The presenter of the podcast, Johan Koekemoer. (Photo: Provided)
This year, the heartbeat of the South African countryside gets a brand new, unique platform to share its stories with the world. In the run-up to this year’s Vivo Boer Marketing Day, which is presented under the theme “Rural Focus”, the Bakkieboer podcast has been officially launched.
This informal series promises to take listeners and viewers into the true humanity and the untold stories behind the scenes of the agricultural industry.
The presenter of the podcast, Johan Koekemoer, says that the initiative was born out of a very simple and sincere need. He wanted to build a bridge between the harsh reality of farming and the emotional life world of the people who drive it daily.
“I had a need to talk to farmers, and there are many people out there who actually also want to get to know the heart of farmers. We wanted to create something that is not only about farming as an industry, but about the people behind farming, their stories, challenges, faith and community.”
Real conversations on the ground
The name of the podcast, Bakkieboer, is not just a nice-sounding marketing term; it precisely describes the physical space in which the episodes are produced. The series is recorded in a bakkie while it is driving. It is precisely this everyday vehicle in which most farmers spend their days and where the most spontaneous and honest conversations usually take place.
The presenter of the podcast, Johan Koekemoer. (Photo: Provided)
Koekemoer believes that this informal format creates an atmosphere that reflects the true, unadorned character of the countryside.
“I have never seen a podcast where someone is driving and talking in a bakkie,” says Koekemoer.
“People today are looking for something that feels real. When you talk to a farmer, it usually happens while they are busy and on the move. The bakkie is part of that culture.”
Although the agricultural industry and technical aspects necessarily form part of the discussions, the focus deliberately shifts away from mere numbers and technology to the people behind farming.
Koekemoer points out that the public often only notices the external aspects of farm life.
“The world often only sees the planting and harvesting seasons, but they forget that there are real people with their own lives, concerns and vocations behind every farm gate.”
Window for the city man
This new platform fits seamlessly into the larger vision of the Vivo Farmers’ Marketing Day theme, which this year focuses exclusively on the countryside. The aim is to emphasize the inestimable value and the huge contribution of these communities to the greater South Africa, especially for those who are removed from farm life.
“Many people, especially in the cities, do not necessarily understand how the countryside functions,” says Koekemoer.
“They don’t always know what keeps farmers awake at night, or how big the role of faith, community and cooperation is in these environments. Our hope is that this podcast will create a greater appreciation for the countryside and the farmers who help keep our country going.”
While you are at the Vivo Farmers’ Marketing Day, feel free to look up to the west where the Blue Mountains lie and explore this gem in Limpopo. (Photo: Johan van Wyk)
However, the podcast is not just a broadcasting project, but a direct reflection of the unique community spirit that the Vivo Farmers Marketing Day has established over the years. It is a culture of putting your hand to the plow, building yourself and finding practical solutions instead of sitting idly by.
Koekemoer’s wife and fellow committee member, Monica Koekemoer, does not hesitate to praise his passion and the role he plays in this bigger picture. She describes him as a crucial link that binds the different parts of the community together.
“He brings people, ideas and the school’s vision together,” she says.
“He helps to convey the Farmers’ Marketing Day’s message, strengthen involvement and make the heart of the school visible. He jumps in, thinks together and helps build something bigger than just a single day.”
This spirit of DIY and positivity is exactly what drives the presenter to look forward, regardless of the storms that the agricultural industry is currently riding.
“We can choose to just complain about the challenges we face, or we can decide to make plans and build ourselves. This is what this community does, we look forward,” says Koekemoer.
First episode focuses on cornerstones
The very first episode of the Bakkieboer podcast has now been officially released. In this historic first installment, CT van der Merwe, a well-known farmer from Vivo, is the first guest to get into the bakkie with him.
The conversation immediately turns to faith and community, two elements that both men say are the unshakable pillars on which the entire Vivo community rests.
During the drive, they talk about the close interaction between the local school, the church, the agricultural industry and the wider community. They explore how intimately these different structures depend on each other to survive and thrive.
For Koekemoer, the relationship between the town’s educational institutions and its people is a symbiotic one that must never be broken.
“The community exists because of the school, but the school also exists because of the community.”
With the launch of this podcast, the team behind the Vivo Farmers Marketing Day hope to bring people from all corners of South Africa closer to the land. It is an invitation to look with new eyes at the people who put food on the country’s tables.