Easter with Shepherd and the Eggs of Limpopo

Home Page: Willmore Adventures in South Africa

Hello Everyone and welcome to another instalment of our family adventures in South Africa. With Easter fast approaching it seems only fitting to delve back into the world of Shepherd our gardener and to visit his chicken farm in the rural province of Limpopo. An expansion of the farm to include a coup of egg laying chickens has been this year’s success story. So, it’s eggs at Easter here for Shepherd and his young family. 

Let us refresh ourselves on Shepherd’s story, discover more about his family and the common problems that face South Africans, and follow them on this eggtraordinary adventure. 

Shepherd

We first met Shepherd back in 2018 when we moved out to South Africa from the UK. He was the gardener of our rental property, and we got to know him over lunch every week as we learnt about South Africa through his stories growing up in this beautiful land. Shepherd’s wife, Rebecca, passed away in 2019 after a very brief battle with cancer leaving behind five children, two of whom were still at school. It was a really difficult time for him and for his children who were now left to live on their own in their rural homeland of Limpopo whilst Shepherd continued to work in the city of Johannesburg. Shortly after, Laurence and I discovered that Shepherd and Rebecca had had a dream to run a chicken farm, which due to financial reasons had never come to fruition. So, with a desire to see Shepherd’s family recover from the tragedy of Rebecca’s death, and to see him rise out of poverty and realise his dream, we hatched a plan which resulted in the creation of ‘Shepherd and Rebecca’s Chicken Farm’ back in January 2020. It was such an exciting time, and it was also a step closer to Shepherd being able to return home and retire with a sustainable income. 

The first ever batch of meat chickens on
Shepherd and Rebecca's Chicken Farm back in 2020

After a year of Shepherd’s family running the farm on their property in Limpopo, it became apparent that a second form of income would be needed. A batch of chickens had all fallen ill and died, leaving the family without an income for that month. Shepherd decided that he needed to broaden his horizons so that he wasn’t completely reliant on chickens for their meat. Eggs was the solution, and so Christmas 2020 saw Shepherd and his family build a coup for some egg laying chickens. Phase 2 of the farm was complete, and we just needed to wait for the chickens. It wasn’t until a whole year later when Shepherd was home for Christmas in 2021, that he had the time to rear 30 chicks and establish the egg laying side of the business. As January 2022 started and Shepherd once again returned to Jo’burg for his work as a gardener, we waited with anticipation to hear if the egg layers were a laying… The end of January and the first few weeks of February passed, and still there was no news of eggs from Limpopo. The cost of feeding the chickens was eating into the only bit of money Shepherd had, and that was meant to pay for food for his family in Limpopo and himself in Jo’burg. We researched ways to improve the environment for the chickens, and Shepherd had boxes added for the chickens to lay eggs in, and branches in the coup for perching. Shepherd then decided that the chickens would need more food in order to have the energy to lay, so with a final outlay of money to buy more feed, we waited again for the prized eggs. Towards the end of February, Shepherd was rewarded with his efforts…the chickens started to lay, he finally had eggs! It took a few weeks before the chickens were laying like clockwork, and food was increased yet again as they started to eat their own eggs, but as of the end of March 2022, the chickens were laying enough eggs to cover their own feed, and even some extra for profit. 

The arrival of the egg laying chickens, Christmas 2021

Eggs, eggs, eggs!

We are so happy for Shepherd and his family with what they have achieved over the last few years. Our weekly lunches continue three and a half years on from when we first met, and our understanding and appreciation of Shepherd’s life deepens every time. Here is a little insight into the family he holds so dear… 

Shepherd with his mom, Muofhe, who at 83 still
sleeps on the floor every night without a mattress. 

Phindulo (Pretty) , the first born at 29
and a teacher in Limpopo

Pfarelo, the second born who looks after
the family and manages the meat chickens
with the third born, Thabelo (Kingsley).

Shepherd and the two youngest boys, Mutikedzi and
Rikundele during the initial build back in 2020. 

Shepherd, like many South Africans, has suffered immeasurable loss in his life. As a child he lost his twin brother to something that was no doubt curable, and as an adult, he lost his older brother, Ayhashoni, to a vengeful poisoning at work, and who died in his arms. He also lost his younger brother, Tshimangadzo, who just disappeared one day. Someone disappearing is apparently quite common out here, as body parts are requested and used by witch doctors to make medicine known as ‘muthi’. The country is so vast and the practice so widespread that the police haven't the means to investigate. As a result of these significant events in his life, Shepherd tries to protect and support his family in any way that he can. Phase 1 of the chicken farm with the meat chickens gave his older children, Phindulo and Thabelo, a job and a purpose when unemployment is so high in South Africa, and Phase 2 with the egg laying chickens has given his nephew, Humbulani, who is disabled and unable to find work, a job and a purpose too. Humbulani, sells the eggs from Shepherd’s home, and if he has any left over at the end of the week, boils them and takes them down to the local football ground to sell as snacks to the supporters. Retirement for Shepherd moves ever closer and ever more possible as he nears 60. We hope when it comes, it will be an exciting and not a stressful time for him.

Shepherd's nephew, Humbulani.

For the Willmore Family, these past few months have been extremely busy. School and school trips for the children (Amelie is currently surfing with her class mates in Durban), and work and more work for the adults. I have said goodbye to my volunteering with the French organisation, Creche Gabrielle, that I worked at once a week for a year. I will now start back up at The Riversands Primary School in the township of Diepsloot where I taught before Covid and which has finally returned to full time education 2 years after the start of the pandemic. Shepherd has also been helping me in our veggie patch at home providing me with the tools to become more sustainable in our own lives too.  

The Willmore's just before Amelie left
on her week long school trip,
and Amelie surfing the Durban waves...

Saying goodbye to the little ones at Creche Gabrielle

Photobombing a final imaginary tea party!

Posing with Shepherd in amongst
 the maize in our veggie patch. 

So, it's eggs in Limpopo that we are celebrating this Easter, and Shepherd's step closer to a sustainable way of life for him and his family. Thanks so much everyone for reading the blog and for all your support. I hope you are all safe and well. 

And let us keep all the people of Ukraine in our hearts at this time. 

Lots of love, Jess xxx

Previous post: Saving Lives and Saving Face!

Next post: Fresh Water, Salt Water, No Water, Floods!

Related posts: Shepherd's Dream of Chickens, Life in the Bush-veld with the Cows and the Crocs

Some extra pics from the last few months...

Friday treat at the Bryanston Garden Centre

Mardi Gras style parade at the French school.
Joel is dressed up as 'love'.

Elowen as a cheetah.

Amelie as a last minute monkey.

Shepherd’s Dream of Chickens

Home Page: Willmore Adventures in South Africa

Greetings from Coronavirus Lockdown in South Africa!

Despite all the uncertainty sweeping the world in 2020 so far, it is rather serendipitous that I have a great story to tell. One of success and hope for the future. It involves our gardener, and dear friend, Shepherd, who we have had the privilege of getting to know over the last 18 months. Back in March 2019, I wrote about our blossoming friendship in the blog entitled, ‘Life in the Bushveld with the Cows and the Crocs’, which would be worth a read now, to put this blog in better context. It was around the time of writing however, that Shepherd’s wife, Rebecca, was diagnosed with cancer. Rebecca sadly passed away, at the age of 46, in July 2019, leaving behind 5 children, the youngest of whom is 11 years old. We tried as best we could to support Shepherd through this tragedy, where he also had to contend with a loss of income due to his absence from work, and had the worry of placing his eldest daughter, Pretty, in her mid-twenties, in charge of the rest of the children, whilst he continued to work in the city to support the family financially. Soon after he lost Rebecca, Shepherd was at our side as we too suffered the loss of Laurence’s dad, also to cancer, later in the year. So, understandably, our once light-hearted lunchtime chats that we so often shared, turned to something deeper, our families and our hopes and dreams for the future.

One of our many, many lunches with Shepherd.

In October, it was during one of these conversations that we stumbled across an idea that was to send us on an exciting new adventure. In amongst the sadness we were all feeling, a plan began to emerge, and little did we know that this plan would come to fruition in the middle of a global pandemic.

Since meeting Shepherd, I’ve often wondered how to help him, knowing that we would leave South Africa one day, and I’ve always felt sad that he has spent so many years living apart from his family, returning home only once or twice a year to be with them. So, when Shepherd talked to me about his life with Rebecca, and mentioned that they had had a life long ambition to set up and run a chicken farm at their home in Limpopo Province, but had never been able to save any money to realise their dream, I felt that we could help. Our hearts began to lighten as we discussed the possibility of combining some financial support with Shepherd’s discipline, determination and his dream, and that we would together be able to establish Shepherd and Rebecca’s Chicken Farm, offering chicken to his local community in the bush-veld.

On sharing our plan with Laurence’s mom, Lynn, she was able to offer us some help too. Lynn knew some chicken farmers, Dewet and Esme, a Christian couple who donated 10% of their chickens to charity, one of these being Lynn’s, a soup kitchen for the homeless. So, whilst Shepherd went away to cost up the build of a chicken coop, Lynn set up a meeting with Dewet. Shepherd, Lynn, Dewet and I met up to discuss the plan. Dewet talked us through the set up and maintenance of a chicken farm, from the structure and cleanliness of the coop, to recording the weather every day, and from the temperature of the heat lamps, to the size of the chicken feeders. No stone was left unturned and for this we will be forever grateful. With this knowledge and photos sent through from Esme, Dewet's wife, I was able to write up a guide for Shepherd and his family to follow when he next returned home at Christmas.

On our way to a meeting with Dewet the chicken farmer.

Dewet, Shepherd, Lynn and me at the meeting.

The December holidays arrived, and Shepherd, armed with his instruction booklet and funds raised by Laurence and my lovely Queen Anne’s School friends, headed home with a huge but exciting build to complete, which I hope diluted the pain of arriving home for the first time to the absence of his wonderful wife, Rebecca.

As the photos came through to us back in Johannesburg, we followed eagerly, and by the time the holidays were over, the chicken coop was complete.

The start of the chicken coop build
 on Shepherd's property in Limpopo Province. 

The frame goes up.

On goes the roof.

The start of the walls.

Community hands at work
as the wire fence is added.

More walls going up.

Shepherd and his two youngest sons,
mixing cement.

The finished chicken coop.

Shepherd returned to Johannesburg, to start his working year as usual, whilst his eldest son took over the management of the chicken farm. Kingsley, who is in his early 20s has always struggled at school having left without any qualifications and no prospect of a job. So, the ability to learn this trade, and have the farm as a job, has given Kingsley a sense of purpose, which Shepherd is so relieved about. At the end of February, Kingsley, with help from Shepherd’s friend, Weekend, was able to buy 100, 2-day old chicks from a supplier, and reared them at home following Dewet’s instructions.

The first batch of little chicks.

The new chicks in the coop.

Growing quickly.

When South Africa went into lockdown in March, after the coronavirus arrived from Italy, Shepherd took the opportunity to go home to Limpopo. Using a local radio station and word of mouth, the news spread that Shepherd and Rebecca’s Chicken Farm was open for business. They sold 70 chickens leading up to Easter, and the remaining ones just after. We celebrated over the phone with Shepherd the following day. The sheer delight in Shepherd’s voice carried through the phone. He had successfully completed one cycle with the chickens and was on the first step of the ladder in running a business. Moving home was now a possibility, with the rest of his life to be with his family, and a business to pass on to his children. One that could potentially expand too.

Kingsley with the fully grown chickens.

Kingsley cleaning out the coop after
the last chickens were sold. With his
 dad Shepherd and youngest brother Rikundele.

Shepherd and a new round of chicks.

So, it’s been an incredible 7 months since our chance conversation back in October. Shepherd’s life has changed immeasurably, as has ours too. Through both our family tragedies in 2019 we were reminded that we were not in control in this world. But through our friendship, our experiences together, and the happiness we have been able to bring to each other, we have also discovered hope for the future. Even when our worlds were turned upside down, something good still emerged from the fire. And as a global community, it feels the same now. There is this same realisation that we are not in control and that we are all experiencing loss in our lives to varying degrees. So, I hope Shepherd’s story offers a glimmer of hope for the future, that something good will come from this pandemic, maybe even from an unlikely moment like ours, a simple conversation over lunch.

From our home in South Africa, to yours in another part of the world, we send all our love, and hope that you find some peace during these uncertain times.

Jess xxx

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Life in the Bush-veld with the Cows and the Crocs!

Home Page: Willmore Adventures in South Africa

It has yet again been a busy month here in South Africa. We have spent time with family and friends and indulged in the countryside and the culture.

We have been fortunate enough to spend a weekend with Laurence's cousins at their trout farm near a place called Dullstroom, about 3 hours north east of Johannesburg. The farm is truly in the bundus. The last shop and indeed building we passed before reaching the farmhouse was about a twenty minute drive away down some dusty tracks. Shortly after turning down one track we came across a doddery old man stumbling along with a stick to steady himself. With light fading fast as it does in Africa, and with no dwellings in sight, we stopped to give this old boy a lift. Little did we realise that his stumbling along was less to do with his age and more to do with his afternoon spent in a shebeen, which is a native African public house. So we had a rather eventful few minutes trying to establish where he was headed. We dropped him off at a cross roads and left him in the capable hands of two young men, who knew our jolly friend, and then we carried on to the farm in the dark.

Our weekend at the farm was spent quad biking, trekking rather adventurously to a huge waterfall, and fishing in the many dams. It was great to see all the little cousins having so much fun together, as were the big ones too!

A quick spin on the quad bike with cousin Shaun and his son Matthew

An early morning fish at one of the dams

With cousin Jo and Elwyn's daughters, Skylar and Kiera

We raced off on the quad bikes deep into the African countryside, the children's adrenaline in full flow and with Elowen wanting to 'win the race'. We then began our trek to a hidden waterfall. With toddlers in tow, we somewhat naively traipsed through bogs, long grass, trees and bushes, over rocks and across streams, up hills and down hills, until we arrived at this amazing cascading waterfall. Amelie rather daringly climbed right to the edge to touch the falling water and we all had a splash in the pool at the bottom, no-one feeling brave enough to jump in for a swim, (I was convinced that it was probably full of crocodiles and snakes!) Joel amazingly walked all the way there and back, on what was a really fun afternoon. Navigating our way round a herd of cows once back on the quad bikes was the final hurdle, and it was home for an evening fish at the dams.

Our trek to the waterfall

We made it to the waterfall!

Cousins on stepping stones at one of the dams 

Elwyn and Joel fishing together

As with everyone in Laurence's life, I have got to know people over the years as we've sneaked a Christmas here or a wedding there, but to get to know family and friends at a slower pace, has been really special. And the weekend at the farm was one such occasion.

Since arriving in Africa, we have had the absolute pleasure of getting to know Shepherd, the gardener who comes to our house once a week. Every Thursday we spend lunch together on the veranda and often delve into African politics, family news or explore each others cultures. Shepherd has loved hearing about the UK and learning about snow or the sea. Likewise I have delighted in learning about the Venda Tribe and hearing Shepherd's story.

Lunchtime with Shepherd

 Shepherd is from the Limpopo Province of South Africa, where the land is covered in grassy plains and clusters of dense trees, known as the bush-veld.  He also lives very close to Kruger National Park which is where all the 'Big Five' animals roam free. Shepherd never went to school but rather amazingly speaks six languages. As a child he would go for days without food, and now works six days a week to make sure that his children eat everyday. He also works with a very weak right arm as he was shot and left for dead a decade ago by someone wanting to steal his mobile phone. Needless to say, Shepherd's life is one of hardship and sacrifice, but incredibly, one of great stories and a wealth of knowledge too. Shepherd has taught me how to ward off lions with fire; and elephants by banging a pan (I guess with their big ears elephants are sensitive to noise!). He has told me how you must throw rocks in the river before you wash or swim, to scare the crocodiles away (I'm never going to try it); and he has sat with me in the garden and shown me how to thatch a roof, and explained how to plant, grow, harvest and store maize.

He has also told us, rather amusingly, how his village have put bells on the cattle and built them a nighttime pen. With all the roofs made of long grass, the cows are living in a sweet shop and if allowed to move silently at night, would indulge in a midnight feast of grass roof undetected until morning. So a late night tinkle of bells is sadly not a herd of reindeer in these parts but a cow escapee from the pen looking for a late night snack.

Shepherd lives most of the year in the township of Diepsloot, which is the area where I teach. The reason he is unable to live in the bush-veld is because his family can no longer sustain themselves off the land alone. With the population ever growing there is a lack of space to grow enough crops; and with the outlawing of hunting big animals due to all the poaching for tusks and horns in the ivory trade, Shepherd has had to look elsewhere to support his family. This is why he has worked his way up to becoming a gardener in the city and why his family now have to shop in the supermarket instead of off the land.

In a world trying to care more about the environment and live in a more efficient and sustained manner, Shepherd is a torch bearer. It is a shame that his tribe can no longer live in the way it once did. Maybe there will be a day when it becomes a way of life once more. Maybe a cow on the loose could one day become the world's biggest problem...

So as Africa is woven into our Willmore story and we experience and learn about the different cultures, it has once again been an adventure and a privilege to be in this wonderful place and to call it home.

Lots of love,

Jess xxx

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