Mit Magzter GOLD unbegrenztes Potenzial nutzen

Mit Magzter GOLD unbegrenztes Potenzial nutzen

Erhalten Sie unbegrenzten Zugriff auf über 9.000 Zeitschriften, Zeitungen und Premium-Artikel für nur

$149.99
 
$74.99/Jahr

Versuchen GOLD - Frei

Big sky, blue water and mountains, and farmland next to the Gariep Dam

Farmer's Weekly

|

November 10, 2023

Farmer’s Weekly found the ideal midway stopover between Gauteng and the Western Cape or Eastern Cape if you travel in that direction, says Riaan Hattingh.

- Riaan Hattingh

Big sky, blue water and mountains, and farmland next to the Gariep Dam

Driekwartblou Guest House & Venue lies south of the Gariep Dam, with only a narrow part of the Oviston Nature Reserve separating the property from the dam. It is in the Eastern Cape between the towns of Gariep Dam and Venterstad. Owners Meyer and Carina van der Walt tell us that their farm is en route to "everywhere", and with the peace and quiet experienced there, this is the ideal guest house to recharge your batteries.

The venue is named Driekwartblou (translation from the Afrikaans threequarters blue) because three parts of the view guests have to the north is blue: the blue water from the dam, the blue mountains in the distance, and the blue sky. The fourth quarter is the land up to the edge of the dam.

The farmhouse was originally built in 1803, with extensions added over time, and the house close by, now turned into the Driekwartblou Guest House, was built shortly afterward. When the Gariep Dam, South Africa's largest dam, was built from 1965 to 1971, many properties affected were bought from the owners. Towards the end of the project, the land not covered by the dam and surrounding Oviston Nature Reserve were rezoned and resold.

In July 1970, Meyer van der Walt's father, Banie, purchased Schalkwykskraal, and in July 1988, Meyer and Carina took over the farming activities. Schalkwykskraal is still a working farm where now mainly cattle are bred.

ACCOMMODATION

Three units are available to guests on the farm. The cluster originally was a house and later used as a shed. In early 2013, the Van der Walts converted the shed into accommodation for guests.

Farmer's Weekly was allocated Unit One. It has one queen-sized bed and a single bed, and an en suite bathroom with a shower. A full kitchenette is available. A stoep with a view over the dam makes for great sundowners.

WEITERE GESCHICHTEN VON Farmer's Weekly

Farmer's Weekly

Farmer's Weekly

Pastry delights and cupcakes

The versatility of pastry in baking and cooking is best flaunted by two vastly different recipes appealing to the sweet and savoury tooth, while a novel way to bake those Christmas-themed cupcakes will also go down well.

time to read

4 mins

December 5-12, 2025

Farmer's Weekly

Farmer's Weekly

Specialised spider-hunting wasps

Wasps are apex predators of the insect world and have developed many survival strategies. One group of wasps focuses on hunting spiders to provide a source of food for their larval offspring

time to read

2 mins

December 5-12, 2025

Farmer's Weekly

Farmer's Weekly

From bulls to boardrooms: farming part-time as a professional

Maintaining a farm requires time, resources, and commitment. Farming part-time while being fully employed elsewhere can seem daunting and risky. Although it certainly presents unique challenges, it is feasible for some. Koot Klopper and Herman van Heerden spoke to Henning Naudé about how excellent time management and the delegation of resources, as part-time farmers, successfully keep their farms productive.

time to read

5 mins

December 5-12, 2025

Farmer's Weekly

Farmer's Weekly

Holy Shiitake: mastering the science of gourmet fungi

Mushroom production is inherently the practice of expanding mycelium. But since wanted and unwanted fungi flourish under the same circumstances, a mushroom farmer's biggest challenge is ensuring the right fungi prevails. Lindi Botha reports on Rory Brooks' learning curve.

time to read

9 mins

December 5-12, 2025

Farmer's Weekly

No more 'secret' price hikes?

'Secret' electricity price hikes in South Africa have been curbed in a game-changing court ruling, explains Felix Dube, lecturer in the Department of Law at the University of Venda.

time to read

4 mins

December 5-12, 2025

Farmer's Weekly

Farmer's Weekly

The cutworm scourge, and how to control it

The dominant cutworm, Agrotis segetum, is causing renewed, costly damage to South African maize, soya bean, and sunflower.

time to read

5 mins

December 5-12, 2025

Farmer's Weekly

Legislative gap requires a rethink on biosecurity controls

Since the dawn of democracy, the agriculture sector has cemented its place as one of the essential and trusted pillars for economic growth, job creation, and foreign earnings in South Africa.

time to read

2 mins

December 5-12, 2025

Farmer's Weekly

Farmer's Weekly

From kitchen experiments to a thriving meat empire

What started as an after-hours kitchen project in the Truter household has grown into the fully fledged meat empire Deli-Co. Brothers Pieter and Hendri Truter told Glenneis Kriel how they turned a local favourite into a multigenerational family business.

time to read

7 mins

December 5-12, 2025

Farmer's Weekly

Farmer's Weekly

Brushing up on your 'cow speak'

Experienced stockman and cattle judge Willie de Jager spoke to Sabrina Dean about some of the basics of reading cattle behaviour and how best to handle these animals.

time to read

8 mins

December 5-12, 2025

Farmer's Weekly

Farmer's Weekly

Corporate day job fuels farming dream

Marius Smit lives in the middle of Gauteng in Centurion and spends his workdays in the fast-paced high-stress corporate sector as a group forensic head for Discovery.

time to read

5 mins

December 5-12, 2025

Translate

Share

-
+

Change font size