About 30 kilometers east from Verkykerskop in the magnificent mountain range of the Eastern Free State, one finds Groothoek Farms. This is where farmer Sakkie Bibbey spends most of his time, tending to his crops and lands with exceptional attention to detail. Sakkie Bibbey has been farming for the past 30 years and according to him, it is all he has known his whole life.
“Groothoek is not a family farm. We started farming in Mpumalanga where our strategy was to develop farms and sell them. This way of doing business meant we moved around a lot, but five years ago, we ended up here on Groothoek. The moment we set foot on this farm, we knew this is where we wanted to settle down after nearly a decade of farming all over the country,” Sakkie commented.
According to Sakkie, the area in which Groothoek is located is ideally suited for farming. This makes the process all the more enjoyable and rewarding.
“There is nothing better than farming for me. On our farm, we mainly focus on cattle, and we only grow crops for cattle feed,” he said. Approximately 1 700 ha of Groothoek’s land is used for the growing of crops, of which 100 ha is used for irrigation purposes. In the irrigated section of the farm. Sakkie mainly grows maize. Maize requires precise and accurate irrigation to ensure successful harvests.
That is exactly why Sakkie bought a Zimmatic pivot in 2022. “From the first day we used the Zimmatic pivot we were very satisfied with the results. What stands out to me about Zimmatic in particular is their belief in sustainable agriculture. In today’s world, farmers must consider how their practices impact on the environment, and I feel that Zimmatic understands this most important task,” Sakkie said.
Zimmatic pivots are known for their precise and accurate water application, which reduces any potential water wastage during irrigation cycles. Good customer service and aftersales support is another advantage that convinced Sakkie that his investment in Zimmatic was a wise one. “Irrigation has its challenges. That is why good support is crucial. Luckily, Zimmatic’s support and help has been unparalleled.
In fact, I am willing to go on record and say that in all my years, Zimmatic’s service has been the best I have received from irrigation product manufacturers,” he commented. Groothoek is unique because it is located in the mountains. This makes the natural water supplies cooler than what one would traditionally expect to use for irrigation. But Sakkie says they have not had any major issues when using the cooler water sources.
“Right now, we have five Zimmatic pivots on the farm. We also use Zimmatic Control Panels to make our jobs a bit easier. The ultimate goal is to fully automate our irrigation operation – something that Zimmatic’s products make a very achievable goal,” Sakkie explained. They plan on adding four additional Zimmatic pivots to their arsenal of irrigation equipment.
“Our dealer in the area is Pinetree Irrigation. They have been fantastic at assessing our needs and making bespoke recommendations as to which Zimmatic pivots to implement on the farm for the best results imaginable,” Sakkie said.
“Without a shadow of a doubt, Zimmatic is one of the best pivot brands on the market. I can recommend them to any farmer looking for new irrigation systems,” he said confidently.
To find your closest Zimmatic dealer or request a quote, visit www.lindsay.com. Talk to Tanya Brits on +27(0)21-986-8900 or send an e-mail to tanya.brits@lindsayafrica.co.za today to learn more about the benefits of Zimmatic centre pivot technology.
