Profile information
Host rating
85 %
Last replied
20 Mar 2025
Reply rate
100.0 %
Usually responds within 3 days
Feedback
2
Email verified
Badges (2)
Details
Description
Clifford is an architect and TV producer and also runs an NGO that supports interventions in public schools and his wife Erica is a public interest lawyer and author. We have recently relocated from Johannesburg to live on a small non-productive farm in the Crags, near Plettenberg Bay, Western Cape, South Africa. We have completed refurbishing and renovating the existing farm buildings and are in the early stages of learning about self sustainable living that includes rainwater harvesting, self supply of electricity and sewage, the growing of vegetables, alien clearing , fynbos management, maintaining firebreaks, cutting in pathways and walkways and creating natural dams. Our plans include exploring ideas of how to monetise the fynbos botanicals growing naturally on the farm to generate an income and also the designing and building off-grid cottages out of timber and corrugated iron as guest accommodation. Our longer term plans include hosting retreats for writers and creative people. We have two children that still live in Johannesburg - our daughter Rosa (30 years) is a primary school teacher and our son Jesse (24 years) is a musician and music producer.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
Animal Care
Farmstay help
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
Hospitality/Tourism
General Maintenance
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
We think the traveller will find our family well read, very connected and engaged with the social issues and challenges facing South Africa today, and they will co-travel a journey of self-discovery with us as their hosts as we transition from city to country living and try to master existing in a off-grid and more sustainable way in one of the most beautiful locations in South Africa. The south-western cape is heaven for the adventurous, renown for trail running, mountain biking, hiking, sky-diving, para-gliding, kite-surfing, surfing, to whale and big game watching.
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
We would like the traveller to have general maintenance tasks and handy skills to be able assist with land management related issues, some knowledge of gardening and vegetable growing, be comfortable with dogs and happy to spend time reading, debating issues and cooking in the kitchen. As we both travel back and forth to Johannesburg for work, the traveller may be left alone to care for the property and dogs.
Languages
Languages spoken
English: FluentThis host offers a language exchange
Portuguese
Accommodation
The main dwelling of the farm is a series of connected and converted out-buildings which provides private sleeping quarters for everyone. These are arranged around the family common living area of kitchen, dining room, lounging area, terrace and swimming pool. The traveller will have access to all the common shared spaces but also have their their own private sleeping quarters, bathroom and terrace made from a converted shipping container. Breakfast and lunch is often taken on the go as we all have different work cycles, but the plan would be to cook together and share dinner as the main meal of the day on a few evenings a week.
What else ...
Our farm is located some 20km out of Plettenberg Bay and 12km from Nature's Valley, both considered as the jewels of the Garden Route a 900km coast line stretching from Cape Town to Gqeberha. The Garden Route has some of the most spectacular beaches, hikes and mountain bike cycling routes in the country that are freely available and accessible. It is littered with small coastal and inland towns including some of the famous western cape wine estates. Having access to a car would make exploring this area that much easier but there are inter-city buses as well as a hop-on hop-off backpacker friendly transporter that traverses this route.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
We have decent fast speed wifi BUT it is line of sight and weather can impact this from time to time
Space for parking camper vans
We have sufficient space to accommodate a camper van
Can possibly accept pets
We have a pack of 4 dogs and a cat - dogs or cats can be integrated
How many Workawayers can stay?
One
Feedback (1)
My work focused on landscaping around the dam they had implemented outside their house. It included planting plants on the banks to cover the sand and the plastic lining, making it more… read more
Photos
Feedback
My work focused on landscaping around the dam they had implemented outside their house. It included planting plants on the banks to cover the sand and the plastic lining, making it more… read more
