From South Africa to Southland
In 2003 Hannes and Lyzanne du Plessis arrived in New Zealand with a baby, a suitcase and $20.
Five years later the du Plessis' were placed third in the Waikato Sharemilker of the Year awards and June 2011 their journey brought them and their three children to Southland and a new role contract milking on a MyFarm managed dairy syndicate at Edendale.
“Our story is about how you don’t have to have a lot of money or experience - the opportunities to live your dream are all there within the New Zealand dairy industry,” says Lyzanne
It was Hannes’ cousin, Sharemilker of the Year 2010/11 winners, Stefan and Annalize du Plessis who first encouraged them to immigrate to New Zealand and become dairy farmers and then last year urged them to investigate opportunities in Southland.
“They sent us pictures of cows milking and grazing luscious grass and there we were in Waikato struggling with a drought,” says Lyzanne.
Hannes says they travelled from South Canterbury to Southland looking at positions on dairy farms in Geraldine and Balclutha but Southland was the best choice for them. At Edendale Pastoral Ltd the du Plessis’ will milk approximately 680-cows on the 240 hectare milking platform and rear their calves in a converted sheep shed on the 80 hectare adjacent runoff block.
“We decided to choose Edendale because of the added runoff land which the syndicate recently purchased. It will enable us to do everything ourselves in a fully self contained system.”
Hannes says they were also very impressed with the quality of housing at the new farm.
“We believe if you want to employ good staff you must have good homes for them.”
The du Plessis haven’t just made rapid progress within the dairy industry in the past 8 years they’ve also assisted Lyzanne’s two sisters to immigrate and provide continuous employment for two of their current staff who have also made the move from South Africa to New Zealand and South from Waikato with them.
“For us the number of cows we’re milking is less important than growing our business so that we have the opportunity to extend our dream by employing other people who faced a poor future like we did.,” says Lyzanne
Ultimately Hannes, who left South Africa as a horticulturalist, says they would like to settle and own a dairy farm. He says they are excited about their future with Edendale Pastoral Ltd.
“We recognise the amazing opportunity there is in the NZ Dairy industry to live our dream.” says Hannes.