South Africa

[Russel]

Hi there

Im from the Eastern Cape in South Africa. Weve got 1200 ha farm here, on which we run Black Angus and Hereford cows as well as Dohne Merino sheep. We have about 220ha of cultivated land, of which about half is lucerne(alfalfa for you). The rest is planted each year to either triticale, stooling rye or barley.

Recently I have become interested in using either oxen or horses as draught animals. Most farms in South Africa have tons of old ox drawn implements lying around, so it isnt a problem to find implements. I recently aquired an old IHC #9 High Gear mower, its pretty rusted and the sickle bar is missing many parts but the rest is in intact with a few exceptions. I also have a 3 furrow moline plow, unlike many of the gang plows I have seen in America, none of the South African versions have seats. Does anyone on this forum have any info or pics of the mower that I could use as a reference in restoring mine?

Many thanks
Russel Harvey

[Carl Russell]

Welcome Russel, there have been a few discussions about McCormack Deering mowers, perhaps they will be helpful.

http://www.draftanimalpower.com/showthread.php?t=3084&highlight=mowing+machine

http://www.draftanimalpower.com/showthread.php?t=375&highlight=mowing+machine

I will be posting some photos of an IHC #9 in a day or two, otherwise good to see you here, Carl

[jac]

Hi Russell.. years ago I very nearly bought a 2 wheeled gig for my Clydes. I believe the right name for it was “Boer Trecker”. It was a beauty. leather upholstry and varnished wood. wheels must hve been over 5ft tall. This is a great site. welcome..
John

[OldKat]

@Russel 19060 wrote:

Hi there

Im from the Eastern Cape in South Africa. Weve got 1200 ha farm here, on which we run Black Angus and Hereford cows as well as Dohne Merino sheep. We have about 220ha of cultivated land, of which about half is lucerne(alfalfa for you). The rest is planted each year to either triticale, stooling rye or barley.

Recently I have become interested in using either oxen or horses as draught animals. Most farms in South Africa have tons of old ox drawn implements lying around, so it isnt a problem to find implements. I recently aquired an old IHC #9 High Gear mower, its pretty rusted and the sickle bar is missing many parts but the rest is in intact with a few exceptions. I also have a 3 furrow moline plow, unlike many of the gang plows I have seen in America, none of the South African versions have seats. Does anyone on this forum have any info or pics of the mower that I could use as a reference in restoring mine?

Many thanks
Russel Harvey

Russel,

Welcome aboard. There is an excellent book on restoring horse drawn mowers in general, and the #9 in particular, by Lynn Miller from the Small Farmers Journal. Check out their website. I just picked up a #9 myself a month or so ago and will be restoring it this fall.

I have good friend, a local horseshoer / entrepreneur, last name Minnaar from South Africa. He and I have been talking of a trip over there for some time. It just hasn’t happened, yet.

If you get into oxen, would you be using Afrikaners or Bonsmaras or some other local breed? I would LOVE to own some Bonsmaras; they are ideally suited for my part of the world. By the way, I once had the opportunity to met the late Jan Bonsma, and listen to him speak on selecting animals to suit their environment. The man was a genius, no doubt.

[Russel]

@ OldKat, if I got into oxen I would use Afrikaners or Ngunis. Bonsmaras cant really take the cold in our part of the country. We the coldest part of South Africa, temperature drops to about -19 deg Celcius. Also the Bonsmara breeders are further north in the country. Whereas I know of farmers in my district who have Afrikaaners. Also my Grandfather used Afrikaner oxen up to the 50s so Id like to continue the “tradition”. My grandfather had two spans of 14 oxen each.
They pulled a two furrow plow and then mealies (corn) were planted afterwards.

What part of South Africa is your friend from?

Regards
Russel

[Does’ Leap]

Russel:

Welcome and good luck with your animal venture. I spent a few months hitchhiking around South Africa in the early 90s. It was the most beatiful country I’ve ever seen – Drakensberg mountains, coast, wildlife…….Better yet, I never had to pitch my tent. Everyone I received a ride from invited me to stay in their homes. Hope to get back one day.

George

[Russel]

It is a beautiful country. I live in the Drakensberg mountains…

[bivol]

Welcome Russel!

for working multiple hitches, check out “The bullock driver’s handbook”, from Arthur Cannon, it’s about driving big ox hitches in Australian outback, it could be an useful reference.

[Carl Russell]

bivol;19138 wrote:

Welcome Russel!

for working multiple hitches, check out “The bullock driver’s handbook”, from Arthur Cannon, it’s about driving big ox hitches in Australian outback, it could be an useful reference.

Very good book.

Carl

[Russel]

Ive been trying to get that book but all the websites in SA have stopped selling it. I could buy it from USA but then Id pay huge import taxes, unless of course its posted as a gift…

[OldKat]

@Russel 19072 wrote:

@ OldKat, if I got into oxen I would use Afrikaners or Ngunis. Bonsmaras cant really take the cold in our part of the country. We the coldest part of South Africa, temperature drops to about -19 deg Celcius. Also the Bonsmara breeders are further north in the country. Whereas I know of farmers in my district who have Afrikaaners. Also my Grandfather used Afrikaner oxen up to the 50s so Id like to continue the “tradition”. My grandfather had two spans of 14 oxen each.
They pulled a two furrow plow and then mealies (corn) were planted afterwards.

What part of South Africa is your friend from?

Regards
Russel

Sorry Russel, I overlooked your reply to me. Just now noticed it.

I’m kind of surprised that Bonsmaras can’t take the cold weather and Afrikaners can. I would have thought that with 3/16 Hereford & 3/16 Shorthorn along with the 5/8ths Afrikaner they would be MORE cold hardy than the straight blood Afrikaner. Maybe it has something to do with them being a composite breed. Very interesting.

I understand what you are saying about family tradition. My grandfather farmed with Percheron horses, which is what I have. He was killed about 30 years before I was born so I never knew it until after I bought my first one some years ago. Still it was kind of cool knowing I had picked the same breed that he had used all those years before.

My friend was actually born in Rhodesia, or maybe it was called South Rhodesia. They had about a 125,000 hectare ranch there, but it was seized by the government when the country became Zimbabwe. I think he was 17 at the time. They then moved to South Africa, somewhere in the more northern and eastern area, forget the exact name of it.

He came to the US when apartheid ended, because he thought the same thing was going to happen again. I don’t think it did, but he wasn’t willing to take that chance. I will say this for him, he is a hustler. I mean that in a positive way. He came here with $1,700; all the SA government would allow him to leave with. He now owns a nice farm, an apartment complex, a used car dealership, a service that cleans commercial air conditioning /heating duct and also a whole string of clothes laundries. An amazingly hard working guy.

Oh, BTW: he is also a horseshoer! He says that is his “full time” job.

[muzz37]

I have this book.If anyone wanted it i could try to get it sent for them…Murray

[Author]

Posts