» Who We Are

Witkrans is a 35 hectare farm nestled on the eastern slopes of Witkransberg in the beautiful Flower Valley. We purchased the farm in 2007 having previously lived on the other side of the valley above Platbos Forest. When we purchased the property from Fauna and Flora International we agreed to set aside 32 hectares of beautiful Overberg sandstone fynbos for conservation.

This nature reserve is now secured in perpetuity within the title deed of the property. We renovated the old thatched farmhouse and added a new section containing for a lounge, kitchen and office.

Our first major task on the property was to clear the dense alien vegetation that was threatening the fynbos. Fortunately the entire farm and all its adult alien trees had burnt in the February 2006 fire and with the aid of the Walker Bay DEAT alien clearing program we were able to employ a team of five previously unemployed people to clear the property. Once the entire property was cleared we went through again and cleared all alien regrowth.



We are very proud of the condition of the veld and it is truly remarkable to see how well the fynbos has recovered since the aliens were removed. We have recorded 223 species of indigenous plants on the property including the threatened Disa purparescens, Cyrtanthus leucanthus, and Leucospermum pattersonii. The river that flows for ten months of the year through the wood at the bottom of the property attracts many birds including Knysna woodpecker, Olive woodpecker and Cape batis.

The gardens provide a fantastic play area for our children Matthew and Emma and are home to Baldric and Eleonor the pigs, Cutlet and Bob the sheep, two peacocks called Harry and Sally and five ducks (including Matt’s favourite – old One eye), and two dogs, Violette (an inherited French Golden Retriever that only understands French) and Brutus maximus the Great dane. Matthew also has his own egg business and our fifteen hens provide us with a regular supply of delicious free range eggs. He also sells the eggs to friends and family for pocket money and can sometimes be found on a Saturday morning at the Stanford market.



We have our own wormery and compost heap to provide nutrition for the garden. At the back of the house we have a small vineyard with some 300 Cabernet sauvignon, Cabernet franc and Merlot cultivars. Together with our friends and neighbours from the conservancy, the Burgers of Landon Hill farm (who also planted vines at the same time) we are planning to make our first wines in 2010.


Our biggest challenge is certainly the baboons who often roost in the trees at the bottom of our property and have being eyeing out the young vines for some time. Time will tell whether the baboons or the Privett’s get to harvest the grapes!

We have recently renovated what was a potters shed on the farm, and is now available as a self catering cottage that can sleep up to 6 people...click here to see more.