Sunday, 7 July 2013

Day 95 towards The Place

can just see the farm in the distance, look for the green water tank


From Barrydale, travel 61km to Riversdale turn-off sign-posted R323, Riversdale. Turn Right here.
Travel for 11km to Buffelsdrif turn-off sign-posted Buffelsdrif. Turn Right here onto gravel road.
Directly after the Cape Dutch/gabled house, gate and green car port, turn Left onto farm road (open and close gate)
Travel 1km to second gate. You have now arrived at The Place. Continue for another 900m to a third gate. Head straight through and take the right fork in the road towards the old farm house.
Please make an appointment before you visit! We look forward to welcoming you at The Place.
Lizelle and Kevin : 028 551 2068 / 071080733
  www.the-place.co.za


Had a pleasant few days in Swellandam relaxing, washing clothes and dogs towels, cleaning out the camper, making lovely baked vegie dishes with brown rice and soya sauce, my system needed goodness, also had a rich veggie soup at the old gaol and then ran into Shantal and Karel at the market that is run once a month. I promised him I would try and find an old windmill for him along my travels, he wants to experiment with a windmill for his reverse osmosis pump which at the moment is using solar power and only gives him 100 litres a day, a full strength pump can do 3500 lt which is far more productive for a large farm.

We took advantage of Wimpy's wi-fi to catch up on technology and then on Sunday morning left to head out over the Tradouw pass, stopped in at Ronnie's sex shop for a bite and a drink, they were full with a bunch of guys returning from a rally somewhere towards Oudtshoorn. We found our way to The Place about 25km from Ladismith on the road to Riversdale and it is fantastic.
Ronnie's sex shop with a bunch of rally drivers visiting


Right in the middle of nowhere with space to walk and meditate, typical klein karoo landscape, flat, hills, fynbos, the Touws river runs through the farm, they have a fresh borehole and a brackish one, they have mains electricity so all the home comforts. A lovely couple, Lizelle from South Africa met Kevin from England while she was their, they have a young son Sean and are turning this previously over grazed intensive ostrich farm into their own permaculture paradise.

They use the buildings that were here for now, the main farmhouse is our home with a seperate bedroom for us, they have a guest room and a studio advertised as an artist retreat, what a great place to come to if you want to get away from the city rat race, peace and quiet to read or write or unwind. The outbuildings are being turned into an earth tent camp, two double en suite guest rooms, they are also planning a camping site and an extension on the veggie gardens, infrastructure, a greenhouse, a future permaculture house so this one can be rented out, lots of opportunities and scope to grow, I love it.

Of course my dogs were aggressive with there two lovely black border collies, just 2 years old, thankfully the border collies are not vicious although they don't back down and we had a bit of a fighting match a few times but it looks like they will all settle down eventually and I will be able to make this a long term wwoofing experience. Their dogs spent the afternoon bringing me there ball to throw which did not sit well with mine, but if mine want to join the game they will have to stop being so aggressive.
The Place - somewhere here

So for now we are at peace and plan to make the best of this wonderful opportunity.


Hope you guys are well and sleeping warm.

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