Unfathomable Response, Some Thoughts on Future TDH Representation and Chaotic Gardening.

The chaotic garden.

Every week, I diligently sit down to write this blog, as much a discipline as a compunction to fill my time in reflecting on the past or giving my inane views on present-day events. Last week, a picture post of mine on Facebook (FB) drew more comments than my blog. At the airport in Edinburgh, in one of the more up-market restaurants, I ordered a full Scottish breakfast complete with potato scones and haggis but unfortunately without black pudding. I took a picture of my plate and posted it, and in doing so have had more likes and comments on that particular post than I have had on my blog on FB. 

This picture gained more comments than my blog

“To my amusement, it would appear there is more interest in my breakfast than my blog. I am not disheartened as my breakfast on that day deserved the attention, but it rather amused me.” - Peter McSporran

I will post the picture again in this blog, as many of my readers are not on FB, and with certainty, it will not increase readership. The blog has a regular three hundred-plus readership, but specific subjects, such as compensation, can boost these numbers to over a thousand. I think that is more a measure of the desperation of displaced farmers in their hope of obtaining compensation than the normal content of my blog.

As I said last week, just recently I have had some conversations with some of the personalities actually doing something for us, rather than someone like me, happy to criticise and hide behind poor health and age as a defence of my apathy. Despite this outward show of apathy, the whole issue is of much interest to me, and only now am I beginning to understand, to a certain extent, events in the Commercial Farmers Union (CFU) just prior to and following the land invasions. The day Vernon Nicolle, and I sought an audience at the CFU Council and the President at the time, informing us on our entrance, we were lucky to be allowed in, as in his view, the CFU represented farmers still on the land, not those who had lost their land. On that day onwards, I decided to fully concentrate my efforts on establishing myself and others in Zambia. I will talk about that at a later date. I should confess, though, that I always had a vested interest in having a small shareholding in AgriAfrica, through which we helped fund the first tranche of the court case for farmers of Dutch descent. Equally, I cannot deny having a huge interest in obtaining compensation.

More chaos

However, my interest was further rekindled recently when the terms of the Global Compensation Deed (GCD) came out. Although sceptical like many, I agreed in principle to the terms of the agreement, if the Government stuck to it. Of course, they did not, and I was disgusted when the ‘Breakaway Compensation Steering Committee (CSC)’ group proceeded unmandated in trying to strike a deal at the expense of the majority under the auspices of the GCD, despite their denial that it was so. Thus, more recently, this has increased my verbal dialogue with those actively involved. I have little doubt the present leadership at the CFU is having an extremely difficult time at present, trying to help the TDHs and the ‘New Farmers’ simultaneously, while at the same time trying to find the funds to hold the ship together. This has not been the situation in the recent past, when the leadership and some of its advisers, including members of the CSC, were, to all intents and purposes, captured by the Government. But that is history, only the future will prove them right or wrong, unfortunately, perhaps at others' expense.

“I think it is a misnomer to call the people farming on other people's land ‘New Farmers.’ Legally or illegally, they have taken advantage of others' misfortune. They are at best ‘Opportunist Farmers (OF)’.’” - Peter McSporra

Until now, ARAC has supported the CFU financially; some say it would not have survived without this funding. Strangely, the reason most people do not pay their subs to the CFU is their lack of trust in that organisation due to past events. I must complement the present leadership in recognising this and their recent endeavour to make everything related to compensation and those organisations affiliated with it more transparent. They have progressed, but it now appears a bigger step is to be taken. It is not just me who thinks this; many of us, including members of the CFU leadership, believe there needs to be a separation between the representation of the so-called ‘OFs’ and the TDHs. The question is how?

In my conversations with several sources, it would appear the so-called ‘OFs’ do not want to participate in the running of the CFU, let alone stand for leadership, as they want to stay ‘hidden below the parapet’, so to speak. So there you have it, the conundrum. The TDHs want representation without conflict of interest regarding compensation. In contrast, the ‘OF’ wants the benefit of the CFU regarding inputs, labour matters and dealing with Government agencies, without their personal physical participation. As the number of ‘OFs’ grows and more titles are obtained, by purchase or lease, no matter how counterfeit, they will demand more say in the CFU at the expense of the dwindling number of TDHs. The issue has to be addressed. I, for one, would be more comfortable in paying for an organisation that was fully focused on my interests as a displaced farmer rather than one wearing two hats. Do not get me wrong; I appreciate what the CFU and those who represent us on ARAC and CSC are trying to do, including their acceptance that there has to be some solution to resolve this conundrum. 

The bottle brush is a beacon in the chaos.

I read this week that my type of gardening is called ‘chaotic’. That is, it is not planted to a set plan or design, and where colour is required, any suitable plant, shrub or fruit tree is placed. No straight lines or intricate patterns in our flower beds. Both Rozanne and I like what I now know as chaotic gardening. Before leaving for the UK for our son Selby's wedding, I decided to do soil samples in my garden. When I farmed, we soil tested our fields every year and based our fertiliser applications on those with the help of our local agronomist. Why did I not do the same in my garden? Probably because the area under flowers and fruit trees is small, and the cost to fertilise due to this is relatively cheap. So, every year since arriving here, I have happily applied basal fertilisers, top dressings, lime, and magnesium. I have also been happily making and putting on compost and the wood ash from the fire. The tests were shocking, with the service provider saying my soil samples were an anomaly for the area. My pH was over seven, not quite alkaline, my phosphate and potash levels were through the roof and my organic matter was very high. I now have learnt that our soils, despite the topsoil, which has obviously been transported to our garden, being heavy clay, are limestone. Therefore, our pHs are generally closer to seven, unlike the cold granites at home, which are four or below. My calcium to magnesium ratios are horrific, 9 to 1. He informs me that I should not fertilise for a few years and should rather just use foliar sprays to address micronutrient and magnesium deficiency. Now that is what I call chaotic gardening. Needless to say, we have a super cherry crop, huge, tasty strawberries, the largest roses and lilies I have seen, and spectacular flowering in our fruit trees. Perhaps I should have been more chaotic in my farming.

Rozanne enjoying the fruit of the chaos

We just had an election here in Portugal, the third in as many years, with the centre-right winning with only 48% of the population eligible to vote. Now that is political apathy. I took little notice of the election but decided to look at the results in case it could affect me. Hopefully, not. All is as before; the nice thing here is that there is no pre or post-election violence and no claims of cheating. Something largely unheard of in our previous home country, Zimbabwe. This election is of little interest to many of my readers, but peace and law and order are a diminishing phenomenon in this modern world. Funny, there has been a swing to the right at the expense of the socialist party. It appears immigration is more important than corruption, with the socialists instigating the election on claims that the prime minister is corrupt and losing seats to the right. He remains, while they, in turn, lost seats. As for Britain, that idiot of a PM is now undermining the viability of the British fishing industry and farmers in his desperation to make a trade deal with Europe. Yes, in the big picture, fishing in Britain is no longer a large industry, but it does support many isolated island and coastal communities, those that really care for the well-being of the environment, especially the waters they fish in. Fishermen and farmers no longer seem to matter. So sad.

Next week, I promise to return to my reminiscing about the hectic year 1998. Further, I was recently saddened to hear of the passing of Felicity Wood, the ex-editor of the Farmer Magazine, a friend and loyal ally. 

Disclaimer: Copyright Peter McSporran. The content in this blog represents my personal views and does not reflect corporate entities.