Finding Zen in the heart of the Karoo

Farms stays come in many forms, appealing to all sectors of the travelling public. On a sheep farm near Colesberg in the Northern Cape, Antony and Margie Osler have created a retreat where Zen Buddhism, Karoo farming and wide-open spaces come together in an unlikely but compelling combination

- Julienne du Toit.

Nearly 15 years ago, we heard about a Zen Buddhist couple on a farm in the Karoo, somewhere near Colesberg.

Apparently, they (Margie and Antony Osler) had converted their shearing shed into a Zendo, a place of meditation.

Antony had written a sleeper hit of a book in 2008 entitled Stoep Zen.

And that was all we knew. When we arrived at Poplar Grove Farm for the first time in 2013, Margie told us Antony wasn't yet back from his other job, working on labour mediation up in Kimberley.

We knew nothing yet about this rather special woman who endearingly confided that the small scab on the bridge of her nose was from doing a bollemakiesie in the farm dam.

Margie showed us our little cottage, made of stone, cool thanks to its thick walls. Two doors with skinderdeure opened onto the stoep — one a bedroom and bathroom, and the other a lounge, dining room and kitchen.

The long stoep faced willow trees, a koppie and wide-open spaces. After unpacking, we collapsed on the stoep sofa, staring out at the veld in a state of boneless relaxation. There was no electricity, but there was a nearby fridge, a gas stove and a ‘donkey’ for hot water.

A bokmakierie called out and blue cranes flew over the ridge. A nearby Aermotor wind pump whirred quietly, casting a spinning shadow on a cow and her calf.

THE OSLERS OF POPLAR GROVE

At sundown we returned to the Osler front stoep. Antony had arrived in a cloud of dust from Kimberley still dressed in his smart legal attire, soon exchanged for comfortable farm clothes.

Antony is a Zen Buddhist teacher whose learnings mainly come from time spent at the Mount Baldy Monastery in California — and now, from the Groot Karoo itself.

He is a writer, a builder and a carpenter, son of Springbok rugby centre Stanley Osler and nephew to the legendary Bok flyhalf Bennie Osler.