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TAIL OF
THE DOG

African Farm

I In due course, the pondokkies were of the house, looking up the now long
had a farm in Africa . . . a part share
in reality, but enough for me to stay
united by a high stone room, with open
lawn to a kopje, always a challenge
there five times a year.
plan living space and kitchen and a
were there, you felt as though it was
good fireplace. Other shareholders to climb. It was glorious. When you
A beautiful place, halfway between bought into the farm, mostly keen your own place, not shared at all. The
Dullstroom and Lydenburg in fishermen. dams were stocked with trout and
Mpumalanga, it was at high altitude, good fishing was the order of the day,
so extremely cold in winter, and It was then decided to renovate the as were long walks, birdwatching,
balmy in summer. It was bought back original farmhouse. The tractor shed relaxing with family and friends. It was
in 1984 as a rundown trout breeding was converted into two bedrooms a perfect place.
station, with nine large dams, good with an adjoining bathroom, the
water reticulation, a broken-down main room was opened up from one In 2008 a Land Claim was lodged by
farmhouse used as storage for feed side to the other, with high ceilings, families who had lived there decades
and farm equipment. The field outside visible roof trusses, and again a huge earlier. The farm was finally bought
the farmhouse was home to pigs, fireplace and open plan kitchen. The by the Government in April this year,
sheep and sundry old broken bits original bedrooms were reinstated, for distribution to the claimants. No
and pieces. The farmer lived in a the original bathroom updated, and a blame attached, but sadly it had to go.
modern prefab house, very cold and large shower room built in the middle. So many families, friends and children
ugly, and the only accommodation for It was furnished with comfortable had wonderful times there, these are
visitors was a pair of pondokkies up beds, good linen and warm duvets, the memories we have to cherish.
on a nearby hill, each with bedroom, old furniture that coped with families,
bathroom, basic kitchen, and an children, dogs. A large covered
outdoor braai area between them. verandah was added to the north side Gill Butler