Small, organic off-grid farm experience in scenic Klein Karoo, South Africa

South Africa

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Feedback
27
Last activity
19/01/2021
Reply rate
100.0 %
Average reply time:
within 1 day
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Availability

2021

Min stay requested: at least 2 weeks

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What's this?

Details

Description
We are a husband and wife team living our dream on our small organic off-the-grid farm in the scenic Klein Karoo region of the Western Cape Province, South Africa. One hectare is cultivated, surrounded by natural areas, open spaces with hills, valleys and distant mountain ranges. There is wildlife in the area, including many different bird species.

We developed this former derelict farm from scratch, initially doing all the work ourselves. We are mostly self sufficient, eating from the variety of fruit, vegetables, herbs, and nuts we grow on the farm. We also keep honeybees and free range chickens and plan to have sheep in the future.

Together with other local organic farmers we have hosted two well attended weekends to promote sustainable living. Apart from organic farming, our interests include processing our farm produce naturally, alternative energy, walking, educational documentaries, reading non-fiction, making music and art/crafts.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Gardening
DIY and building projects
General Maintenance
Help around the house
Animal Care
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
UN sustainablity goals this host is trying to achieve
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What's this?
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
Travelers will benefit from an off-the-grid, organic small holding experience, learning from all the activities they are involved in and enjoying the benefits of physical activity and organic eating. Healthy meals are harvested and prepared mostly from the garden. They will also be able to learn about sustainable living, farming and alternative energy systems.

There is an enclosed equipped rustic kitchen with a crushed stone floor, three plate gas cooker, wood burning stove, barbeque facilities and firewood. A coolbox will be provided with ice bricks. You may use our deepfreeze and washing machine on request.
Help
Fit and healthy nature loving non-smokers who enjoy manual farm labour (some of it physically challenging, especially for men) and are interested in organic farming/gardening. Couples welcome (man to do the heavier work - woman the lighter work) Tasks will involve a mix of working alone or with us.

Jobs include the following depending on priorities/season :

Dig and prepare tree holes and vegetable trenches
Planting and sowing
Mulching
Organic feeding of trees and vegetables
Weeding
Thinning of vegetable seedlings
Irrigation
Prune fruit trees
Harvest and process farm produce in season
Erect fences
Landscaping
General light construction/maintenance
Eradicate invasive plants
Bush clearing
Preparation of fire wood
Cleaning small dam
Languages spoken
Afrikaans: Fluent
English: Fluent
Accommodation
Two luxury, permanent tents on wooden decks, each sleeping two persons with double or single beds and solar electricity. Ablution facilities consist of a flush toilet and bucket shower with hot and cold water (not en-suite).
What else ...
Volunteers can enjoy the abundance of fresh air, peace, walks in nature, hiking in the mountains, bird watching and swimming in our small dam (in summer). We do have a small library of non-fiction books and articles on sustainable living available for Workaways to borrow to read. They can also visit the small town of Vanwyksdorp nearby (3km), with a few shops providing basic supplies as well as an interesting art/craft gallery and a restaurant and coffee shop. There is Wi-Fi in Vanwyksdorp as well as the Rooiberg Lodge 10kms away.
For tourist attractions in surrounding areas they would need to have transport. There is no local public transport in our area. We do provide bicycles for the use of Workaways.
The closest large town is Riversdale on the N2, with a daily bus service between major cities. Workaways making use of this bus service can be fetched/returned in/to Riversdale Monday - Friday.
We prefer to hear from potential Workaways well in advance to their planned stay with us.

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A little more information
- Internet access
- Limited internet access
- We have pets
- We are smokers
- Can host families
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Hours expected
5 hours per day, 5 days per week

Photos

Max and Justine "spinning"out honey.

Mathieu and Mascha sorting grapes to make our first wine.

Toyoki has brought order and pleasure to our dry garden.

Enclosed kitchen area for Workaways

Workaways James and Bronwyn at new Avocado tree development

Pieter and workaway Sean planting patatoes

Our beautiful chickens

Show all photos

Fruit in season December; peaches, apricots and youngberries.

Loic, an amazing person to have had as a WorkAway!

Us in 2016 winter edition of local magazine.

View from volunteer accommodation.

Volunteer accommodation.

Almonds, pecans and macadamia nuts from our orchards.

View of our farm and surrounds

Irrigation dam also for swimming

Feedback left by and about host (27)

These are extra optional ratings when members leave feedback. The average rating left for each option is displayed.

Accuracy of profile:
(5.0)

Cultural exchange:
(5.0)

Communication:
(5.0)

07/11/2020

Left by host for Workawayer (Ruth)

Ruth is a responsible and detailed person and was a great help to me in a season of lots of weeding, sowing and clearing old beds of peas, as well as shelling Lima beans. She also sowed many fruit bags (on a hand machine) during the hotter times of the day. Ruth enjoyed what this place had to offer which is always an asset for any host and was an… read more

(Excellent )

29/10/2020

Left by Workawayer (Ruth) for host

Exceptional hosts. It was a pleasure and privilege to spend 3 weeks with such dedicated, kind and knowledgable people in the diverse plant and animal kingdoms surrounding them. Until the next episode xx

(Excellent )

07/08/2020

Left by Workawayer (Harry) for host

What an amazing experience my time spent here was! Having built up everything they have from scratch it was amazing to learn how such a farm works and everything that goes into this lifestyle. From cooking and preparing the food in the kitchen to the home made irrigation pipes. I will forever cherish my visit here. Sally and Pieter are extremely… read more

(Excellent )

08/07/2020

Left by host for Workawayer (Harry)

Harry was a pleasure to have here with us for three weeks here. He was hard working, conscientious and eager to learn. He dug and prepared vegetable trenches and enlarged basins around the almond trees and removed old irrigation pipes. Harry was always cheerful whatever the situation. He made good use of his off time, running and hiking and… read more

(Excellent )

14/07/2020

Left by Workawayer (Alice & Julie) for host

My stay here was perfect ! I have nothing but good to say about it, Sally and Peter are wonderful people who took care of me the whole time. I couldn't dream for a better place to stay during lockdown. I learn so much about farming and South Africa. I feel so lucky I got the opportunity to be there, I will never forget this beautiful adventure and… read more

(Excellent )

08/07/2020

Left by host for Workawayer (Alice & Julie)

Alice was a great Workaway, staying with us for 3 months. She accepted all tasks with grace, was always cheerful, appreciative and applied herself to what needed to be done. We are very grateful for her help, always done with a good attitude. It was a long stay due to lockdown but it was never a burden to have Alice. She enjoyed the small… read more

(Excellent )

21/03/2020

Left by Workawayer (Mascha) for host

Our stay with Sally and Pieter was fantastic. We enjoyed so much the beautiful and quiet surrounding and the positive energy in this workaway place. We loved that Sally and Pieter are very well structured and always making sure that we felt good. We could learn many things about living off grid and about how to work hard for your dreams. One of… read more

(Excellent )

15/03/2020

Left by Workawayer (Toyoki) for host

Thank you so much to Pieter and Sally for all the priceless experiences and warmest hospitality.
They just treated me well that almost forget the job that done in the day.
Accommodation and food was marvelous. They had audio room and all the leisure stuff they had offered me made me so much relax to been in this small town of the beautiful South… read more

(Excellent )

08/03/2020

Left by host for Workawayer (Toyoki)

Toyoki is a hard working polite young man, his stay was a great asset for us. We enjoyed his company and many travel experiences. He helped Pieter and also used his own initiative with a major landscaping project which involved cutting down and removing big thorn tree branches, clearing rocks, planting Spekboom cuttings and gravelling dry beds and… read more

(Excellent )

11/03/2020

Left by host for Workawayer (Mathieu)

Mathieu and Mascha were really great Workaways. They embraced life here on our small farm with enthusiasm, care and hard work. We so appreciated having them. Mathieu with Toyoki did some serious stone and rock clearing for new terraces to accommodate fruit drying racks; Mathieu also made rock basins around fruit trees to keep scratching chickens… read more

(Excellent )

29/01/2020

Left by Workawayer (Justine & Maxime) for host

Sally and Pieter are THE BEST HOSTS you could ever dream of meeting! It was our very first Workaway experience and they made it absolutely wonderful. We've learnt so many things about farming, living differently, organically, healthily. We've also learnt a lot of things about the Klein Karoo and its indigenous animals and plants species. We went… read more

(Excellent )

27/01/2020

Left by host for Workawayer (Justine & Maxime)

Maxime and Justine were a great Workaway couple and a pleasure to host. They worked consistently hard, communicated well and were appreciative of their experience here. Together they lime washed our cottage and then Max went on to make wire support frames for the tomatoes, prepared vegetable beds with manure and mulch. He worked hard on clearing… read more

(Excellent )

03/11/2019

Left by Workawayer (James & Bronwyn) for host

Our experience with Sally and Pieter was absolutely incredible! They have a wealth of knowledge and recourses regarding organic farming, solar energy and building. They are passionate about their sustainable and organic lifestyle and have built their farm and house by themselves with hard work.

We really enjoyed our 2 weeks on the farm. The… read more

(Excellent )

01/11/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (James & Bronwyn)

This enthusiastic South African couple James and Bronwyn were a great pleasure to have! They were here from October 17 to 1 November 2019.
James dug and prepared tree holes, (a physically very challenging job done very well ), made protective/support wire cages for trees and tomatoes and expertly serviced our motorcycle.
Bronwyn helped prepare… read more

(Excellent )

21/10/2019

Left by Workawayer (Cari) for host

I had such a memorable experience working and staying here. If you love gardening, plants, nature and sustainable living then this will be your dream workaway. The work wasn't physically challenging but everyday you get your hands dirty and get to do something different. Sally and Pieter are truly inspiring and loving people; they quickly became… read more

(Excellent )

20/10/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Cari)

It was such a pleasure to have Cari stay with us! She worked hard, was so kind and caring in every way.
Cari is responsible and helped with many projects with care and enthusiasm. These included seed sowing, weeding and thinning of vegetables, inside painting and helping in the kitchen with food preparation.
Cari enjoyed hiking and the peace that… read more

(Excellent )

05/05/2019

Left by Workawayer (Joseph & Lisa) for host

Volunteering at Pieter and Sally’s farm home holds true to the description. It’s a wonderful learning experience. Likened to a ‘mini-Kibbutz’, this immaculate small holding is well maintained and cared for and one can see the fruits of many years of labour which Pieter and Sally have put into their farm. The tents are spacious and have lovely… read more

(Excellent )

26/04/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Joseph & Lisa)

It was a real pleasure to have Joseph, Lisa and Josiah here with us from 18 March - 16 April 2019. They completed all tasks with with a positive, can - do attitude. Joseph's main task was clearing a new overgrown and very rocky area as well as digging 8 large holes for new avocado trees. This was especially challenging, but being fit with lots of… read more

(Excellent )

27/03/2019

Left by Workawayer (Jenni & Lisa-Marie) for host

We stayed two weeks in February with Sally and Pieter and had an amazing time there. The climate was totally different from what we were used to but it was a good experience. Sally and Pieter are really organised what we liked a lot about this place. Even though it was really hot they organised it well that we worked in the garden in the morning… read more

(Excellent )

10/03/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Jenni & Lisa-Marie)

These two lovely young ladies from Germany were with us from 18 Feb- 4 March 2019. They assisted with almond, prune and grape harvesting as well as making grape juice with all the different steps involved and also made pasta. (and cracked nuts!) They were practical in the garden with seed sowing, weeding and mulching. Jenni and Lisa were quick to… read more

(Excellent )

10/03/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Bianca & Sean)

This lovely young South African couple stayed/worked on our farm from 18 Feb-4 March 2019. Sean collected and stacked firewood, pruned wind break trees, helped the girls harvest almonds, prunes and grapes as well as topping fruit trees. Apart from the harvesting Bianca also made grape juice with it's many steps (a lot equipment cleaning thank you… read more

(Excellent )

03/03/2019

Left by Workawayer (Bianca & Sean) for host

Home away from home.
Working was made fun, We really loved and embraced the farm life style. Most of work consisted of Pruning, harvesting, planting and the making of grape juice. If you are considering to come here I highly recommend it, the food was spectacular and not what we use to but something we going to carry on eating, definitely! Hiking… read more

(Excellent )

30/01/2019

Left by Workawayer (Wiilliam) for host

Pieter and Sally are the nicest people you'll ever meet. Their knowledge on farming is huge. Sally's food is yummy! Bear in mind though, that since the farm is very well-managed, there's little freedom in how and when to do your work.

(Excellent )

27/01/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Wiilliam)

Will stayed with us from 5 January-18 January 2018. In this time with us he did the following tasks; dug and prepared soil for a vegetable trench, harvested butternuts and cleared beds from old plants, weeding, varnishing doors and window frames, topped fruit trees and landscaping.
Being fit with a positive attitude to manual farm work, he… read more

(Excellent )

03/01/2019

Left by Workawayer (Loic) for host

My experience at Pieter’s and Sally’s farm was fantastic.

Both have years of experience in organic farming and are invaluable sources of information – and inspiration! – to anyone considering a self-sustainable way of life. They are very eager to share all their knowledge, from general farming principles to clever tips to avoid pitfalls. Pieter… read more is also very fastidious in collecting literature on all topics related to farm life, from general construction to organic growing, including environmentally friendly pesticides. He has created over a dozen of well organized binders for all these subjects.

Both Pieter and Sally are very caring individuals. They make you feel welcome and at home. Sally prepares delicious and healthy meals, with the majority of the ingredients coming from the garden and fresh eggs from the small flock of free range hens. The bread is homemade, as well as the pasta. She took me to several hiking trails in the area, driving me to the trailheads. She has done many hikes herself and has trail maps.

Pieter is very patient and does not rush you into work. He explains his plans and strategy. If you come up to him while he is working on something, he stops and explains what he is doing.

Both Pieter and Sally are curious and knowledgeable of the world outside their own and this makes for good conversations. Themselves have travelled several parts of the world.
They are always very grateful for the work you do and they show it both verbally and with many little extra attentions.

I stayed with them a week shy of three months. I HIGHLY recommend that you do stay for an extended period of time. First, you get to be involved to many different tasks. I went from trench digging to preparing tomato cages, to installing irrigation pipes, to collecting honey, to caring for the hens, to harvesting fruits, to applying wood seal. The work you do depends not only on the specific seasonal farm necessities, but also on your physical readiness. They always check with you if you are okay, not too hot, the work not too hard, not too boring.

Second, a longer stay allows you more opportunities to experience local life. I was introduced to many other interesting people in the village and was invited to several braii (barbeque). After more than a month with them, as we were growing closer, as friends, they took me on day trips within the Little Karoo, to Oudtshoorn, the Cango Caves and some beautiful scenic drives through the Swartberg mountains. The Little Karoo might not be a hotspot for big animals sighting, but if you stick around for a while you will see animals. I saw Giraffes, Zebras, Baboons, Ganou, Sables, Waterbucks and other types of antelopes.

They are flexible with your travel plans. You can take breaks within your time at the farm. I took a week off to visit the Garden Route after a month of work. They are very accommodating and understanding of the travelers’ needs.

Thank you Pieter and Sally!

(Excellent )

03/01/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Loic)

Loic stayed with us from 11 Oct. 2018 till 5 Jan. 2019 on our farm near Vanwyks-
dorp, Western Cape Province, South Africa. It was a great pleasure to have him be part of our team.
During this time he helped with a variety of tasks including digging and preparing vegetable trenches and tree holes, landscaping, weeding, mulching, bush clearing,… read more

(Excellent )

22/06/2018

Left by Workawayer (Hiroko) for host

Not for faint hearted ''City Slickers''. No internet connection. You need to have a USB stick. Very very small place like hamlet. No entertainment city dwellers are accustomed to. Various and endless work to do on the farm. Sally the hostess was very attentive and caring. If you like to chill out, away from a city's hustle and bustle in a dry arid… read more

(Neutral )

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Host ref number: 361579149458

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