Dick and Pixie von Hofe are celebrating 70 years of marriage.
The farming couple from Western Australia’s South West believes the secret to a long marriage is hard work, dedication and, of course, love.
Pixie and Dick von Hofe have farmed together their whole married life. (ABC South West: Kate Forrester)
After meeting in 1952 at a local ball, Pixie and Dick married two years later in the South West town of Busselton.
Pixie joined Dick on the von Hofe family farm in Manjimup, 300 kilometres south of Perth.
The couple, who went on to have three children, say it’s quite remarkable to sit back and reflect on their farming careers.
“My husband has worked hard, with a bit of assistance from myself, to make our two farms look like they do. They’ve gone from an old tent down near the creek to a standing house and a clean paddock,” Pixie said.
The von Hofe’s have worked hard to establish their farming properties. (ABC South West: Kate Forrester)
Born into working life
The von Hofe family was one of the original pioneer families in the Manjimup area.
Dick’s father arrived in the early 1900s from Germany, deciding to switch from being a sailor to a farmer.
Dick’s father went from being a sailor to an apple farmer. (Supplied: Dick and Pixie von Hofe)
“My father didn’t know anything about farming, coming from Europe and a big city. He bought this land and took the sellers word that it was going to be good farming country,” Dick said.
“It must have been love because I don’t think Mum had any idea where she was coming to.
“She arrived four years after Dad and they were married the day she disembarked the ship in Fremantle, 1913.”
The von Hofe children carting hay in 1940. (Supplied: Dick and Pixie von Hofe )
Dick was quite literally born into a life of hard work.
“I was born in the old house just over the hill there. My mother was not accompanied by a doctor or nurse,” he said.
“She had been out working on our apple orchards the day before I was born and was back out there helping the day after.”
Farming through adversity
The now 96-year-old farmer took over the family farm in his mid-20s, when it was predominantly apples, with some sheep and cattle.
Previous to this, Dick and his siblings had to manage farming operations by themselves, after their parents couldn’t return from Europe because of World War II.
Dick and his father spreading fertiliser on their farm in 1938. (Supplied: Dick and Pixie von Hofe)
“The war started in 1939, and that was the first year that the orchard had a big crop. My parents decided to go to Europe to visit family members,” he said.
“No sooner they got there, the war broke out. I was 11 when they went on holiday. They came back when I was 17.”
Beyond the fact his parents were in Europe, the farmer had no idea what their life was like.
“During those years, I think we had about 25 words of correspondence with our parents through letters.”
Dick was 11 years old when he and his siblings had to start managing the farm. (Supplied: Dick and Pixie von Hofe)
Dick and his siblings became the main operators overnight.
“We didn’t have the money to do anything apart from looking after what was already done. My brother and my three sisters managed the packing and picking of the apples.
“If things improved after the war, you still had a good asset. But of course that didn’t happen, everything changed after the war.
“There was dislike for families that came from Germany. We did have some good friends during that period, they didn’t listen to it, but it was difficult for my mother when they returned.”
A transition of their own
The farming shire of Manjimup has been through many transitions.
“The industries in Manjimup have changed somewhat. When I first came here, tobacco had been it, then that fell by the wayside, the hillsides used to be full of apples,” Pixie said.
Dick and Pixie decided to transition fully into sheep from apples due to market conditions. (ABC South West: Kate Forrester)
Finding an identity that stuck was also apart of the von Hofe family history.
The couple moved from picking and packing apples to sheep farming.
Dick and Pixie expanded operations in 1978, purchasing a second property down the road from the family farm. (Supplied: Dick and Pixie von Hofe)
“It’s simple. Mathematics. There was nothing in apples, whereas sheep were reasonable, I mean not great prices but definitely better,” Dick said.
“We bought another farm 5km away from our own, so I had more land to graze sheep.
“Believe it or not, I found sheep easier. The apples are more perishable so you have got to be on the ball from that point of view.”
The recipe to a life full of love and land
It’s a pretty simple checklist.
Dedication, hard work and love.
Pixie and Dick von Hofe say they love living together in Manjimup. (ABC South West: Kate Forrester)
That’s what Dick thinks is the answer to 70 years of marriage, and for him, nearly 97 years living on his farm.
“It’s about having dedication to what your aim is, whatever I have done in life, I wanted to do well, and I believe that I’ve done that.”
The couple is extremely proud of the community they have raised their family in.
“I’ve never been attracted to living in Perth or any big town, my ambition is I was born here, I hope to pass on here, in the same way,” Dick said.
The couple celebrated with cake, balloons and a party attended by family and neighbours. (ABC South West: Kate Forrester)
