COUNTRY ROAD
For Colin and Bronwyn Lumb, moving to the Little Karoo in the South African hinterland was less about opting out of city life and more about working towards their dream of a life less ordinary
“It’s just the four of us on the farm, and we thoroughly enjoy being involved together and sharing everything,” says Bronwyn
M ATJIESVLEI is a “blink and you’ll miss it” kind of place. The sign to this hidden country idyll appears at the top of a rise on Route 62 just before you descend into Calitzdorp, the closest town. But if you slow down and take the time to turn off and travel the lumpy, bumpy 7km dirt road that is the only way into the valley, the reward is more than worth it.
Here, just four farms inhabit the narrow valley through which the Gamka River runs. Lined with striking aloes and blessed with jaw-dropping views of the Klein Swartberg mountain range, Matjiesvlei is a little slice of paradise where time stands still and the passing of the seasons dictates your days.
It is this promise of a life less ordinary – living close to the land – that seduced Colin and Bronwyn some 13 years ago. At the time, Colin was teaching philosophy and critical thinking at the University of Cape Town and Bronwyn, who studied graphic design, combined work in a design agency with a successful career as a fashion model.
After immersing himself in a handful of short alternative-farming courses including permaculture, Colin decided once and for all to act on his lifelong dream to farm. “I spent many childhood holidays on my great-uncle Denis’s farm outside Steynsburg in the Great Karoo, and I just couldn’t shake the desire to have my own farm,” says Colin.
The intrepid pair set off to carve a new life for themselves. Their adventures at the River Farm haven’t all been plain sailing: it took some degree of fine-tuning to settle on the best way to manage the intricacies of farming livestock such as sheep, goats and pigs. But Colin and Bronwyn have flourished and so has their family. Their two boys, Cole, 10, and Berkeley, 6, have never known any other home than the farm. Their Huckleberry-esque life consists of morning home-schooling sessions, and the rest of the day given over to spending time with their parents doing farm chores and scuttling around barefoot, making innocent mischief.
The family relish the satisfaction and pleasure they derive from everyday life. “It’s just the four of us on the farm, and we thoroughly enjoy being involved together and sharing everything,” says Bronwyn. “It honestly doesn’t feel like work. We just get stuck in with anything that needs doing and help each other.”
When the Lumbs first arrived at their newly purchased rural escape, the farmhouse was not much more than a shed that, having been built in make-a-plan fashion at the turn of the last century, was a little short on architectural finesse. What it lacked in design gravitas it made up for in charm, however, and some delightful original features remain. They range from a handcrafted rietdak (reed ceiling) discovered above a false ceiling and metre-thick walls that keep the home cool in the stifling summer months to generously proportioned rooms and a quaint stoep.
The couple worked on a shoestring budget, doing much of the renovation themselves, but occasionally bringing in local artisans to help them with aspects such as staining the floors. Colin refashioned a variety of found objects into furniture, and Bronwyn worked alongside him to design their kitchen cabinets.
To accommodate their family’s needs and make space for regular guests, they added a bedroom wing. They also knocked the kitchen through to the living room to create more flow, and set about decorating with furniture that felt right and reflected their penchant for vintage finds.
Much of the furniture was sourced at local auctions, which works perfectly with family handme-downs to create an eclectic and charming picture. A Persian carpet that was a gift from Colin’s parents sees daily traffic, whereas old Aladdin-style lamps, retrieved from Uncle Denis’s farmhouse, are a reminder of childhood memories that have helped to shape this family’s reality. “Many of the items in our home have great sentimental value but there’s nothing too valuable. We’re conscious of having a space that works well for us, whether as part of our working life on the farm or in our downtime,” says Bronwyn.
This approach extends to the interiors of the Old School House and River View Cottages, the enchanting self-catering accommodation situated on the farm that Colin and Bronwyn have developed into a successful business over the years. Here, families and couples seeking together-time tuck themselves away, enjoying the rhythm of country life and the sense that the world and its worries are far, far away. • River View Cottages, riverviewcottages.co.za.