The Arrival of Shadow
Well–the festive season is past with no casualities apart from a few extra kilograms! So I hope to get back to blogging on a more regular basis now.
Today is a good day to begin as today is the day Shadow arrived–the first horse in paradise. He is a 10 year old Nooitgedacht (a real South African breed) with a little bit of Perchuron–hence the lovely thick neck. He has a fantastically broad back, perfect for this beginner rider!!
Herman quickly hammered up a split pole fence in line with the poultry camp, so he has a lush, green paddock along the river just 60 meters from our house. Next week we will start the “proper” paddock with an arena and stable on the Rusfontein side of the farm. I can’t wait to be able to ride him up into the Backlands and explore the farm on horseback—–but I think a bit of practise riding on ground level first will get my confidence up.
I think he needs a friend!!
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Farm Life and Country Living
Herman and Margie live on a farm in South Africa–this is their blog on country living, eating honest food from the land, farming with guests and creative expression.
We moved here in June 2004 from Cape Town, it was our holiday house set on 3 hectares of ground along a wide meandering river on the south coast—a year later we bought the neighbour’s farm–now called Rustfontein.
Rustfontein is 630 hectares of fynbos, wildlife, views, open spaces and quiet.
On the farm we have (so far)
2 adults (us)
2 children (age 13 and almost 10 )
2 dogs (Bella the Beautiful-a Rhodesian Ridgeback- and Sunny the “very badly behaved,chicken thief, Jack Russel”)
2 budgies
3 cats (Pumpkin and Zazoo–both ex-Tomcats, orange in colour and great rat catchers and a little throw-away cat called Vaaitjie, blackish with a pure white undercoat, the sweetest thing.)
15 hens, 4 roosters
1 Macou duck (Muscovey)
40 odd sheep (“dorpers” bred for meat not wool)
50 odd cattle (Bonsmaras)
2 horses (Shadow and Llwyd- pronounced Louie)
When I look at this list all that seems short is a pig and maybe a goat? And some easy to pluck ducks apparently the Macou are hell to pluck—and I keep on coming across some delicious duck receipes.
We have finalised the renovations on the old farmhouse on Rustfontein, as well as the shepherd hut which is on the “backlands” –what we locals call the part of the farm that runs into the hills away from the river–the fynbos and wide open spaces part. We rent out the main house for holiday makers and the hut as an adventure sleep-out for those who like get up close with nature.
We like to feed ourselves as much as possible from what we can grow and produce ourselves (all organically of course) so we have a little farm kitchen were we cut, chop, cook, bottle and label all under the name Rustfontein-Guest Farm. This produce is also for sale to our guests. Honey, greenfig preserve, marmalade, jam.
Life is busy here in paradise–but it is a lifestyle we choose , to be honest and true to the land and our surroundings and to bring our children up in touch with nature, well grounded and to know we are supported by Mother Nature. To have the skills to venture out into the world with a true knowledge of how things really work.
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