SG Ferreira
SG Ferreira’s farm in Andrieskraal has been in the family for generations. His father, “Fanie Voete”, is a legend in the Gamtoos Valley and is still farming part time with SG. They farm with citrus, potatoes, dry maize and fodder. They also started their own citrus pack house last year (2016).
SG went to Nico Malan High School in Humansdorp and studied BCom with Agri economics at the University of Stellenbosch. After a course in farm mechanics at Bloemfontein Technical College, he started farming with his father 1995.
This year he and his wife Anel will be married for 14 years and they have twee children, Chrislie and Stephan. “A farmer cannot farm without a wife,” SG says. Anel is responsible for office work and pays wages for up to 100 workers.
SG is very satisfied with the GIBs management of this complex scheme. “The Board is always willing to help with problems and has a dynamic management style that does not stagnate. I am also impressed with the work teams’ attitude towards the farmers.”
Although he had dreams of becoming a pilot and working overseas, he is at his happiest on the farm where he can see results from good planning and management.
He is very positive about farming and enjoys farm life. “I love it to wake up in the morning and look out on the farm and see the natures’ splendour without sitting in an office whole day,” he says.
“Sustainability is important. A farmer must achieve a balance between nature and chemicals. Conservation farming where nature gets the chance to fix itself must be a priority.”
“If you live near nature, you see Gods Hand in everything. You realise how dependent you are on Him and how He blesses us.”
SG Ferreira se plaas op Andrieskraal is al geslagte lank in die familie. Sy pa, “Fanie Voete”, is ‘n bekende in die vallei en boer nog deeltyds saam met SG met sitrus, aartappels, droë mielies en voer. Hulle bedryf ook van verlede jaar (2016) af hul eie sitruspakhuis.
SG was in Hoërskool Nico Malan op Humansdorp en het na skool BCom met landbou ekonomie aan die Universiteit van Stellenbosch studeer. Na nog ‘n kursus in plaasmeganika by Bloemfontein se Tegniese Kollege, het hy in 1995 saam met sy pa begin boer.
SG en sy vrou, Anel, is die jaar al 14 jaar getroud en het twee kinders, Chrislie en Stephan. “‘n Boer kan nie sonder ‘n vrou boer nie,,” glimlag hy. Anel is in beheer van baie kantoorwerk asook die lone van oor die 100 werkers.
SG is baie tevrede met die Besproeiingsraad se bestuur van die fyn en komplekse skema. “Die raad is altyd bereid om te help met probleme en het ‘n dinamiese bestuurstyl wat nie stagneer nie. Ek is ook beïndruk met die werkspanne se gesindheid teenoor die boere.”
Al het hy drome gehad om ‘n vlieënier te word en oorsee te werk, is hy die gelukkigste op die plaas waar hy resultate kan sien van fyn beplanning en bestuur.
Hy is baie positief oor die boerdery en geniet die vryheid van die plaaslewe. “Die lekkerste vir my is om in die oggend op te staan en uit te kyk oor die plaas en die natuurskoon te bewonder. Ek sal nie heeldag in ‘n kantoor kan sit en werk nie,”sê hy.
“Volhoubaarheid is belangrik. ‘n Boer moet ‘n balans handhaaf tussen die natuur en chemiese produkte. Bewaringsboerdery waar die natuur toegelaat word om homself te herstel moet nagestreef word.”
“Om so na aan die natuur te leef, sien jy God se Hand in als. Jy besef net hoe afhanklik ons van Hom is en hoe ons daagliks geseën word.”