For the newest member of the board, farming is a ‘back to her roots’ experience
Adelé Bain was born in Port Elizabeth but grew up on a farm in Bathurst.
“I went to Bathurst Primary, a truly rural farm school with only 19 scholars from Sub A to Standard 5, and then to Port Alfred High School,” she says.
“My father was a dairy farmer in Bathurst. Then he worked for the Bathurst Agricultural Experimental Farm or ‘proefplaas’, as they called it.”
Before moving to the Gamtoos Valley nine years ago, Adelé owned a trucking company in Gauteng. Her dream was to return to her farming roots, however, especially as a mom of two beautiful boys. She preferred country life to city living.
“I purchased the farm known as Vaalkranz at the end of the water scheme, from Dr Martin Kift. The farm receives water as part of the lower feed of the Gamtoos irrigation scheme, opposite Mondplaas. My neighbour, Mr George van Niekerk, is the last user on our pipeline supply.”
Adelé says:“We are avid dairy farmers and we own a registered Holstein herd. I think I am the only owner of black and white cows in our valley.
“I am very fortunate to be a milk producer for Woodlands Dairy. They offered us as dairy farmers a valuable initiative many years ago called ‘trace and save’. This initiative ensures soil health, and involves ‘no tillage’, crop selection for drought/water resistance, and animal welfare. We have collaborated with Woodlands Dairy for the past nine years.
“Water conservation practices promoting water reuse, also known as ‘fit-for- purpose’ water, are becoming increasingly important for both potable and non-potable water. Woodlands Dairy has really offered us huge value in terms of knowledge of sustainable dairy practices.”
When asked what makes her perservere as a farmer despite the drought and the punitive water restrictions, Adelé says immediately, “My infallible faith in my God, who always takes care of us and who delivers on His promises.”
She laughs and adds, “I also have an ever-optimistic personality. I know that the sun will always shine and that opportunity knocks every day; we just need to be attuned to it. I love the fact that I have been privileged to be granted a chance to farm. I know that happiness is infectious and I have a formidable staff who show up every day, 24/7. Together we have adopted an attitude of being the ‘happy virus’ and we find laughter in what we do, even when times are tough.”
What issues in the community lie closest to her heart? “Women, children and the elderly.” Adelé believes that “gender bias is undermining our social fabric and it devalues all of us.
“It’s not just a human rights issue; it is a tremendous waste of the world’s potential. By denying women equal rights, we deny half of the population a chance to live fully. Political, economic and social equality for women will benefit all of the world’s citizens. Together we can eradicate prejudice and work for equal rights and respect for all.
“As a woman and a farmer in a male-dominated industry, I feel that women should be empowered and supported much more in the agricultural sector. Our natural instinct is to nurture and care, which is what every plant and animal in agriculture requires. We, therefore, have an inbred heart for the sector. I would love to be able to influence more women in the community to become change makers of their future as they seek to create an impact that will affect the lives of generations to come.”
In closing, Adelé remarked, “I recently learned that I am the first woman member of the board of GIB. I am very proud of this and I hope to find female mentors and leaders in positions of authority from whom I can continue to learn. Together with my fellow board members, I hope and intend to give back to the community, and to serve with a caring heart.”
Vir die nuutste lid van die raad is boerdery ‘n ervaring wat teruggaan na haar wortels
Adelé Bain is in Port Elizabeth gebore, maar het op ‘n plaas in Bathurst grootgeword.
“Ek het na Bathurst Primêr gegaan, ‘n ware landelike plaasskool met slegs 19 leerders van Sub A tot Standard 5, en toe na Port Alfred Hoërskool,” sê sy. “My pa was ‘n melkboer in Bathurst. Daarna het hy vir die Bathurst Landbou-eksperimentele plaas, of ‘proefplaas’ soos dit genoem is, gewerk.”
Voordat sy nege jaar gelede na die Gamtoosvallei verhuis het, het Adelé ‘n vragmotor-maatskappy in Gauteng besit. Haar droom was egter om terug te keer na haar boerderywortels, veral as ‘n ma van twee pragtige seuns. Sy verkies plattelandse lewe bo stadslewe.
“Ek het die plaas genaamd Vaalkranz gekoop aan die einde van die watervoorsieningstelsel van Dr. Martin Kift. Die plaas ontvang water as deel van die laer voeding van die Gamtoos-besproeiingstelsel, teenoor Mondplaas. My buurman, Mnr. George van Niekerk, is die laaste gebruiker op ons pyplynvoorsiening.”
Adelé sê: “Ons is ywerige melkboere en ons besit ‘n geregistreerde Holstein-kudde. Ek dink ek is die enigste eienaar van swart en wit koeie in ons vallei.
“Ek is baie bevoorreg om ‘n melkprodusent vir Woodlands Dairy te wees. Hulle het ons as melkboere jare gelede ‘n waardevolle inisiatief genaamd ‘trace and save’ aangebied. Hierdie inisiatief verseker grondgesondheid, en behels geen bewerking nie, gewasskikking vir droogte-/watervastheid en dierewelsyn. “Waterbewaringspraktyke wat waterhergebruik bevorder, ook bekend as ‘geskik-vir-doeleindes’ water, word toenemend belangrik vir drinkbare en nie-drinkbare water. Woodlands Dairy het ons werklik groot waarde gebied in terme van kennis van volhoubare melkpraktyke.” Ons werk al die afgelope nege jaar saam met Woodlands Dairy.
Toe gevra word wat haar laat volhard as ‘n boer te midde van die droogte en die streng waterbeperkings, sê Adelé onmiddellik: “My onfeilbare geloof in my God, wat altyd vir ons sorg en sy beloftes gestand doen.”
Sy lag en voeg by: “Ek het ook ‘n altyd-optimistiese persoonlikheid. Ek weet dat die son altyd sal skyn en dat geleenthede elke dag klop; ons moet net daarvoor oop wees. Ek is mal daaroor dat ek die voorreg gehad het om die kans te kry om te boer. Ek weet dat geluk aansteeklik is en ek het ‘n formidabele personeel wat elke dag, 24/7, opdaag. Saam het ons ‘n houding aangeneem om die ‘gelukkige virus’ te wees en ons vind vreugde in wat ons doen, selfs in moeilike tye.”
Watter sake in die gemeenskap lê die naaste aan haar hart? “Vroue, kinders en bejaardes.” Adelé glo dat “geslagsvooroordeling ons sosiale weefsel ondermyn en ons almal van waarde beroof.
“Dit is nie net ‘n menseregtekwessie nie; dit is ‘n geweldige mors van die wêreld se potensiaal. Deur vroue gelyke regte te ontken, ontneem ons die helfte van die bevolking die kans om ten volle te leef. Politieke, ekonomiese en sosiale gelykheid vir vroue sal al die wêreld se burgers ten goede kom. Saam kan ons vooroordeel uitroei en werk vir gelyke regte en respek vir almal.
“As ‘n vrou en ‘n boer in ‘n mansgedomineerde bedryf, voel ek dat vroue veel meer bemagtig en ondersteun moet word in die landbousektor. Ons natuurlike instink is om te versorg en te sorg, en dit is wat elke plant en dier in die landbou vereis. Ons het dus ‘n ingeënte hart vir die sektor. Ek sal graag meer vroue in die gemeenskap wil beïnvloed om veranderingsmakers van hul eie toekoms te word, aangesien hulle ‘n impak wil hê wat die lewens van generasies sal raak.”
By wyse van afsluiting sê Adelé: “Ek het onlangs geleer dat ek die eerste vroulike lid van die GBR-raad is. Ek is baie trots daarop en ek hoop om vroulike mentors en leiers in posisies van gesag te vind van wie ek kan bly leer. Saam met my mede-raadslede hoop en beoog ek om terug te gee aan die gemeenskap en om met ‘n sorgsame hart te dien.”