Michael Varalla (51)

A Hekpoort farmer is exercising his dance steps in his tomato fields this week to prepare for a live music performance on the Jacaranda FM radio station on Friday.
In celebration of Father’s Day, the radio station decided to put together a Dad’s Band in honour of all dads listening. Tomato farmer Michael Varalla (51) from Hekpoort was chosen as one of the four members… without his knowledge!
I perform and worship at the Barn Church and a member, Christie-Anne Wolmarans entered me without my knowledge. She phoned me one day and asked me to send her a video of me performing. She has a catering company and I thought she might have a music gig for me. Then I got a call from the radio station informing me I had to be in the studio the next day as I was chosen as one of the eight finalists for a Dad’s Band. I was speechless,” he laughed. And then it was announced that he was one of the final four band members.
“All of a sudden it was a flurry of activities. We had met a well-known producer formerly a member of a well-known band. He selected a song for us and off we went to his studio to record it. And then on Tuesday, we had to meet with a choreographer to teach us our moves! I don’t dance! I am the shy one who sits on the sidelines while everyone else is dancing,” a still somewhat stunned Michael said.
When Kormorant spoke to him on Wednesday he had two days to practice his dance steps. “I am a farmer, I work in the fields all day, so currently I am doing one.. two.. three… step… in the field among the tomatoes. I am telling you that the tomatoes, the bugs and the frost are all laughing at me. I can remember the first dance step but nothing of the rest!”
And what does his family say? My two daughters, 20 and 16, think I have gone mad. Not about singing, but the dancing! I am currently the family joke. This is stretching me a bit far… And we will be doing it live on a big stage with smoke and everything. And on top of this, it is being recorded on video. I don’t know what I have let myself into. And it is all my friend’s fault.”
Michael has been farming speciality Italian tomatoes in Hekpoort for the past four years. “I have owned the farm for a long time but lived in Johannesburg. During the COVID pandemic, I decided to move here and start farming. I farm very special tomatoes, perfect for use in sauces. I don’t sell tomatoes, I grow them to make sauces. I am still an amateur farmer but I learn every day and I am loving it.”
Michael, who sings and plays bass guitar, keyboard and drums, regularly performs around Hartbeespoort and will entertain guests at Die Ou Pastorie on Father’s Day on Sunday
Michael and his fellow Dad’s Band members will be on Jacaranda FM shortly after 08:00 on Friday, 14 June. Don’t miss it for anything!

The Dad Band! Raymond Ray, Michael Varalla, Philip James Thomas and Theo Swanepoel