Doing It Their Way: A Unique Farm-To-Fork Nguni Operation

Johan and Danita de Swardt, who became farmers after retiring from corporate careers, ensure profitably by supplying value-added beef directly to their clients. Chris Nel visited them on their farm, Damplaas, near Paul Roux in the eastern Free State.

- Chris Nel

Both former professionals from Johannesburg, Johan and Danita de Swardt started farming part time in November 2011. Leasing grazing on a per-head basis, they established their Nguni herd of 85 animals, bought at Nguni stud sales in Bela-Bela, Mooi River and Springbokvlakte, on 2 000ha of the farm Langkloof near Vaalwater in the Waterberg.

But in August 2012, tragedy struck. The Waterberg is prime habitat for Dichapetalum cymosum (gifblaar), one of the first plants to put out fresh growth in spring. True to its name, a high level of potassium fluoroacetate in the young sprouts makes it highly toxic.

The losses were devastating. Of 85 cows and 72 calves, 12 in-calf cows and 19 calves died or had to be put down. Between 10 and 12 female animals aborted. Following this experience, a long search for more suitable land began, and in November 2013, the De Swardts relocated their remaining 73 cows and 53 calves to the farm Damplaas, 6km from Paul Roux in the Bethlehem district of the eastern Free State.

Johan took early retirement in the same month, took transfer of the farm in December 2013; Danita retired and joined him in May 2015.

FARMING AFTER RETIREMENT

“We chose how we wanted to spend our retirement from corporate life,” says Johan.

“We jokingly refer to our farm as our retirement village with only one unit,” Danita says. “We made a conscious lifestyle change and created a new type of business that keeps us going and challenged. We invested a portion of our retirement funds in the cattle, as our return on investment had to at least exceed the prime market rate.