Peace and tranquillity off the grid on a spectacular farm in the Swartland

Dassenheuwel Farm Stay has the orginal farm homestead for families with all the creature comforts, or the cottages for couples. The choice is yours

- Riaan Hattingh.

Only 85km from Cape Town is Dassenheuwel Farm Stay & Cottages, between the towns of Malmesbury (to the west) Riebeek-Kasteel (to the north), and Hermon (to the east).

A fourth generation of the Lesch family lives on the farm, Dassenheuwel.

Owners Kobus and Lida make a formidable team and ensure all is running like clockwork on this working farm. Kobus, assisted by his son Pieter, manages the farming activities, and Lida, a pharmacist, takes care of the Farm Stay & Cottages.

FARMING ACTIVITIES

Dassenheuwel produces wheat and canola commercially, while it grows lupine and oats on a crop-rotation basis to use as fodder. Livestock includes a herd of Sussex cattle, and a flock of Dohne Merino sheep, a multipurpose breed. Drifts of feral pigs and troops of baboons are the major destroyers of crops, and caracal is responsible for killing lambs. Kobus tells us that the natural fauna in this area is Renosterveld, and the mountains in the region, with the local, natural habitat, are home to more than 120 bird species on the farm.

SMALL GAME

The blue crane (bloukraanvoël) makes a regular appearance, as do the Verreaux’s eagle (witkruisarend). Guests may be fortunate to see small antelope, such as steenbok and duiker on the farm.

ACCOMMODATION

Lida tells Farmer’s Weekly that the most important reason people book into Dassenheuwel is for the peace, tranquillity and fresh air it offers.