A group of women from the Northern Cape have started hanging bows on their gates to show appreciation for the recent rains in their community.
Carnarvon, South Africa (14 February 2022) – Farmers in the Northern Cape are giving thanks for the abundant rains this year. The rains have turned dry land into green fields of grass for lamb and cattle farmers. Riana Vermeulen was inspired to give thanks and rallied all the farmers’ wives in Carnarvon to show their gratitude with bows.
Everyone is feeling a sense of relief and already seeing how the rains have had such a good effect. The Northern Cape is a dry region but it is also great for raising lamb. With the grasses flourishing, it will be a very fruitful year for the farmers.
“Since 2013 our rainfall was less than the usual, and it continued to lessen in such a way that we were listed as a drought restricted area by the Government.
During this very stressful time, there were many people with open hands and open hearts, that donated food for the sheep and for the farmers as well.
In November 2021, nearly 8 years later, it started raining! The farmers were over the moon with joy and the veld started to show some life again.”
On each farm you drive past in Carnarvon, you will see bows tied to the entrance gates. These bows are the wives’ way of showing their thanks for the good rains.
Below is the perfect example of how the landscape has changed on Marie and Daniel Vermeulen’s (no relation to Riana) farm in Bloubos. The first image was taken in January 2022 and the second, was before the rains.
Over the years, people have gone above and beyond to support farmers in the Karoo. From buying buckets of biscuits, knitted sheep and Karoo hampers, to sending feed, water and fundraising for those in need, each person made sure the farmers were not forgotten.
As Southern Africa is a water-scarce region, the rains may not stay for long, but for now, they are here. And for that, we can be very, very grateful!
“One morning while I was driving into town, I saw how beautiful the grass and the rest of the veld were, and I wanted to show my appreciation and gratitude in a more visible way. I am the secretary of the Agri Cultural Organisation in town, therefore I contacted the farmers’ wives and asked if they would be interested in putting up some bows on the farm gates as a token of our appreciation for the rain (form our Heavenly Father) as well as for all the donators during this drought period. Many of these donors became lifelong friends and we still have contact with them.”
All the wives were eager to start making their bows.
“We ordered 160 metres of material from Oudtshoorn, which is about 350 km from Carnarvon. Every woman got 2 metres of either blue, yellow or red. With that, they were to make a bow or bows to their liking and put it on their farm gates and fences for everyone to see.
Therefore when driving through the Karoo and Carnarvon, be on the lookout for our colourful bows that show our appreciation, thankfulness and gratitude towards our Father and every donator.” Riana Vermeulen
Take a look at the gallery of bows on gates below.
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