Some people discover their path early in life and pursue it with determination. They get up early, they get their hands dirty, and they figure it out. At Husqvarna, we’re celebrating all young South Africans who pursue their passions with purpose, and on Youth Day we’re proud to introduce you to one of them.
Meet Christoff Grobler, a 15-year-old farm boy from Lydenburg, Mpumalanga. Homeschooled and deeply rooted in the land, Christoff describes himself simply as “a farm boy” whose only desire is to farm. Most afternoons, when the books close, you’ll find him working alongside his dad, tackling whatever tasks the farm demands. Sometimes that means clearing trees with his favourite tool: a Husqvarna chainsaw.
The origin of his relationship with chainsaws came unexpectedly. His father’s old machine had stopped working, and Christoff, who was just a little boy at the time, decided to fix it and succeeded.
“That was when I realised this was something I really liked,” he says of his passion for trees, logging and saws.
“I think cutting trees must be in my blood,” Christoff adds.
“My grandfather once mentioned that my great-great-grandfather was a logger.”
Whether it’s heritage or hardwiring, he has always been drawn to the weight and purpose of a chainsaw.
Permission to use one didn’t come easily, though. His mother, understandably cautious, worried he was too young. But Christoff never stopped asking, and eventually his persistence paid off. His mom finally agreed, on condition that he would only operate it under parental or adult supervision and follow strict safety rules.
At just nine years old, he bought his first chainsaw, a Husqvarna 130.
“It was exciting,” he recalls, “knowing it could be the start of a business.” Even at such a young age, he was already thinking about the future.
Funding it was a lesson in itself. His parents helped him start a small cattle herd, built from two orphaned calves. Christoff describes how they had to be bottle-fed, and from there, the herd grew.
“I work for my money,” he says plainly, “and I’m proud that I can buy my own things.”
He admits he felt both nervous and excited the first time he fired up his new machine, despite having used his father’s chainsaw before.
“This was different though,” he shares.
“This one was mine.”
His father taught him how to use the tool, but what was passed down went beyond technique. Christoff made his parents a promise: to be careful, to respect the tool, and to respect the land. He has kept it, wearing proper PPE and never operating his saw alone.
As he grew older and stronger, he began using his father’s Husqvarna 61, a more powerful model, which meant getting more done. Recently, he bought his own Husqvarna 61.
The reason was simple: “I loved my dad’s; that’s why I chose the same model. I know it will go a long way because it’s built to last.”
He mainly uses his chainsaw to clear farm roads and cut firewood for winter, but he is already planning to expand into cutting wood for resale. For now, Christoff is content with his machine and doesn’t envisage upgrading it anytime soon. But when he does, he emphasises that he will never change to anything else.
“When I buy another, it will definitely be a Husqvarna.”
His eyes are now firmly set on the future. He wants to become the best farmer he can be, raising cattle and growing crops.
When asked what advice he would give to other young South Africans on Youth Day, his answer is simple and, at just 15, is something that he lives by: “Pray about everything. Work hard. Never give up. Believe in yourself. And don’t waste your money; try and save towards something meaningful.”
“On Youth Day, as South Africa celebrates the courage and potential of our young people, Husqvarna is proud to stand behind the generation shaping the country’s future,” says Timothy Isabirye, Marketing Manager at Husqvarna South Africa.
“It’s a reminder of what our youth are capable of achieving given the chance. Christoff is living proof of that, and his is a story worth telling.”
