A Christmas present...

CHRISTMAS SPECIAL...10% discount from the 5th December to the 15th December, minimum 3 night stay. What a Christmas present! If you can't make it, share the gift with someone who could...

The Reindeer Edition...

Well, from the luxurious lushness of Spring, we quickly toppled into a dusty windy and dry month. After waiting desperately we were thrilled to have 36mm of wonderful rain on Friday evening.  A few cold mornings later but with beautiful crisp blue skies and gardens looking greener for having had a good wash!

The cherries were in fine form this year, even to still being around for the festival this last weekend. We have picked our first crop of apricots and the grapes and plums are coming along well. 

Despite just coming through winter the horses are looking fat and well fed… need to get them up to speed soon for all the walks to the gate and back and it is quite possible they have forgotten the meaning of the word gallop!  Our four girls, Vanilla, Chocolat, Mooose and Ginger are all doing well in the cowpen and we are happy to say that Rainbow (our chicken..) managed to successfully hatch and rear her chick after nesting 10 feet up in a tree. Perry, well what can one say about Perry… he continues to pace the length and breadth of the garden, eats the dogs bones, devoured a plate of putu – no wonder he was giving us dirty looks on a diet of cucumber and salad – in other words generally causing mayhem.  The next thing will be to get a tag so we can measure his distance travelled and speed!  (Many enlightening suggestions received on achieving this, I might add)

Dozy, Wynnie and Ponti

To those of you joining us for the festive season, Santa has our co-ordinates and we have it on good authority that the reindeers are looking forward to seeing you… (even if they weren’t so happy to see me and my camera!) To those not joining us, ag shame… we wish you a relaxing and special holiday season as well! Or you could give the office a ring and still enjoy some time out with us 058-2230274 – don’t delay!

Renee Pietersen is our monthly draw winner of a two night stay out of season for two people!   It could be you - head off to the website to enter on www.wyndford.co.za and we will keep you up to date on www.facebook.com/WyndfordHolidayFarm with all the news.

Happy holidays from the Wyndford Team

Fun Bowls Week in Full Swing

October news....

This has been a particularly beautiful Spring – I’m not sure if is to do with the much warmer temperatures but the gardens at wyndford have just flourished.  The roses have been dripping off the bushes, although we did loose a few earlier, from sunburn apparently, when the heat in August and no new leaves yet, withered the stems.

 

Den and Cabin’s upgrade, to all for whom this is a favourite room, is now complete. Resplendent with a new bathroom complete with slipper bath… and shower!  Crystal Palace rejuvination is underway – and as the name suggests with a touch of velvet and a little bling!

The farm yard is bustling, what with 5 new piggies, 3 new bunnies a gosling or two, and the addition of a new tortoise to join Charlotte. Perry, as he is named (…perriscope - his neck is mighty long…) arrived recently after being conviscated at the border where an attempt was being made to trade him for two cows. We have since been given permission to adopt him, with all the necessary paperwork and he is racing round the garden.  Yes really… the hare wouldn’t stand a chance with him, and he is also exceedingly social – no trouble to head into the house and track down the cats food!! The verdict is still out as to whether Charlotte is happy to have him around and there is a lot of shell bumping that goes on.

As our grapes look like little pinheads, the good news is that the cherries are already available in the area – so if they are your favourites, give the girls a call on 0582230274 and book soon.  A little more advanced notice for the tour groups, heading to Katse, Clarens and Golden Gate, from 24 – 29 January and 6 – 11 March 2016. Sit back, relax and let someone else do the driving!

Lisa Kowalsky is our latest monthly draw winner of a two night stay out of season for two people!   It could be you - head off to the website to enter on www.wyndford.co.za and we will keep you up to date on www.facebook.com/WyndfordHolidayFarm with all the news.

It's that wonderful time of year...

... the Cherries are here!  Don't wait to late to book.... 058 2230274 Give us a call!

Wyndford Spring news...

   

Don’t you just love Spring! There seems to be a new energy in the air, and certainly in the farmyard! Clover gave birth to Vanilla, and a week later Chocolat arrived, (No not from Clover…!) excitedly watched by guests and staff alike.  Two girl calves – fresh farm milk guaranteed for the next while!  The roses are sprouting, the fruit trees are in full blossom, the daffodils and snowdrops are waving gently in the breeze. It puts a smile on ones face!

Chocolat and (below) Clover with Vanilla

We were glad of the few drops of rain, which cleared the dusty air and gave everything a sparkle.  Also getting a fresh shine is Den and Cabin – renovations are underway for this old gem to boast a new bathroom, under floor heating and a fresh lease on life!

Two events to put a spring into parents steps… kids six and under stay free between 27 September and 16^th October 2015.  And….. the Spider (butterfly and all general crawlies) man is due back on the 6^th November. Join us for a fascinating and stone turning weekend! We have planted some Australian Heathers at the gate, figured that if the animals from that land are anything to go by…. Maybe they will bite the Dassies back!

Alan Wheeler is our latest monthly draw winner of a two night stay out of season for two people!   It could be you - head off to the website to enter on www.wyndford.co.za and we will keep you up to date on www.facebook.com/WyndfordHolidayFarm with all the news.

Star of Bethlehem and Daffodils

We were asked recently…  “Is Wyndford a good place for a family get together?” Absolutely, was my immediate response! Family is what we are about and like nothing better to have tables of excited guests sharing meals that no-one had to worry about preparing and just simply enjoy each other.  Plan in advance, round everyone up from across the world and all corners of South Africa, we feed and look after you and you have fun with each other!! Something for young and old to do together and no-one stresses as to who is to cook and clean.

Always great to see our return guests and catch up with the latest family news. Folk who come as young marrieds, then bring along the next generation of Wyndford kids – we enjoyed the Evertse's latest visit along with their recently added threesome!

Maybe we can borrow the words from Tracey van den Berg  “Our few days at Wyndford Holiday Farm continued in much the same way…eating, hiking, horse riding, tennis, sleeping, games and eating some more. So what made this so special?  Well, the fact that we spent so much quality time together as a family. No outside influence. No television – not once in 5 days – and no junk food.  Somehow the air that you breathe seems fresher and the pillow you lay your head to rest on seems so much more welcoming. It’s like inhaling a deep breath and exhaling all the unhealthy “stuff” that we have somehow allowed into our lives. If you have ever wanted to stop the frenetic pace of life and just bail out, then Wyndford Holiday Farm is your hide away and lastly, the Free State is unbelievably beautiful!”

Life on the farm continues, with never a dull moment – went shopping for catnip last week and came back with 6 chickens… Rainbow, Supreme and Rocklands are now well settled in the farmyard and Oh, as it has been so warm, Charlotte (our tortoise) is out of hibernation albeit a little sluggish. The fruit trees are all pruned, the roses are underway and this week saw the work start on the bowling green - it puts a smile on my face as we see Sping slowly start to emerge!

Joining us soon will be Jane Ritchie  - our monthly draw winner of a two night stay out of season for two people!   It could be you - head off to the website to enter on www.wyndford.co.za and we will keep you up to date on www.facebook.com/WyndfordHolidayFarm with all the news.

Wyndford Winter News....

The beautiful Eastern Free State clothed in winter garb as we get another snow forecast for this week…

Johan and Wessel completed the Polar Bear Plunge held annually in this very chilly dam – hats off to them- the rest of us stood well wrapped up on the sidelines and cheered (very important job that…)

The sweet peas have been pruned, once again, by our resident duiker as has the rhubard (well, a little more than pruned, unfortunately) by the rascal piglets who broke out of the enclosure.  It would also appear, that the dassies have won…. ! Our garden at the front gate was doing fantastically with Namaqualand daisies shooting up, well, that’s history – is there anything dassies don’t eat?

Talking of eating we have tried a new lunch dish…. Bunny Chows (how ironic).  Slowly roasted mutton in a freshly baked roll, served with an apple slaw, definitely got the Yum and thumbs up!

The Stargazing weekend was a hit with young and old, our thanks to Robert for his enthusiastic assistance. The familiarity of recognized faces was dealt a blow, when Angelina – head waitress for nearly 20 years – retired recently.

Don’t delay in booking your time away, there is still availability for the long weekend in September and the school holidays -  for anything sooner, visit the website to catch any last minute specials. 

Joining us soon will be Barbara Parks - our monthly draw winner of a two night stay out of season for two people!   It could be you - head off to the website to enter on www.wyndford.co.za and we will keep you up to date on www.facebook.com/WyndfordHolidayFarm with all the news.

To close, we have this little black rabbit, Peter, who squeezes …. But maybe that’s a story for another time! Until then, stay well and warm, greetings from the Wyndford Team!