1 167 ha Farm in Graaff Reinet

This scenic and productive high rainfall property boasts some of the highest carrying capacity grassland in the district and it is ideal for cattle, sheep and/or game farming with the added benefit of 15 ha of registered irrigation. The setting of the homestead is idyllic and the diverse topography affords breath-taking views and vistas. An impressive stocking rate of 5 hectares per Large Stock Unit (LSU) has been maintained for 15 years by utilising high intensity grazing. The veld is in exceptional condition with the dominant feature being the dense stands of the keystone climax grass species Rooigras (Themeda triandra) which provides an almost complete ground cover in places. Together with over 115 other privately owned properties this farm is part of the 268,000 ha Mountain Zebra-Camdeboo Protected Environment. Although it is easily accessible from Graaff-Reinet this farm is very secure having no thoroughfare, and it is situated 6 km from the nearest tar road where an electric gate provides access control.

LOCATION: 48 km north-west of Graaff-Reinet

SIZE: 1167.2664 hectares

CARRYING CAPACITY: 7 14 ha/LSU (Government assessment 1990)

RAINFALL: 600 mm per annum which is unusually high for the Great Karoo. Predominantly summer rainfall with peaks in early summer and autumn in particular. Good rains can also fall in the winter months and snow can also be expected on the higher elevations.

TOPOGRAPHY & GEOLOGY: The property is situated on the lower undulating foothills and plateaux of the Sneeuberg mountain range with the highest point just within of the southern boundary at an elevation of 1,711 m ASL. Between this high-point and the northern and north-western boundary, which is dominated by plateaux of 1,500 m ASL there is a lush central valley draining towards the east. West of the high-point and north-western plateaux the land falls away into Wyehoek and Tierkloof where the lowest elevation of 1,190 m ASL is to be found.

The geology of the property is characterised by Jurassic Dolerite in the upper elevations of the western kloofs and along the plateaux rims, and in the higher elevations of the high-point. Intervening sediments are all Permian Balfour in nature with the exception of the central valley where Permian Alluvium sediments provide fertile soils for the drylands and irrigated pastures.

VEGETATION: The property falls within the Sneeuberg Centre of Floristic Endemism. The topographical features and geology create favourable conditions for higher rainfall and vegetation unusual in the district. It consists predominantly of palatable grass veld on the higher elevations and north-facing slopes with some sourveld on the plateaux, and shrubs and trees in the more protected kloofs and along the river courses. Biomes represented on the property include Karoo Escarpment Grassland, Afro-Montane Shrubland, Camdeboo Escarpment Thicket, and Nama-Karoo.

Common dwarf Karoo shrubs include Anchor Karoo Bush (Pentzia incana), Fine-Leaved Felicia (Felicia filifolia), Karoo Violet (Aptosimum indivisum), and Wild Rosemary (Eriocephalus ericoides).

Common grass species include Red grass (Themeda triandra), Blue Love Grass (Eragrostis chloromelas), Blue Buffalo Grass (Cenchrus ciliaris), Buffalo Grass (Panicum maximum), Carrot-seed Grass (Tragus berteronianus), Common Bristle Grass (Setaria sphacelata), Common Reed (Phragmites australis), Common Thatching Grass (Hyparrhenia hirta), Dew Grass (Eragrostis obtusa), Dropseed Grass (Sporobolus fimbriatus), Kikuyu (Cenchrus clandestinus), Lehmanns Love Grass (Eragrostis lehmanniana), Old Land Grass (Chloris virgate), Quick Grass (Cynodon dactylon), Silky Bushman Grass (Stipagrostis uniplumis), Smuts Finger Grass (Digitaria eriantha), Sourgrass (Tenaxia / Merxmuellera disticha), Spear Grass (Heteropogon contortus), Speckled Vlei Grass (Eragrostis bicolor), Brachypodium bolusii, Staggers Grass (Melica decumbens), Tassle Three Awn (Aristida congesta), and Turpentine Grass (Cymbopogon pospischilii) amongst others.

Larger shrubs include Bitter Aloe (Aloe ferox), Broom Karee (Searsia erosa), Cancer Bush (Sutherlandia frutescens), Cape Honey-Thorn (Lycium oxycarpum), Cross-Berry (Grewia occidentalis),False Olive (Buddleja saligna), Karoo Num-num (Carrisa haematocarpa), Karoo Sagewood (Buddleja glomerata), Pencil Milkbush, (Euphorbia mauritanica), Resin Bush (Euryops petraeus / exudans), Spike Thorn (Maytenus heterophylla). Transvaal Sumach (Osyris lanceeolata), and Wild Pomegranate (Rhigozum obovatum).

Tree species include Jacket Plum (Pappea capensis), Karee (Searsia lancea), Camdeboo Stinkwood (Celtis africana), Wild Willow (Salix mucronata), Silver Poplar (Populus canescens), Silver wattle (Acacia dealbata), Kuni Bush (Searsia undulata), Mountain Cabbage Tree (Cussonia paniculata), Small-Leaved Guarri (Euclea undulata), Sweet Thorn (Vachellia karoo), and Wild Olive (Olea europaea subsp. Africana).

WATER SUPPLY: In addition to the fountains, streams and four earth dams, domestic, irrigation and livestock waters in all camps and pastures are adequately supplied by three boreholes equipped with submersible pumps. A horizontal Mono pump is utilised to push water up to a reservoir from where it is gravity fed to some higher elevation livestock watering points.

IRRIGATION: The farm has 15 ha of mixed pastures under Permaset irrigation divided into 28 paddocks and 40 ha of drylands divided into 18 paddocks. All the paddocks are equipped with livestock watering points.

INFRASTRUCTURE: The property has an extensive road network and is divided into 70 veld camps. The perimeter of the property is fully fenced with netting with internal stock proof fences.

HOMESTEAD: The spacious 450 m2 house has an attractive Cape Dutch gabled facade with a veranda, gable ends and a pitched corrugated iron roof. The T-shaped layout hosts five bedrooms, two bathrooms (one en suite), an open plan dining room / lounge with internal French folding doors, an office, kitchen, laundry, scullery and a large north-facing sunroom. There are fireplaces in both the sunroom and the lounge and wooden floors (including Oregon pine and parquet) are to be found throughout. There are a number of Oregon pine four-panelled doors all with attractive and detailed moulded architraves. The homestead is surrounded by a large landscaped park-like garden with an extensive lawn and numerous species of mature trees which provide summer shade. The south-facing homestead is situated at the foot of a dolerite capped ridge and overlooks lush pastures with the nearby tree-lined river-courses and access roads all providing for an extremely picturesque setting.

OUTBUILDINGS: Adjacent to the homestead is a characterful old 225 m2 outbuilding containing a double garage and a number of storerooms. Across the yard are numerous other outbuildings including a 140 m2 workshop, a 80 m2 machinery and implement shed, a 250 m2 storage shed, and a 325 m2 shearing shed with associated stock-handling and loading facilities. The round roofed ram-shed with a raised floor is 200 m2 in size and is surrounded by neat and functional stock-handling facilities. Situated nearby are five staff cottages.

ENERGY SUPPLY: Eskom electricity

LIVESTOCK: The property is currently farmed with Dohne Merino sheep and cattle.

GAME: Naturally occurring game includes Kudu, Mountain Reedbuck, Klipspringer, Duiker and Steenbok.