We have a real love of old farms and picture perfect country settings. On arrival I knew I was in for something special, Staart Farm, in the little known Paardeberg Mountains, is conveniently situated just an hour from Cape Town, or an hour from the fabulous restaurants and wine farms of Franschhoek.
Big thick white washed walls, colonial verandas with big comfy sofas. Established in 1707, Staart van Paardeberg is a 40-hectare farm at the foot of the Paardeberg Mountain. Owned by the Reid family, Staart is a working farm with an Nguni herd, a flock of sheep, vineyards and an olive grove. From the farm house veranda the view across the rolling fields and vineyards takes in the expansive Hex River Mountains. The tranquility is intoxicating.
The adventure started with a passion for food and wine, inspiring a journey to get the best ingredients possible, and a need to know exactly where they came from a how they were grown. “Our farm created an opportunity to grow our own vegetables, fruit,nuts and olives as naturally and organically as possible. Our cattle, sheep and chickens are primarily grass fed on our fields. We encourage our three children to be a part of this process. It is important to us that they are aware of where their food comes from and have a sense of gratitude towards it.”
This is a place that holds and nurtures you…making it difficult to leave. Should you be lucky enough to enjoy a longer stay there is plenty to do in the area…half an hour will take you to the art galleries and quirky shops and cafes of Riebeeck Kasteel, or the quaint town of Philadelphia for a casual Sunday lunch and a pootle around the huge gemstone shop. Much closer to home check out the (fabulous) Spice Route Winery with their many artisans (my top picks the chocolate and craft beer!), do a tasting at Vondeling Wine Estate or enjoy lunch with views of the fairy-tale goat tower at fabulous Fairview. Head into Paarl for full moon on Paarl Rock or a picnic at Riebeeks Kloof and if you have little people a trip to Butterfly World is just 20 minutes away and an absolute must!
What we love!
- The farm and farmhouse’s glorious sense of history, coupled with completely modern day comfort
- Having not one, but two deep, comfy stoeps with differing views
- Being left in peace whilst the kids spent hours exploring, swimming and playing on the zipline
- Taking a tour of the farm with the fabulous farm manger, Peter (by prior arrangement only)
- The huge variety of super day-trips and wine estates in the close vicinity
- The utter enchantment for us city-dwellers of feeding the horses each morning
- The super helpful housekeeping staff and on-site friendly farm manager
What you need to know…
- There are pull-out beds in both kids room so these plus the cottage will allow for 14 guests in total making it a super spot to gather for milestone celebrations
- Staart Farm has a genuine sense of history and romance about it making it the ideal venue for a small, intimate wedding.