Willie Stols and his wife Wilmien farm on Gelykvlakte in the Vierfontein district, which has been in the Stols family for more than 108 years. Willie planted his first crop in 2006, and according to him, young farmers are the food-producers and providers of the future.
“To survive, we will have to increase profit and earnings so that we can make a positive contribution towards the economy and the country,” he said.
His farming business consists mainly of summer grain production, with a smaller livestock component.
Johan and Juanita van Huyssteen farm on Bloekom in the Virginia district. Johan describes himself as a perfectionist and planner, and says the best way to ensure succes is to plan everything in detail. His business primarily consists of maize production, with a small beef cattle component.
Herman Archer has been farming Merino sheep on the farm Settlement in the Trompsburg district for the past five years. He said he chose to “think outside the box” when it came to problem-solving. Herman is focused on making a difference to both his community and agriculture in general.
“Young farmers approach the economy and agriculture with a different perspective, as they think outside the box, which is important to promote agriculture,” he said.
This year’s annual event is the 21st in the competition’s history and the winner will be announced on 6 April 2016 in Bloemfontein.
