THE WINDPUMP tour

Chatting to my Karoo farming mate, Jaco Loots, the other day I lamented that I’m seeing less and less “windpompe” in the Karoo these days. He told me that most farmers in his region are turning to solar-powered pumps as the old steel flowers of the Karoo are getting harder to fix and that their virtually maintenance-free solar replacements, with their almost indestructible plastic piping and sun harnessed energy, are the way of the future.

- Nick Yell

It all makes perfect sense, but it will also be a sad day when these pioneering artesian well pumps disappear from the Karoo landscape. Apparently, the first record of a windpump imported into SA was of a wooden Halladay Standard brought into the country in 1874 by a certain PJ du Toit in Hopetown; but there are others recorded in paintings as early as 1848.

Whatever the truth of the matter, before these iconic workhorses, were introduced vast tracts of Karoo land couldn’t be farmed. With this in mind, I convince Annette I need to show her the amazing array of “windpompe” at the Fred Turner Museum in Loeriesfontein, the only likely place our grandchildren will be able to see them in years to come.

We finally get our dates for this adventure to gel (Annette’s just started a demanding career as an estate agent) and with La Niná acquiescing to give us a break from the recent unseasonal deluges, we set off on a crisp April morning to our first stopover in Sutherland.

Due to an unsettling test-ride ride on the frisky Blouperd (our recently acquired, performance tweaked Suzuki DR650) the previous weekend, Annette has decided to ride Yeeha! (my faithful old KLR) with whom she is better acquainted. This despite the fact that it’s about 10 kg heavier, slightly taller — even with the lower seat we installed some time back — and she also has to carry our only tank bag; Annette insists it’s what she wants.