Exquisite plants, a swarm of colourful birds set against a backdrop of bizarre, red granite hills, all added to the unique experience of discovering the Klein Karoo farm of Louis van Rensburg near Dysselsdorp.

It also turned out to be a tactile experience for a group of 8 business women. After some excellent rain there were wild flowers, succulents and fragrant geraniums to touch and the Business Professional Women’s Club (PBW) were able to stop and smell a rich variety of specimens every few steps. Escorted by plant expert Ina Scholtz,  each discovery was a source of wonderment to the women. Unfortunately on foot one is unlikely to view wildlife, so on our next visit we will view the enormous variety of buck, Zebra and even some giraffes from farm manager Gideon Joubert’s bakkie.

In the relative short time - five years in fact - the formerly over-grazed ostrich farm has recovered and returned to its former lush state. thorn trees, shrubbery, klapperbos, spekbos and karoo bush grow profusely. Underneath the renoster bush some delicate succulents like  strings of pearls can be found. Restios, asteracea, suurbos and ericas dot the hiking paths.

Gideon proudly revealed the location of an elephant foot that could be hundreds of years old, and which has the appearance of petrified stone. His wife, Jenny, as a teacher devotes all her time to the upliftment of poor farm children.

But variety is the spice of life and apart from taking walks and admiring Ina’s natural fynbos garden - which she was commissioned to lay out at the Van Rensburg’s new thatched weekend retreat - there was potjie and braais in the well-stocked lapa as well as the camaraderie around the campfire. Waking up to exquisite bird song, lying snuggly in your camp-bed is peaceful at Lidiikwe.

We paid a visit to filmmaker Jans Rautenbach’s farm  school near De Rust, where he is still going full steam ahead with equipping classrooms which are as neat as a pin. Being a perfectionist, no detail has been overlooked and soon a new pre-school wing will open. If Jans has his way, a fully equipped technical school, where various trades will be taught, will open some day.

Jans’ drive, energy and stamina is impressive and his counterpart Almeri had a banquet of cake laid out at their irresistible guesthouse. Perched on a koppie, commanding views are to be had from Oulap. Entirely honed from the stone found in the area, the fort-like building took many years to complete. By the time it was completed, Almeri and her farm hands were seasoned stone masons (this was two decades ago). A coffee table book on this unique guesthouse is available at Wordsworth bookstores. The BPW women  found an excuse to return for another visit...  we have to plant shade trees at both the local farm schools and we have to do a game viewing drive with Gideon. This is the promise we made.

Readers who want to donate story books or magazines to the school can phone Pauline at 072 507 4849.
*We were driven in style by Anthea Buys of Stanmar Motors in a Mercedez Benz Vito Crew Bus which managed all the narrow farm roads very well.