Lady Grey, Jamestown, Dordrecht, Rouxville, Burgersdorp, Steynburg, Molteno
Coverage Map http://breede.co.za/coverage/nokwicoveragemap.png
Hi Mike, thanx for info - I sent you PM about Breedenet which I already checked out.
@ Sandy - ya, needy and frustrated... cheers
Hey! Careful with the Oranjemund Plonk...... it's actually a Nederburg something or other.....
Er Uhm Bertie ,,, be dareful to define the needy and frustrated bit .. some folk who dont know you balanced and well adjusted being . might think otherwise .. hammer ,, thats my reward for otherwise mischevious thinking ... Birdie
image201 bravo SANDY!!!
Didn't see that one.... Let me define... NEEDY for better and good internet connection, FRUSTRATED with what I'm using at the moment (uh-hum... internet connection, that is...), and the bastards who stole my laptop making my life more complicated...
Also... insurance wont pay... laptop still listed under house contents of previous address, which by-the-way is still also my one address, house not sold yet. What's the point? Isn't a laptop supposed to be taken where-ever you go?????
Otherwise Sandy, yup, let's say still balanced and relatively well adjusted in other departments, he-he...
Starting to stress out a bit regarding studies.... yes I'm writing the compounding and dispensing license exams on 29 May in Pretoria, and I haven't even received the books yet... there was problem (red tape $#%$#%) between department of health and University of Pretoria. Apparently they posted the books on Tuesday (I paid for the course end of last year already!!! Fortunately the exam was moved from April to May. Hope it's not too much work to study???
Bertie ,, fact of life insurance is a necessary evil , but yes they always look for ways out ... firstly take them to task ... the minute you said you had a laptop they should have put it under ALL RISKS with the appropriate premium ... as its portable unlike a standard PC ... address has got squat to do with it ,,, in my opinion its an underwriting error on their part ... another lesson ... the minute you change anything inform the barstards ,, like your address ,,, I plague my insurers with any little change all the time ,, then they have no excuse that i have not taken due dilgence .. as it all shows on the records ... Aagh ,, they make me want to projectile puke ... fight the buggers and if you need advice ask this older fighter .. helped a few folk through such shyyyt....
Thanx Sandy, will scream your way if I need to expand my lonesome army! I know you'll be perfect for the job!! Just dont have the time and energy for unnecessary #^^$^% like this. Enough work to do, address changes, etc with medical aids, service providers, etc, etc, etc...
you rock
Insurance companies are leeches.... but you need them.... I think the crux is the fact that the insurance system is abused by certain people, milked if you will.... I know a number of people that "cash" in on the system........ yet all us honest joe's pay for it.....
BoomSmilie_anim
I also disliked insurence policies but was very happy after buying my Polo ,had the heart attack then found out i could claim under dread disease and then they paid 96k and the car was mine fully paid. I dont recommend going that route to get a free car, hahaha.
@Chris, that is a fair score.... it's the bastards that make their cars "go Away"... and then claim... that irks me... or the pratt... who's TV blew a fuse and then claims for a big flat screen...
23_146_26
Time I start posting a few photo's of my herbs and life here in Bonnievale, since I have better internet connection now....
Photo of my Echinaceas (purple cone flowers). I will definitely have enough seed this year to get quite a plantation going!
2nd one of my boy Tigger posing at my Chaste tree (Vitex). It was only 15cm high 4 months ago - grew a whole meter in just this short time! It must be loving the soil.
notfair
Yes agreed with you all on the insurance company's they are evil necessity's...... I did read somewhere they reject something like 90% of all claims and its up to the claimant to pursue the matter so Bertie go ahead and claim for your laptop, over here everything has to be insured, the new one out in the last few years is funeral expenses, and they blow them out to thousands of dollars its going to cost you scaring people into taken out the insurance.
Well, Sandy said that if they pass this way again, they might just pop in.... and it happened! Wow, it was great! Sandy, Cherry and Paul surprised me here in Bonnievale today... first stopped at the practice, and then we went to the plot and enjoyed a glass of wine, chatting away....
THANK YOU guys, it was really great seeing you. I can just kick myself that I didn't take any photo's - me fool!!!
Oh and Sandy apparently doesn't believe in slave labor, so I'll probably have to do the weeding and dam cleaning myself in the end...
Hope you guys have a safe journey home, and I promise I'll be a bit more organized next time and treat you to a proper lunch (after your hard work on the land.... he-he).
36_1_711
you rock
well yes it was a good day ,, we should have left earlier in the morning , but yes time does its thing .. we arrived safely cocooned in the blue jewell ably piloted by me ,, stopped off in Robertson to look at a highly overpriced antique store ... then on to Bonnievale ,, got a tour of Berties practice and then on to the smallholding , good beginning it is with the growing and the herbal store going on and as I said to Bertie with time passion and hard honest work it will become something good and sustainable ... anyhow instead of us taking Bertie out to lunch as I had a plan ,, His Mom was staying for the week and he said he had made a lasagne ... so thanks for the hospitality Bertie .. anytime in CT you know where you can stay , anyhow our trip back was uneventful excepting the huge traffic jam just past Klapmuts turnoff we doubled back and took the Wellington road and did the back route to Durbanville added a few Kilometers but far better than the murder of being caught in an hour long traffic jam ... Cherry another trip sometime ?? this time earlier in the morning ???
@Bertie - thank you again; company on the trip, you and your mom and back again was lovely - very relaxing. Sandyb you are a honey as always - thanks for getting me there and back. I am always happy to get my hands dirty in a garden so not so much a slave to help Bertie as a willing helper to learn from you! Of course, Sandyb would love to take a trip out there with you and the Paul.
ps: Books printed out and in the post in the morning to you (forgot the envelope in Sandy's car - duh!)
Mmm see the avatar still has blonde hair ... that explains it all ... but then again me forgot till reminded after SMS in the morning ... ha ha .......
Ya Sandy, that's why it took me a while to see who got out of the car with you, definitely not the same blonde I know from the avatar...
Thanx Cherry, in case you need postal address: P.O. Box 454, Bonnievale, 6730.
Oh and Sandy checked your feet on the way back - he said there was no extreme braking on the floorboard by his passenger, so he must have been piloting the blue jewel quite responsibly, or was it the glass of Shiraz and fresh air on the plot, having a good calming effect...?
PS: I'm going to harvest the "wild" spinach on the dam wall after work today... guess what I'm having tonight...
Hey bertie, you really are enjoying this country lifestyle then? No regrets yet?
are-you-there
Absolutely NO regrets, Mike. Like Sandy said, it will take time to get everything settled and the way I want it to be, but hard work and perseverance will prevail.
Still struggling to sell my property in Kuilsrivier, so at the moment turning every penny, not easy, but I'm working hard to get out the other side... alive....
But life in the platteland - excellent!
I'm happy - that's probably all that counts...
@ Sandy - cheeky bugger!
Bertie, must have been the Shiraz (can't let Sandy get away with the blonde comment!); sent envelope speed post yesterday morning so hopefully you'll get it quickly. How was the spinach?
The spinach was lovely! Only cooked half of it (filled 2 shopping bags with the leaves from just that one plant)! To think that a wild, self-seeded veggie on top of a dam wall can turn out to be a perfect meal! Wonder how it got there in the first place...
bravo
PS: Cherry, thanx for all the trouble with the books - will go check at the post office! You're a star!
msn emoticon (17)
Quite an eventful evening on the plot. Just when I thought I'll sit down a bit and watch the Bulls-Sharks game on telly, in comes Tigger (my boy cat) with a mouse almost half it's size - looks like a hamster... and it GROWLS when cornered! Barely 20 minutes later, it was mister skunk, right on my stoep, and my cats really didn't like the look of this black-and-white striped funny-looking cat-dog!!!!
Ah, life in the platteland...
16_1_231
Two weeks to go, then Mom and Dad will be joining me on the plot permanently! Their house has been sold in Malmesbury. Great stuff - I can chain the old people to the poles in the tunnel so they can weed and dig and so forth while I'm at work... will remove chains after work. Wow, a lot less work for me....
It's going to be great having them here in Bonnievale. They're also looking forward to it. They both enjoy gardening so much - now they have the space to do whatever they want! And a lot of space for Dad's birds - the first birds coming through this weekend, temporary cages already put up.
Now if only somebody would buy my house in Kuilsrivier so I can start living... properly!!!! Since the estate agents couldn't do anything in the last year, I have now also asked auctioneers to see if they can get my price - house going on auction on 23rd November. We have put a reserve on the house, so I don't have to accept any offer that I'm not happy with. But then again, my asking price is well below its value, so according to the auctioneers (Buchinsky) they should be able to swing it! Please hold thumbs!!!
Glad to hear that your parents have at last sold their Malmesbury house and are moving to be with you in Bonnievale, I don't think they will be too happy about their working situation though, I hope you are going to leave them some water and bread.........
Best of luck with your house in Kuils Rivier and hope that all goes well and you get well above your reserve price
Oi! Mike, you can't talk, when you getting up here, you got a lot of gardening to do in Omund....
image201
Great news Bertie ,, now for your house to be sold and then its plain sailing ... your hard work , sacrifice , trust in your ability and altruistic attitude in that you can make a difference will indeed pay off ... Sandy drinking-41
Thanx guys. Yes I do hope everything will be settled soon. The stress has been killing me. If it wasn't for the tranquility of this beautiful piece of our globe, I don't know...
I do believe that I will be able to LIVE like its meant to be, soon....
Mike A, so long as you keep me supplied in Windhoek Draught.....
That's it Bertie, keep your Faith and all will work out better than you thought. There are good things coming your way!!!!!