It’s all action at Oakhurst at the moment, guests settling in for the year-end holidays, kids riding bikes, horses heading out on their daily trails, tight lines down at the farm dam, Christmas wreaths on the cottage doors… the vibe is festive and fun.
Amidst all the celebration, it’s hard to forget the turmoil and uncertainty that this year has thrown at us. Back in March, bookings for our farm accommodation, usually a steady stream of which come through over the Easter period, ground to a complete halt as SA went into its first lockdown period. These were uncertain times for all at Oakhurst, as jobs were on the line and adaptation seemed the only way to push through and keep going.
Taking a quick glance back and looking at the positive which came out of the year, it seems that our tenacity, energy and ability to change direction created some exciting new ventures and projects on the farm, a few of which we’ll touch on below.
Who can forget the “The tale of a pie born from Lockdown”, where our farm managers Hendrik and Wilna Vorster set up their pie making business, still going strong today and producing the best farm pies this side of the equator. They’re simply scrumptious!
The revival of the Oakhurst veggie garden turned into an exciting challenge. This patch of overgrown earth, which we’d neglected for years was brought back to life. Soil turned, composted and a great variety of vegetables planted. The result: Fresh veg straight from the garden into our guest’s picnic and meal hampers. An exciting addition to our sustainability drive.
With after school extra murals cut back, Holly Crowther started “Horse Care with Holly”, which once guests started returning post lockdown, has become a hugely popular activity for young kids staying at the farm, while at the same time allowing Holly (13 years old) to run her own business. Along with trail guide, Isaac, Holly focuses on teaching youngsters how to groom, feed, handle, tack-up and care for horses in the surrounds of the farm stables. The kids just love it!
So, as we wrap up a year shrouded in uncertainty, confusion and often frustration, it’s great to know that there was a healthy dollop of good that came out of it on Oakhurst.
With that in mind, we wish all of our Oakhurst Farm Cottages guests, past, future and present a wonderful, fun-filled festive season and look forward to seeing you on the farm sometime in the near future.
From Jake, Claire and the entire Oakhurst team
