The simple life of the Voortrekker, the pioneer Boer, is not one of luxury. It is made from toil and reward for the work of our hands in the soil. Till the soil, plant, steward and reap what we have sown, and give thanks to God. This is a biblical lifestyle.
There is no money left over to waste so that means that all skins of a carcass, all parts of a plant, all leftover harvests must be reserved, repurposed and / or reused at a later date. This is how our beloved leather shoes were born – called Veldskoen (field shoes) – they are hand made from the hide of a cow or buck
Chair seats are made from strips of dried and cured animal skin – called riempe – which are woven. My father’s baby cot was made of riempie.
Children are not spoiled with material things – they play in nature and learn to farm and grow.
This heritage enhances and consolidates our traditions and the idea of the food pantry on a farm. Preserving what can be preserved, such as meat in biltong (strips of sirloin, with salt and pepper and cracked coriander, hung and dried), and for those of us with glass bottles and lids, making fruit jams and vegetable pickles.
My Ouma was taken out of school at 16 years old to help her mother run the home. Not long after that she met my grandfather, who was a simple farm labourer. The two of them married and lived in a tent while he saved money working as a farm hand.
Home-preparation is my antidote to the fast, convenience packaging, branded and status-driven food consumerism that assault us from the internet and supermarket shelves. Today I ordered a sourdough starter so that I can start baking my own sourdough bread in my coal stove.
I choose to live A Simple Life, aspiring to a Proverbs 31 Life –
This is a woman who fears the Lord, and seeks wool and flax and works with willing hands. With the fruits of her hands she plants a vineyard. She dresses herself in strength and makes her arms strong. She perceives that her merchandise is profitable and her lamp does not go out at night. She opens her heart to the poor and reaches out to the needy…