Jacques du Preez
Jacques du Preez grew up on a citrus farm in Andrieskraal, but it is here in Melon and Gamtoos where he discovered his love for soil.
He started leasing land in 1997 and started farming with mixed vegetables like sweet potato, carrots and chicory. In 2012 he bought land.
“Vegetable farming is very hard work and an intensive business. I enjoy it very much. To be totally dependent on the Lord and to see how He provides in big and small needs, makes farming an adventure,” he says.
After Jacques matriculated at Nico Malan High School in Humansdorp, he went to the army in Oudtshoorn and Bloemfontein. He then studied Farm management at the Port Elizabeth Technicon and started working with his brother with citrus in Andrieskraal for two years before he went on his own.
“With vegetable farming you can see growth much quicker. Rens Ferreira who farmed here for more than 50 years always said a vegetable farmer can only remember for four months…”
It is the health of soil that interests him the most. “I enjoy it to understand soil and the organisms in the soil. It is important to invest in the soil.”
Jacques and his wife, Charmaine, are married for 16 years and have three children. He says he loves it to share his love for farming with his eldest son, Benjamin (10). “We like to play games by challenging each other to estimate amounts and weights. He slowly gets the feeling for farming just like I did from my father.”
He says his positive outlook and determination comes from his father, Jacques. “He had a saying: ‘If I knew the Lord is coming tomorrow, I will still plant a tree today.’ Uncertainty must not be the determining factor. Virtues like loyalty and to stand with your beliefs are also what I learnt from him.”
Jacques Du Preez het grootgeword op ‘n sitrusplaas op Andrieskraal, maar dis hier op Melon en Gamtoos waar hy sy liefde vir grond ontdek het.
Hy het in 1997 hier begin grond huur en met gemengde groente boerdery soos patats, wortels en sigorei begin en kon in 2012 ‘n stuk grond koop.
“Groenteboerdery is baie harde werk en ‘n intensiewe besigheid. Ek geniet dit baie, eintlik te veel. Om in opregte afhanklikheid van die Here te wees en te sien hoe Hy voorsien in klein en groot behoeftes maak die boerdery ‘n avontuur,” sê hy.
Jacques was in Hoërskool Nico Malan op Humansdorp. Daarna Weermag toe in Oudtshoorn en Bloemfontein en toe het hy Landboubestuur aan die Port Elizabeth Technikon studeer. Na twee jaar wat hy saam met sy broer, Johan, op Andrieskraal met sitrus geboer het, het hy sy eie ding begin.
“Om met groente te boer sien jy vinniger groei as met sitrusbome. Oom Rens Ferreira wat omtrent 50 jaar hier geboer het, het gesê ‘n groenteboer onthou net vier maande…”
Maar dis grondgesondheid wat hom die meeste interesseer. “Ek hou daarvan om grond te verstaan en die organismes in die grond te verstaan. Dit is vir my belangrik om te investeer in die grond.”
Hy en sy vrou Charmaine is al 16 jaar getroud en het drie kinders. Jacques se hy geniet dit om sy liefde vir die boerdery te deel met sy seun, Benjamin wat nou 10 jaar oud is. “Ons geniet dit om saam planne te maak en skattings en bewerkings te doen. Hy leer ook stadig ‘n gevoel van boerdery soos wat ek gekry het by my pa.”
Jacques sê hy het sy positiwiteit en uithouvermoë by sy pa, Jacques geleer. “My pa het gesê: “As ek weet die Here kom my môre haal, plant ek vandag nog ‘n boom”. Onsekerheid moet nie die bepalende faktor wees nie. Lojaliteit, standvastigheid en om by jou standpunt te staan is ook deugde wat ek by my pa geleer het.”