Our appointment to view the farm was set for the afternoon. We had no particular expectations of the property - just that it was a good farm that had been in the owners' family since 1875. He had decided to sell because his son did not wish to farm it. Although the farm has a common boundary with S', the main access road is further along the main Steynsburg - Molteno road. We retraced our route and set off to view the property.
Kromhoogte
The farm land mark is a mountain called "Kromhoogte" a flat topped conical hill, easily visible from the surrounding countryside for miles around. The translation is literally "Crooked Heights". For some reason, the name made me (and still makes me) think of an agrarian version of Fawlty Towers! Hopefully, if we purchased the place our attempts at farming it would not be a variation on that famous Brit comedy. On a more somber note, part of the Boer War was fought in the district; the British forces active in the area had an observation post on the mountain. To partially over come boredom, the troopers carved their names on the rocks where they maintained lookout.
By road, the farmstead was about 15km from S'. We turned north off the main road immediately past Kromhoogte and followed the road for about 3km, after crossing the railway line. The countryside was beautiful despite the post-winter dryness; reasonably flat - but with a significant number of large mountains all around.
The farm land mark is a mountain called "Kromhoogte" a flat topped conical hill, easily visible from the surrounding countryside for miles around. The translation is literally "Crooked Heights". For some reason, the name made me (and still makes me) think of an agrarian version of Fawlty Towers! Hopefully, if we purchased the place our attempts at farming it would not be a variation on that famous Brit comedy. On a more somber note, part of the Boer War was fought in the district; the British forces active in the area had an observation post on the mountain. To partially over come boredom, the troopers carved their names on the rocks where they maintained lookout.
By road, the farmstead was about 15km from S'. We turned north off the main road immediately past Kromhoogte and followed the road for about 3km, after crossing the railway line. The countryside was beautiful despite the post-winter dryness; reasonably flat - but with a significant number of large mountains all around.
View from Farm Entrance
We had not discussed the house or the main infrastructure much, apart from noting that it was about 90 years old, had three bedrooms and one bathroom. The original homestead had burned down and the existing one built in 1914. I was interested to see what the house would look like - an iconic Karoo farmstead, or a functional but architecturally boring house.
We had not discussed the house or the main infrastructure much, apart from noting that it was about 90 years old, had three bedrooms and one bathroom. The original homestead had burned down and the existing one built in 1914. I was interested to see what the house would look like - an iconic Karoo farmstead, or a functional but architecturally boring house.
First View of House
The first view of the house became visible about two thirds of the way up the dead straight tree lined entrance.
The first view of the house became visible about two thirds of the way up the dead straight tree lined entrance.
Homestead
WOW! Instantaneous raising of expectations. I am not sure what I was expecting, but it was not this. What an amazing structure.
The dressed stone foundation, and the wrap around verandah were outstanding.
This raised the stakes. Now would the rest of the farm live up to the standard of the homestead? Of course, the objective of buying a farm is not to own a house. The sheer presence of the homestead raised the stakes, and the "buy" signal moved from interested indifference to very interested. The additional infrastructure in the yard area comprised a double garage, two storerooms, an outbuilding that housed the lighting plant before the the farm received Eskom power, and a rondavel build of ironstone.
The dressed stone foundation, and the wrap around verandah were outstanding.
This raised the stakes. Now would the rest of the farm live up to the standard of the homestead? Of course, the objective of buying a farm is not to own a house. The sheer presence of the homestead raised the stakes, and the "buy" signal moved from interested indifference to very interested. The additional infrastructure in the yard area comprised a double garage, two storerooms, an outbuilding that housed the lighting plant before the the farm received Eskom power, and a rondavel build of ironstone.
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