Sowing the seed of love

Australian farmers search for a wife on reality TV.

The Farmer Wants A Wife Season 9 Sundays (from 2 December) BBC Lifestyle (*174) 20:00 Boer Soek ’n Vrou

Season 11 Thursdays kykNET (*144) 20:00

You can find love on television like we have seen on local reality series Boer Soek ’n Vrou (2008-now), which boasts 13 happy couples over the last 10 seasons. But did you know that the series is based on an international format from the series Farmer Wants A Wife (2001-2009), which started in Britain? Twenty-nine countries worldwide, including South Africa, have bought the rights to the series and now for the first time we can see how the people Down Under look for love with the Australian version of The Farmer Wants A Wife (2007-2016). It’s the ninth season already but the first time on South African screens on the BBC Lifestyle channel.

MEET THE FARMERS

Six farmers from all over Australia entered the eight episode-long show with the hopes of finding love, with a little guidance from presenter Sam McClymont, an Australian singer and TV personality. Sam says the contestants have seen that this show works. “I’m a huge fan of the series and to be honest, I’m pretty speechless about the success stories [see below].”

More about Season 9’s men:

Lance (52) has a horse and cattle farm in Rockhampton, Queensland. He’s a salt of the Earth type of guy and he’s looking for someone he can spend the rest of his autumn years with.

Lachlan (37) is a cattle farmer in New South Wales. Lachie [his nickname] has big dreams of converting his farm into a destination for weddings and he is looking for a woman at his side who will support his vision.

Julz (36) manages a mixed animal farm in Tumby Bay in South Australia. He has a seven-year-old daughter and is on the search for a wife who won’t be scared to get her hands dirty.

Adam (25) is a milk farmer from Gippsland in the Victoria province and loves his three sisters, but he has room for another woman in his life.

Matt (25) manages a cattle farm and is also a helicopter pilot, champion wrestler and mixed martial artist. He has a romantic side when he’s not in the fighting ring and is ready for a serious relationship.

Jedd (37) farms with oysters in the Coffin Bay region of South Australia. Although his parents are divorced, he believes in eternal love and is hoping the show will help him find just that.

DIFFERENCES

The Aussie show does differ from the South African Boer version in even the most basic elements. In Farmer, the men meet their potential partners, who all entered online, in the first episode. After a speed date session, they each choose four out of the eight women they’ve just met. In the SA version, viewers are introduced to 10 farmers to whom the potential wives write a love letter. Only the five farmers with the most correspondence then get to participate further in the show. In episode 7 and 8 of Boer Soek ’n Vrou (22 & 29 November), they get to know three of the ladies that they invite to their farms and then send one home who they know isn’t suited to them from the start. Elmarie Botha, producer of Boer Soek ’n Vrou, says it’s the viewers that make every version unique. “Every country’s viewers react differently and have a different set of values. South Africans are proud and hospitable and that makes it different.”