Stoep Stories No11

STOEP STORIES - TALES FROM THE KAROO
Published by the Graaff-Reinet Heritage Society 

KOP EN POOTJIES

(Sheep’s head and trotters, a tasty dish of Karoo farm workers)

Wallace Rubidge of the farm Dalham (so named by his father, Walter Rubidge who was MP for Mafeking – Vryburg and a great friend of Cecil Rhodes, Dalham was Rhodes’s home in England ) found in 1913 after the crash of the ostrich feather market that the expensive stud birds that he had bought were now worthless. Since he could also no longer afford to provide his workers with their ration of fat Karoo mutton which they greatly enjoyed he had to make a plan. He called his staff together and explained the position. He said with regret that from then on they would have to eat the much leaner ostrich meat. “Oh” said one humourist “I don’t mind just as long as I am not landed with the head and feet I “

Published in the Graaff – Reinet Herald

FARMING PAYS BEST

You talk of the “Fields” or Transvaal,

They’re wealthy in gold, without doubt

But oh, there is gold on the farm, boys

If only you’ll shovel it out.

The mercantile life is a hazard

The goods are first high and then low