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DS KOOS KIRSTEN
WOORD
Uit die
w
anneer Kersfees nader kom, weet die produsente
in die somersaaigebied dat planttyd einde se kant
toe staan. Te midde van al die onsekerhede wat
met boerdery gepaard gaan, is daar 'n paar goed
wat vasstaan. Tyd staan nie stil nie en die seisoene
kom en gaan. Só was dit van die begin af en só sal dit wees tot en
met die wederkoms van ons Here Jesus Christus. So kom en gaan
Kersfees ook.
Net so seker as wat Christus se eerste koms is, net so seker sal sy
tweede koms wees. Ons leef nou in die tyd tussenin. Ons moet dus
seker maak dat ons gereed is om Hom te ontmoet wanneer Hy weer
kom. Ons kan begin deur Kersfees reg te vier. Ons moet ons nie tot so
‘n mate laat verlei deur die wêreld met al sy klatergoud en blinkers,
dat ons vergeet waaroor Kersfees nou eintlik gaan nie.
Kersfees gaan beslis nie oor mooi geskenke of lekker eet en drink en
gesellig wees nie. Wie by hierdie goed vassteek, vergeet die waarde
van die grootste geskenk wat ons as gelowiges van ons Hemelse
Vader ontvang het, naamlik die vergifnis van ons sondes en die
ewige lewe. Die Vader het uit die goedheid van sy hart sy eie Seun as
offer gegee om vir ons sondes en oortredinge te betaal (Hebr 10:28).
Kersfees gaan ook nie net oor die Babatjie wat in Bethlehem gebore
is, wat in doeke toegedraai en in 'n krip neergelê is nie. Hierdie
Babatjie het opgegroei en groot geword en is uiteindelik aan die kruis
vasgespyker ter wille van ons en ons saligheid. Wat in Bethlehem
begin het, het op Golgota uitgeloop.
As jy dan Kersfees vier – óf dit op die plaas is saam met jou gesin
of familie, óf daar waar julle vakansie hou, óf by vriende – moenie
by geskenke, eet en drink en gesellig wees, vassteek nie. Gaan verder
en rig jou hart en gedagtes op Christus en die rede waarom Hy in
die wêreld gebore is. Laat Christus die rede vir jou feesviering wees.
Baie geluk aan
David Motswapuleng van
Klerksdorp wat vir die
September-uitgawe van
SA Graan/Grain
die gratis
Bybel gewen het.
An internal investigative year
t
he year is on its back. 2015 will certainly go down in the
annals as one of the driest years ever. It was dry in the north
and in the south. It is the year during which so many pre-
dicted that land reform would find direction, to reduce the
uncertainties in agriculture. This did not happen. Quite a
humbling experience for those of us who predicted it.
It was a year during which the deterioration of our economy made
all of us concerned and which lead to protest actions all over the
country. The levels of corruption have definitely reached an all-time
high! We could not reach the finals of the Rugby World Cup – despite
all the producers who were there to support our team. This is not
how one wants to refer to your country.
The disturbing tendency of increasing food imports surely is not
something we as agriculturalists want to see or hear. More and more
threats of government intervention in agriculture keep us awake at
night. When are the people going to learn? Africa with all its inter-
vention from government’s side in agriculture is the only part of the
world which experiences constant food insecurity and food short-
ages. It so very nearly was, in many respects, an internal investiga-
tive year for agriculture.
Each producer first had to get his own house in order and overcome
the drought. We have also progressed very well in renewing the in-
ternal structures in organised agriculture. There is new blood in the
leadership team of Agri SA, who are ready to face the new dispen-
sation with new plans. Grain SA has also spent quite some time on
our funding and budgets. If you take a beating like the one in the
past year, it is normally done in silence.
One such a beating that did not happen in silence was in my
Standard 3 (Grade 5) year. The dispirited Miss Joubert sent all the
naughty children, under supervision of the class captain, to the
office of the Headmaster. Mr Barnard, or ´Plos´ as we called him,
was not in a good mood and gave everyone a hiding! Even the clever,
well behaved and obedient Hennie got a hiding. He was not quiet
about this when all of them returned deathly quiet and very well
behaved to the class.
In such quietude it is once again time to sharpen the pencils and
ensure that there is no unnecessary fat in the budget and no un-
necessary costs in the production inputs. Silence is also a good time
to review the whole farm unit’s sustainability. According to our con-
servation tillage survey amongst Grain SA members it seems that
about 40% of our hectares are already being tilled in accordance
with one or the other conservation tillage plan. This is good progress
and a good counter measure against the drought.
The silence of a dry year creates much thinking time. Think about
the future, relationships and priorities. Let me once again assure
each member of Grain SA that we as staff members carry you in our
hearts. Not only when we do our work, but also when we, with you,
watch the clouds in silence and ask for rain.
“
The silence of a dry year
creates much thinking time.
Think about the future,
relationships and priorities.
“
5
December 2015