Chapter 18

Morningside Meadows, Caledon District, Overberg.

Time waits for no-one. By the end of the week it was time to harvest the wheat, a whole forty hectares of it. Solomon was in charge, but the little rascal tomboy in her denim dungarees, hiking boots and khaki floppy hat, managed to squeeze in harvesting fifteen hectares. She drove that huge green monster of a harvester and filled the trailer behind the tractor in no time.

The harvester that Andie was using was a Combiner Harvester. It combines the three stages of harvesting into one automated process. The first two stages were reaping the crop by cutting it and then threshing it to loosen the edible part of the grain from the protective coating around it.

After those two stages, the final stage is winnowing the wheat grain kernel and is done inside the harvester to separate the coating from the edible kernel. These grain kernels are then dispensed out of a funnel into a grain kernel container trailer, towed by a tractor that paces the harvester.

Once the towed grain kernel container is full, it is then emptied into a waiting truck for transport to the grain silos at the Co-operative in Caledon.

Andrea explained the process to me as I stood behind her in the air-conditioned cab of the harvester. It looked more like my 787 cockpit than an agricultural machine. There were two iPads clipped into holders in easy sight of the operator, displaying various parameters. A built-in GPS gave precise location, speed and altitude. I was amazed by the technology incorporated in the machine. I chuckled at the thought that she could have lost this machine for the little outstanding amount of forty grand.

“No need for you to buy one of these monsters, Dusty. You can just use this one when you need to harvest,” She shouted above the din of the machine. “That’s if you are going to plant some grain. Wheat, sorghum, Rye, barley, and oats grow fine here in the Overberg.”

“So, sheep, cattle, and grain farming are on the cards for me,” I shouted back and chuckled.

“What’s the use of having a farm and not using it?” She asked. Then she announced; “On the next turn, you come drive the harvester! I’ll show you. It’s not that difficult.”

“Oh, boy!” I sighed, but she read my expression.

“You drive stuff that is six times the size of this thing at much higher speeds. Just pretend you are running a Boeing down the runway. Straight and true!”

“Yeah, but my blood is not like yours!”

“What’s my blood got to do with it?”

“Your blood is green ... John Deere green!” I chuckled, and Andie burst out laughing.

“The header on this S780 is thirteen point seven metres wide, that is two metres longer than a Cessna 182 wingspan. Your Boeing is sixty metres wide, yet you drive it on the runway up to 170 knots. That is 315 kilometres an hour. This combiner harvester only goes 40 kilometres an hour max. So don’t give me lip. Next turn, you drive!”

She was right about the Boeing being sixty metres wide and going down a runway at 315 kilometres an hour just before the take-off, but the Boeing does not have a combination of tracked mobility and wheels. This was more like a Caterpillar bulldozer and truck rolled into one.

True to her word, on the next turn at the end of the field, Andrea indicated to Isaac, driving the tractor alongside, that she will be stopping. Now, this monster makes a wide turn circle, but with precision Andrea brought it up perfectly aligned with the cutting line. Although aided by the GPS, she still made it look easy.

“Now it’s your turn, my Airfix prince!” She said and climbed out of the driver seat with a pecked kiss on my cheek and let me be seated in the hot seat.

Well, let the harvester learning skill begin. She walked me through all that I needed to do, and while it looked a little complex at first, halfway down the lane, I started to get the hang of it.

Andrea stood behind me, her hands on my shoulders, and became quiet as I progressed. Then above the din of the green monster I heard her singing a silly little song:

“Farmer Dusty cuts wheat on the field.

“And the wheat rolls in, and the sacks fill up!

And our Farmer broadly smiles.”

“Oh, Tee re-ta!

Oh, Tee re-ta!

The aunty with the hoody brings his coffee to the field...

Bring his coffee to the field!”

“Lekker sjakka-sjakka doef

Ghwarra doef soef doef!

Lekker sjakka-sjakka doef soef doef!”

“And the wheat rolls in, and the sacks fill up!

And our Farmer broadly smiles... ”

I smiled, Andrea was happy, singing and emulating the sound the green monster was making: “Lekker sjakka-sjakka doef, Ghwarra doef soef doef! Lekker sjakka-sjakka doef soef doef!”

This was turning out to be a great day.

Solomon was in seventh heaven as the last truck load came back from Caledon with the final ticket stating the delivery of forty-five tonnes of wheat to the Farmers’ Co-operative. That was three tonnes per hectares. (About one point two ton an acre.)

Andrea was in a good mood as well. Things were looking good for Morningside Meadows and the people that the farm sustains. Just the sale of some sheep and the harvest of the first fifteen hectares of wheat meant that the cash-flow was starting to show a positive balance. Andie could start to make inroads into the electricity account that was a few months behind. Fortunately the electricity supplier knows how it goes on a farm, and they were a lot lenient towards farmers. They also knew that a termination of electricity left many things spoil and would prevent the farm from functioning. But they do charge interest on outstanding accounts, and Andrea did not want that.

Also, the feed and diesel accounts needed to be taken care of, and then there was the registration of the farm in her name, and the transfer fees. This was two major expenses. And that reminds me, I had to get to the perri-urban offices to open my own electricity account for Nooitgedacht.

The days were hot. The Overberg baked in the sun. A day or so ago there was a hint of clouds rolling in from the south, but that dispersed quickly to the relief of Andrea and Solomon. While harvesting, they don’t need rain.

Ash, Angie and the three Angels went back to Cape Town and Wolvenkopft Manor. Angie did manage to find some soil and rock samples, but she was not very optimistic about the outlook of those samples.

Mai-Loan wanted to get back to Quad Five and help Leah and Olivia. Roxy reported from Quad Five that everything was running, and that Andrea had nothing to worry about. The property market was picking up and Quad Five managed to sell three properties to overseas clients. With Floyd Schoeman at the helm and Erich Eberlin overseeing the legal side of things, all was well.

Darya wanted to go back up north to join Ronny, her boyfriend, at the freighter company, and Nadia, who was longing for her Dave, joined Darya. I suppose love does conquer all.

To cap it all, Arnold phoned to say that the Master of the Supreme Court finalised the Louw estate, and that Andrea could now be registered as the owner of Morningside Meadows.

It also came to light that although Nooitgedacht was sold to great grandpa Louw, it was never included in the boundaries of Morningside. It was still regarded as a holding on its own. That made it easier for Andrea to just make the farm over to me.

“Are you sure, Goldilocks?”

“Yes, I am sure. It’s your roots there. Your mother grew up there. Grandpa and my dad just planted the land and had the cattle and sheep graze there. It won’t be a loss for me. It’s yours. Take it.”

“Let me at least pay you for part of it.”

“Arno Bernardt De Lange! Never look a gift horse in the mouth!”

“Okay! I’ll take it. Just remember, you are always welcome to let your animals come graze there.”

“And why should you make that concession?”

“As a good neighbour ... A fellow farmer.”

“Not because of trying to get into my good books?” Andie replied with a sly, flirty look in her eyes.

“Nope,” I said innocently, although my halo might be a bit tarnished. I have plans for this little blue-eyed blond. But let’s leave it at that.

“Well, Mister De Lange, you are already in my good books!” Giggle.

“Oh, thanks. Now shall we shake on the transaction?”

“No, we kiss on it,” And Andrea reached across from her chair next to me and kissed me. “There! Now here is a key to the gate of the farm.”

“Just like that!”

“Yeah, why? Do you want a handing over ceremony?” She giggled.

I said nothing, just got up and folded her up in my arms. Then I kissed her. Softly at first, but then with a growing intensity. Everything went quiet. Her eyes closed, and I could smell her perfume like a soft halo around her. Andrea placed her hand on my cheek, and her shaking lips parted, sending tremors through my body. We both were melting...

“Wow! Now that was good. Even my toes curled!” Andrea whispered as we came up for air. “And damn, I don’t have another farm to give you to get that kiss repeated...”

This time around the kiss lasted a little longer. Andrea got up from the chair she was sitting on without breaking the kiss, snaked her arms around my neck, and just formed her body to mine, her fingers gripping my hair and pulling me closer. Time stood still, at least for us.

Stellenbosch Airfield.

“You flew WHAT?” Alex Anderson exclaimed and took his aviator sunglasses off. Just looking at Andrea with an expression of disbelief on his face and closing Andrea’s logbook.

“A Beach Baron B58 twin,” Andrea replied innocently. “And we plan to go fetch her in a week or two. Then I’ll get more time flying her under the watchful eye of my fiancé here,” and she pressed up close to me. I realised what Andrea was doing. By physically and verbally claiming me, she let Alex know that she is in love with me.

“Alex, you did well with her. She translated everything she learned in the Cessna to the Baron. It was maybe a little fast for her, but she did well. I never had to intervene or correct,” I soothed Alex.

“She was always a little bit of a rebel. Now, Lady, do you want me to continue with your lessons?”

“That’s why we are here,” Andrea sweetly replied.

“Good! So, when do you want to start up again?”

“As soon as possible! I have a month, and a half, before I need to go back to university...” She replied and smiled.

“Right, let’s schedule you for next week. I have to see what you forgot and work on it,” Alex said.

“Next week will be good, unless...” Andrea said and looked at me with those ice-blue eyes.”

“Unless what?”

“We have to go fetch the Baron, and on the way back, go look at Dusty’s new toy.”

“It’s not my toy. I will only be flying it for Angels Express Logistics,” I clarified. Alex screwed up his eyes and looked at me.

“And what will that be? Another diversion for the buttercup here?”

“Maybe, she can sit in the jump seat while I fly the 747 freighter,” I flatly stated. Alex burst out laughing.

“I want to see her preflight that one!”

“Oh, it has got two wings, four jetty thingies, two on each wing, and eighteen wheels. Good and ready to go!” Andrea teased.

“Try to save a nation with this girl!” Alex sighed. “Okay, Andrea, just let me know an hour or so before you pitch, and I’ll have something for you to fly around,” Alex consented. Turned to me and asked: “How do you cope with her?”

“Easy! I love her...” I replied and got a hug in return.

“Good! Now go put her back in her cage,” Alex said and: “Ouch!”, as Andrea whacked him on the biceps.

“You let this guy teach you to fly?” I asked Andrea.

“Well, daddy found him starving and without an income, so to rescue him, daddy asked him to teach me to fly and paid him,” Andrea giggled. “I better go along with daddy’s wish.”

“Did not! I have many other students!” Alex retorted, still rubbing his injured arm, but smiling. I liked the guy. Late fifties, maybe early sixties with a round belly and a handlebar moustache. Outgoing personality and one of those old fly-boys that knew every trick in the book, and some more.

“Well, Alex, nice meeting you. I’ll let Andie warn you well in advance before she comes here,” I said, reaching out my hand to greet him.

“Yeah, do that, so I can run and hide...”

“Oh, Alex, I’m not that bad,” Andrea returned and then hugged him. “We’ll talk later.”

“Sure, pumpkin. I’ll be waiting for your freshness and giggle,” Alex replied and hugged Andie back. “I’m so sorry about your mom and dad, darling. Be good and see you soon.”

We left the same way as we came from Morningside, with the EC. Alex just stood watching as we took off, waving his arm above his head.

Morningside Meadows.

Ash called one afternoon as I was doing some online stuff: reading up on Marino sheep, and the times they needed to be sheared. Marino sheep are wool sheep and that means caring for their coats, else you end up with a few hundred kilograms of waste cloth.

“So, how’s his majesty doing? Still playing the farmer?” Ash asked with a chuckle.

“Let me answer you like someone told me not so long ago: ‘I’m shot man! I’ve not laboured so hard in many years!’, remember that?”

“Yes, I do. As well as the pun about making it hard, asshole!”

I chuckled. “Now what is happening down Cape Town way?”

“That’s why I called. Joe reported that Mister Alderman has pleaded guilty to all charges of fraud, but not on the murder or attempted murder charge.”

“So, he still thinks that he will get away with those charges...”

“He was advised by his attorney to plead not guilty to the murder and attempted murder charges, as the State needs to prove beyond reasonable doubt that he conspired to it.”

“Who is representing him?”

“A guy called Anton Van Der Sandt. I don’t know him.”

“But I do! He was a year or so behind me at varsity, and his track record ain’t that good. He’s more of a civil attorney than a criminal guy. Let it be, don’t worry too much. He’ll lose the case hands down.”

“Are you sure?”

“Who runs the case for the State?”

“One Miss Madeline Bouwer,” Ash replied, and I whistled.

“The Wicked Witch of the West! Don’t worry Ash, Alderman is fried!”

“You recon on it?”

“Just watch that space. Now what is happening on the Plaatjies front?”

“Well, Joe said the asshole has disappeared from the face of the earth. Nothing at his club, his three houses, and no-one has seen him.”

“He’s holing up somewhere ... Somewhere close by,” I voiced my suspicion.

“He might have even left the country. Things are a bit hot for him around Cape Town.”

“Northern Cape? Namibia? Even Botswana is a possibility, but I still feel he is close by.”

“I suggested it to Joe. He is looking all over.”

“Well, until he is behind bars, I’ll keep my 9-millimetre close...”

“ ... And Miss Louw closer!” Chuckle.

“You know it.”

“Are you planning on coming to Cape Town any time soon?”

“Not in the immediate future, I need to go to KZN and get the Baron. I feel naked without my wings.”

I can have Leah, Mai-Loan or Olivia fly it here for you. Besides, you have the EC.”

“Yeah, flying the EC is fun, but when I need to relax, I fly fixed-wing.”

Chuckle. “Yeah, that’s life. Just make the call, and I’ll get two or maybe all three to go fetch the Baron. Tracy, out in North West Province, is making noises about getting the P-51, and the Spittie out there for their air-show circuit. So, it might not be a bad idea to send the girls to fetch the Baron for you and at the same time bring the P-51 and the Spittie to Don’s Airfield.”

“You still own me a flip in one of the two...”

“Any time! I think I’ll pull one over on Tracy and just let her have one of the two. The Spitfire maybe, and bring the P-51 to Cape Town.”

“Good! Cape Town has never seen a P-51.”

“Oh, the SAAF had a squadron at Ysterplaat, but that was years ago. In the forties last.”

“They also had Spitfires at Ysterplaat...” I corrected.

“Also in the forties. The P-51s replaced the Spitfires.”

“True.”

“Well, let me go! Angie is rooting for attention...”

“Say hi to the redhead for me.”

“Will do! Bye for now.”

“Cheers, Ash!” And I disconnected. So, where is Plaatjies holing up, but more to the point; what is Plaatjies planning?”

The next few days saw us busy on both the farms. While Solomon picked up the strings on Morningside, Me and my shadow, Andrea, looked over Nooitgedacht. There was a million and thirty-eleven things to look at and decide on; “keep,” “repair,” or “trash and replace.”