Women infuse a unique and transformative energy into farming, and Ingrid Engelbrecht is an outstanding example.

Ingrid Engelbrecht is a compassionate farmer dedicated to nurturing a herd of cows on a dairy farm in Mooirivier in KwaZulu-Natal. She is married to Danny, and the couple has two children who help with the farming activities. Her husband is a farmer, but due to health issues, Ingrid had to take over many of his farm responsibilities. She is a trained teacher, and she loves teaching. But she also loves what she is doing now: taking care of cows.  

Such dedication Ingrid displays toward taking care of the cows they are responsible for is hard to find.  She admits that dairy farming is hard work. “But I know the Lord wants me here,” she said, “and that makes it so fulfilling. It's not a job for me; it's a calling.

There are now about 900 cows on the farm, including calves and heifers. Approximately 450 of these are milk cows. Most of these are Holsteins (black and white), but they have a small percentage of Jersey cows and cross-breeds. They even started planting a few fruit trees.

Ingrid says, “The team milk twice a day, but if you can find the time, you can milk a cow three times. Our daily production varies from 9,000 to 12,000 litres, depending on the season. There is not a day when we don't have milk, so we are busy every day of the week. Our truck collects the milk and takes it to the KwaSizabantu Mission in Kranskop. Among other things, we make yoghurt and maas (a fermented milk product) from it.”

 Our milkers are all ladies because they are much gentler with the cows. Ingrid says passionately, “Each cow has its unique personality.” There is one old Jersey cow my son loves very much. She is quite spunky! She has only one horn and enjoys having her head scratched. If you visit the herd mid-morning, chances are you will find her two-thirds of the way into the camp, lying down and chewing the cud, usually with her eyes closed.

“Losing an animal feels very personal. I once made the mistake of bringing in some young heifers to a camp that had tulip, which is very dangerous for cows. We ended up losing a heifer that I had grown quite attached to. This was a harrowing lesson for me. Now, we scan fresh camps for tulip, especially if we put young, inexperienced animals there”.

“I make many mistakes, but I also learn from them.  One aspect that stands out for me is that we farm with grace. So, when I speak to a worker, I reflect on whether I approached the conversation in a graceful manner. When I undertake a task, I ask myself if I executed it gracefully. We do our best by His grace, and then God can bless our efforts.

“The best part of my workday is walking between the cows as they graze or lie down. Nothing is better for me than seeing them chewing the cud, hearing their crunching and heavy breathing, and knowing they are happy and content.

“I cherish this path deeply, as it feels like a divine calling rather than just a mere job. I sense the Lord’s guiding hand in my life, filling my heart with joy at precisely being where I am meant to be”.

(Read the full story in our sister publication, Devoted online:  https://www.devotedmag.co.za/ or follow the eBook link:  https://online.pubhtml5.com/asxvv/uaik/