Driekwartblou Guest House & Venue lies south of the Gariep Dam, with only a narrow part of the Oviston Nature Reserve separating the property from the dam. It is in the Eastern Cape between the towns of Gariep Dam and Venterstad. Owners Meyer and Carina van der Walt tell us that their farm is en route to "everywhere", and with the peace and quiet experienced there, this is the ideal guest house to recharge your batteries.
The venue is named Driekwartblou (translation from the Afrikaans threequarters blue) because three parts of the view guests have to the north is blue: the blue water from the dam, the blue mountains in the distance, and the blue sky. The fourth quarter is the land up to the edge of the dam.
The farmhouse was originally built in 1803, with extensions added over time, and the house close by, now turned into the Driekwartblou Guest House, was built shortly afterward. When the Gariep Dam, South Africa's largest dam, was built from 1965 to 1971, many properties affected were bought from the owners. Towards the end of the project, the land not covered by the dam and surrounding Oviston Nature Reserve were rezoned and resold.
In July 1970, Meyer van der Walt's father, Banie, purchased Schalkwykskraal, and in July 1988, Meyer and Carina took over the farming activities. Schalkwykskraal is still a working farm where now mainly cattle are bred.
ACCOMMODATION
Three units are available to guests on the farm. The cluster originally was a house and later used as a shed. In early 2013, the Van der Walts converted the shed into accommodation for guests.
Farmer's Weekly was allocated Unit One. It has one queen-sized bed and a single bed, and an en suite bathroom with a shower. A full kitchenette is available. A stoep with a view over the dam makes for great sundowners.
Bu hikaye Farmer's Weekly dergisinin November 10, 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye Farmer's Weekly dergisinin November 10, 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
Syngenta Seedcare celebrates a decade of innovation
Syngenta's ambition is to enable their customers' investments to grow in healthy soil from treated seeds to young plants through innovation and collaboration, writes Magda du Toit.
Agri workers shine at Western Cape awards
Lindie-Alet van Staden, a garden and olive orchard manager at L’Ormarins Wine Estate in Franschhoek, was crowned as the Western Cape Prestige Agri-Worker of 2024 at a gala event recently held near Paarl.
Small and large farmers recognised at grain awards
The annual Grain SA/Syngenta awards ceremony bears testimony to the quality of farmers in the grain industry.
Growing partnerships: Fedgroup's flexible and innovative approach
Janine Ryan spoke to Warren Winchester, general manager of impact investing at Fedgroup, about why the company became involved in agriculture, and what it offers farmers and their immediate communities.
Why fish farms fail, and how to avoid becoming a statistic
The popularity of launching fish farms is not matched by their success. Leslie Ter Morshuizen, owner of Aquaculture Solutions, explores the factors that cause most of these businesses to go under.
Where history and modernity meet in a luxurious setting
Brian Berkman kept his eyes peeled for ghosts in the oldest continuously run hotel in South Africa, but all he found was a fabulous two-night stay.
THE HITCHING POST
I'm a stylish elderly lady with a radiant glow and a good sense of humour that keeps me young at heart.
Cutworms: check the weeds on your fields!
Zunel van Eeden explains why understanding the ecological interplay between cutworms and weeds is crucial for effective pest management. Producers should disrupt the life cycle of cutworms to minimise crop damage.
Does high-density grazing mimic grazing patterns of game?
In their paper on high-density grazing in Southern Africa, professors Angelinus Franke and Elmarie Kotzé from the Department of Soil, Crop and Climate Sciences at the University of the Free State say high-density grazing systems may not accurately reflect natural ecosystems. Roelof Bezuidenhout reports.
Global grain outlook: 2024/25 marketing season
In its latest summer crops report, the Crop Estimates Committee says South African farmers intend to plant 4,47 million hectares of summer grains and oilseeds in the 2024/25 season, up 1% from the previous season. As South Africa exports maize and soya bean, Annelie Coleman reports on the latest trends in the international grain and oilseed markets, amid fluctuations in weather conditions and ongoing armed conflicts.
