Marrying the old with the new: a young farmer's perspective

The roots of the Battenhausen family in the Upper Karoo are as deep and meaningful as their family tree. For six generations, they have farmed sheep near Philipstown, and their contribution to the community is well known. Today, it is up to Carl Battenhausen to walk in the footsteps of those who came before him and continue building his family’s legacy.

- Nichelle Steyn

Carl Battenhausen says that although his family will never leave the wool industry, his aim is to diversify their portfolio. Currently, their Merino sheep herd is 3 200 ewes strong. Battenhausen’s passion for sheep is undeniable. In 2023, he claimed the well-deserved laurels for the best young ewe in the BKB Jongooi Interclub competition. The family also runs a small beef cattle herd.

But passion alone will not keep the boat afloat. Thus, Battenhausen ventured into the game industry.

To enter the trophy hunting business, his plan was to breed a variety of plains game species so that he could offer hunting tourists a stellar line-up. He focused on breeding a variety of colours of the most popular antelope.

‘MY MAIN FUNCTION AS A FARMER IS TO PLAN AND DELEGATE’

“We offer hunters a grand slam package, which means there are about four colours of each antelope species available on the farm. For instance, if they buy the springbok grand slam, they will be able to hunt the springbok in its four most popular colours, namely white, black, copper, and common. Hunters love this deal,” he adds.

Battenhausen says the tourists gladly donate the meat from the game they hunt to the local community. “It gives them the feeling that they are investing back into the community, and it is important to them to do that,” he says.

The game section of the farm has become a lucrative enterprise, and as the business grows, Battenhausen’s dreams grow with it. He is excited about the next step.

“We're busy planning the building of a luxury lodge on our farm,” he says.