Lianne Ashton Photography

Just Love Calves

When Nue Pitout told me how and why she started this business in 2013 of rearing dairy cross beef calves and selling them at 4 months old, her story immediately resonated and will probably resonate with many other South African parents who are on the brink of sending a child to a private high school. Nue started this business so that she could pay for her kids education!

I’m never sure how to take it, but whenever I speak to adults who have already put their children through private boarding schools in South Africa, they all say much the same, ‘You will find a way to do it.’ And that’s it! No advice about how to do it, no reassurance that it’s not that bad…only that time flies and that it absolutely will be very hard! You realise quickly that you should have started saving your pocket money from when you were 18 years old to be able afford a good South African education for your unborn children and only ‘you’ can find a way to do it!

This is the beauty of a ‘big, expensive problem.’ There is no time like now to find a solution and to persevere with it, because that is the only way you are going to do it. No-one is going to do it for you. And whatever it is that you decide to do, the beginning of the journey is often a humble start…but the determination is fierce and there is only one way that you can afford to do this and that is to succeed, one step at a time.

Nue started her journey with just two calves. She initially used the garage as the new calf-rearing boarding establishment. The next season, she increased her numbers to 4, then 6, then 20 and now she is up to rearing 160 calves at one time!

This a story of growth, perseverance, the willingness to learn and humble beginnings. Through Nue, I hope to learn more about how to ‘begin’ a farming business, to learn about her challenges, her successes and failures and of course, the business of rearing calves.

I have spent just one morning at Just Love Calves (Pty) Ltd at Twyford Farm and I think this is a particularly uplifting and ‘practical/how to do it’ themed journey.

Another exciting and encouraging aspect to this story is that Nue has grown her business to a point that she needs help. Up until a year ago, she did everything herself. Thanks to the Harry Gwala Agri Student program and the Harry Gwala Agri sponsors Pannar Seed, Nue has taken on 2 incredible and determined TVET agricultural students, Mbali Hadebe and Andiswe Madiba who are in their final year of studying ‘farm management’ and who are getting their onsite practical experience at Twyford Farm.

There are many parts of Nue’s story that I find inspiring, but for me, I admire how there is a theme of empowerment here and working together and supporting each other to achieve their dreams. As Nue grows and learns more about her business, at the same time, she is giving that very same opportunity to other women and developing farmers who want to start their farming journey. For Nue, it’s also about the joy and purpose she feels when doing this work, of nurturing young animals and helping them grow into healthy heifers and bulls, then selling them on. And last but not least, because of what she has started and grown, she can give her children a good education, she can give them wings!

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About Lianne Ashton

Lianne is a photographer based in KZN, South Africa. Her work mostly focuses on agriculture, in particular – the human element of agriculture. She creates people-centric photography for organisations and businesses, capturing the processes of an operation and the people in their work environment

Lianne has an agricultural background and is knowledgeable of a number of agricultural industries. Her understanding of agriculture and approachable and flexible nature enables her to connect easily with her clients and the people she is photographing, helping her capture and create authentic and uplifting imagery.

Contact Lianne to find out more about her photography services

Umko Citrus

I’ve recently photographed the Mt Argus citrus Farm, a farm nestled deep in the Umkomaas Valley surrounded by red cliffs and bushveld with the mighty Umkomaas River winding through it. Alongside the river are soft citrus orchards, branches heavy and abundant with fruit. I arrive a few minutes earlier than the fruit pickers, and I step into another world. There is birdlife everywhere, buck and the track of a python. I can hear the constant buzz of bees, buzzing from one tree to another and the sound of running water. And I am overcome by the peace and beauty of this farm.

I have many memories of the Umkomaas River as a child. My family are a canoeing family. I remember waiting at the Hella Hella canoe race ‘finish’ ‘which was always at the St Josephine’s bridge. Even at the young age that I was, I could appreciate the beauty of this area. But I’d never gone beyond the bridge! I’ve driven over the bridge thousands of times, always checking the level of the water and how ‘big’ the rapids are on either side, but have never had the opportunity to explore this stretch of river. Sometimes, there are days when driving down into the valley that you can’t see anything because the morning mist is so thick. Then you wind your way up the steep Umkomaas road and at the top, it clears and the sky is brilliant blue. During the course of the morning, the mist evaporates and the valley heats up with red-brick cliffs holding the heat in like a furnace. I have a lot to learn about farming citrus, but I suspect that these weather conditions are perfect for it – if the naartjies are anything to go by!

Here is a gallery of my first shoot of Mt Argus farm and the farm workers! I’m hoping to get back soon and catch some more of the picking season…along with some late afternoon landscapes of this spectacular area; of the orchards, the red cliffs and the Umkomaas River.

About Lianne Ashton

Contact Lianne to find out more about her photography services

Carisbrooke Valley Citrus Packhouse

I’m on a citrus mission right now! For the last couple of weeks I have been focused on capturing the Ixopo area’s 2022 export citrus being harvested and then sent to the Carisbrooke Valley Citrus pack house to be treated, graded and packed, ready for distribution. Here is my latest gallery of the Carisbrooke Valley Citrus pack house going at full speed! When the export citrus comes to an end, there is no slowing down. Next up, an action packed season of harvesting and packing citrus for the local South African market.

Carisbrooke Valley Citrus pack house grading and packing lemons for export

Export lemons being marketed and distributed by Capespan

Lemons being marketed and distributed by Capespan

About Lianne Ashton

Contact Lianne to find out more about her photography services

Picking lemons in the Umzimkulu Valley

I’ve recently been looking to expand my photography portfolio by photographing and learning about the different agricultural sectors in the Ixopo/Southern KZN midlands area. The Ixopo region (my base) is certainly the perfect place to be as an agricultural photographer. This area has recently undergone massive changes in the way of agriculture with huge developments and long term investments in the way of farming citrus, macadamia’s and avo’s.

Pete Button, (right) however is not new to citrus in any way. He’s farmed citrus for many years with some of his Naval trees as old as 42 years. His orchards consist of lemons, Valencia’s and Naval varieties. This citrus is sent up the road to the Carisbrooke Valley Citrus Packhouse. From there, the ‘export-quality’ citrus is marketed and distributed internationally through Capespan.

By now, it comes as no surprise that I have a special interest in photographing people in their workplace and in many cases, I get to photograph people doing what they love to do or what they are passionate about. Better yet, I get to see ‘growth’ first hand, which is especially evident in this Ixopo area in the way of agricultural developments.

As an agricultural photographer, it makes perfect sense for me to get to know the sectors in my area and to learn about them. This is the thing about agricultural photography – as much as it is about connecting with the people I am photographing, composing a good photograph, lighting the ‘subject’ in what is most often in harsh midday sunlight – it is especially important for me to have a good knowledge of the particular industry I am photographing. I need to know it like a farmer knows it!

This is my intention with citrus, avo’s and macadamias. I am surrounded by some of the most beautiful farmlands in KZN and of course there is the Carisbrooke Valley Citrus Packhouse just down the road from me. It’s all right here on my doorstep…my designated school of agriculture and photographing it in a way that promotes it and assists in uplifting the industry and community in this region.

This is the Lynford Country Weekend – an action-packed weekend for everyone!

Not to miss; an action-packed weekend with entertainment and sport in the beautiful southern KwaZulu-Natal midlands! Check out this incredible weekend festival that happens every year on the first weekend of September at Lynford School in Ixopo.

We love hockey here!

This is big news for us country bumpkins in Ixopo. We have a brand new Astro turf. And with that has come a whole lot of ‘social!’ Those folk who last picked up a hockey stick 25 years ago, are here! They’ve arrived with gum guards and shin pads and are trying their hands at some of their old hockey tricks from their good old school days! It’s been pretty spectacular to watch this Ixopo community come together for the love of hockey! Best of all, this is now a feature on the Lynford Country weekend itinerary …6 a side social hockey, open to anyone who loves the game and guarenteed fun for both players and the spectators! It’s time to dust off those sticks folk and get your teams name down!

The Saturday and Sunday market and food hall included everything from crafts, to coffee, to the auction tent, art and clothes.

The Angus Band were pumping out some good vibes on the dance floor on Saturday night! They had entire families, a crowd of all ages kicking up their heels and boots on the dance floor, followed by legendry DJ Russ, an old Lynford school boy who knows how to keep us moving on the dance floor! On Friday night, we had our annual sponsors ‘Cheese and wine evening,’ with a table laden with Creighton Valley cheese, dips, meats and breads – a very fine spread indeed and with the beautiful voice of Durban singer Tatum Holder to entertain us! From the first hour of the Lynford Country Weekend to the very final hour on Sunday, there is jam packed entertainment and action for everyone!

Adults and kids were entertained and educated by Dingo Wild this year with snakes, chameleons and alligators, among some other animals making a surprise appearance.

The Sunday Sweet explosion is a firm favourite for the kids. That moment when a Landini tractor and a fertiliser sprayer, loaded with thousands of sweets circles the sports field, spraying sweets far and wide. Next, the kids who are biting at the bit, are given the ‘green light and they are off! They’re faster than lightning, faster than you’ve ever seen your kid run! Minutes later, they return, baring their sweet treasures, with pockets bulging – this is an event that no kid wants to miss!