Delicious. A special quality of timeless grace and the silent poetic memories of a bygone era. This was our experience on the beautiful Tortoise Back Farm (TBF) owned by the most gracious and warm Brett Bard.
Brett has owned and energized the farm with his special touch and green fingers for the past nine years. Along with help from David, the grounds man, Brett has created a place of abundance and fertility where before was over grazed and infertile earth. He has done this organically, using nil harmful pesticides or depreciating fertilizers and simply adding back into the ground with all the compost and horse manure and tender care that goes hand in hand with organic gardening. This is no small operation for two men, and it has been a labour of love and has taken not just physical energy but mental and emotional energy too, as organic farming is little understood and even less supported where old commercial farms still control majority farm land.
The farm lies in the Prince Albert Valley, a short distance from the spectacular Swartberg pass and about forty kilometers from Prince Albert. The valley is steeped in history and still breathes a sigh of a silent land that has been disturbed. We have witnessed a rebirth of earth on TBF and a preservation of the serene nature of the Karoo through the healing organic practices adopted here.
Brett "The Vet" is a heroic figure amongst the people of Prince Albert. Selflessly giving in order to come to the aid of any distressed or ill animal, he constantly gave of himself unto the community at large and was always available to assist projects and campaign in aid of creating more harmony and awareness of animal welfare. Brett is also an accomplished wordsmith and spokes person for Compassionable Farming, which aims to alleviate the suffering of cruelty and abuse to farm animals. The education we received on his farm was immense, and we hope to help spread awareness about the horrific conditions most farm animals are keep under. We also were enveloped in Brett amazing flair for food, his extraordinary taste in interiors, and his appreciation for fine music. Brett is a vegan and has inspired us to follow this path as far as possible. There is so many possibilities available to those of us wanting to heal our minds and bodies, for any of us wishing to cause less violence and cruelty on the planet and really it is just a matter of being informed. I think if half the people I knew realized what they were ingesting in the meats and dairies with all the hormones, antibiotics, steroids they pump in all the cows, pigs, chicken they would think twice before feeding it to their much loved children and themselves. The thing is most people just don’t want to know because they think that what they eat does not effect them, and it does enormously. We have seen the rise in cancers not only effecting the old but young, diabetes, obesity, depression, neurosis, lack of energy, hair loss, heart problems, cholesterol the list is endless! What we eat becomes part of who we are, to think that the fuel we put in our bodies has nothing to do with the way our minds and bodies function is absurd and the effects have long been hidden to the public because the money makers at the top of the massive agriculture industry would crumple if all the people out there woke up to what they are supporting due to what they were eating. You know what I mean, you see these sick people, people you love, maybe even yourself, you can feel it’s not right, so please don’t be blind be kind to yourself.
This is just the beginning and there is so much more to share. This is just a taste of where and what we are experiencing on our agriculture spiritual trans south African journey of awareness… ha ha. Enjoy the few pics I have put up, there are some of our new addition to the family, a young wolf hound named Baloo. Other pictures include Brett and his beautiful farm, the Prince Albert Market, and some of the incredible produce from Tortoise Back Farm and plenty of Justin hard at work, hand deep in the delicious soil.
Bless you all, love light and abundance
