The Kleindoorn Guest House, located on Kleindoorn River Farm near Barrydale in the Western Cape, and dating back to 1834, is the quintessential Karoo homestead. Formerly run by the late writer, poet, painter and translator Christine Barkhuizen-le Roux, the home remains in the Le Roux family and exhibits Christine’s influence.
As you enter the house, the first thing you notice are the books, which are everywhere. Appropriately, there are also plenty of places to curl up and read.
The front room is a good place to start, and you can choose from encyclopedias and romance novels to poetry and Afrikaans literature. The sun lounge is delightful too. Bathed in natural light, it is also ideal for painting in or simply relaxing. Its glass panes form a grid pattern that slightly distorts the sunlight as it enters the room, and Bertus le Roux, the current owner of the property, remembers his father installing the panes when he was a young child. Here there are also board games, more books and an upright piano. This room leads to what was once, perhaps, the original scullery, but it now serves as another bathroom, which has a shower.
The house has three bedrooms: two with a double bed, and one with two single beds. One of the double rooms is next door to a bathroom that features a bath, basin and toilet.
“The bathroom was the original part of the [farm’s] dairy where the cream would be separated from the milk for making butter,” says Bertus.
MAKE A FIRE
Esta historia es de la edición June 04, 2021 de Farmer's Weekly.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición June 04, 2021 de Farmer's Weekly.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
New farmers' seedling pitfalls
Inexperienced farmers may be tempted to grow seedlings from seed themselves, but they have much to gain by trusting a seedling grower at a nursery to perform this task for them instead
South African avocado production: a success story
Avocado production in South Africa has expanded markedly since the industry's humble beginnings over 80 years ago. From a small grove planted in 1938 in what was then Nelspruit, the industry has blossomed to seven million trees planted on 20 000ha. Dr Guy Witney, project manager at Great Brak Avos, spoke to Annelie Coleman about the country's avocado production.
Unlocking value through livestock exports
Exporting livestock might sound like a daunting business that's better left for big companies, but Gerrie Ferreira, who farms near Oudtshoorn in the Western Cape, has been doing it successfully for almost 30 years, sometimes in partnership with other breeders. He spoke to Glenneis Kriel about the huge potential this market holds, and offers some advice for farmers who are contemplating going this route.
An agribusiness's dedication to community upliftment
For agribusiness NWK, located in Lichtenburg, North West, corporate social investment is an important part of creating a positive influence alongside financial returns. Johan Bezuidenhout, NWK’s group manager of corporate marketing and communication, spoke to Annelie Coleman about why the company chooses to invest millions of rands in the area it operates in every year.
Empowering dreams, transforming lives
Since its launch in 2013, the Agri's Got Talent competition has revolutionised the lives of many farmworkers by unlocking their hidden talents and fostering a culture of empowerment. Glenneis Kriel spoke to various finalists about how the contest has changed their lives.
Foreign investment: agriculture maintains its appeal
South Africa remains a popular destination for foreign investors, despite an often negative outlook from its citizens. It is a gateway to Africa, and with its counterseasonal production to the Northern Hemisphere and favourable weather, local agriculture is especially well placed to attract foreign interest, bringing with it hope for rural communities
The real value and message of COP29 for SA agriculture
While the 2024 Conference of the Parties may have disappointed those who hoped for real progress, it's more important for South African agriculture to highlight its role in carbon mitigation
Improving efficiencies in feed and grain milling
Bühler, a Swiss-based company that provides solutions and equipment for various industries, including food and animal feed processing, has pledged that by 2025, it will deliver scalable solutions that will reduce energy, waste and water by 50% in the value chains of its customers.
Tips for better olive production
At an SA Olive Association field day in November, industry experts shared ways to improve olive production efficiencies, from soil preparation to harvesting.
More effort needed to protect vulnerable cheetah
On International Cheetah Day, commemorated every year on 4 December, emphasis was placed on the vulnerability of the species.
