Aloe Ridge Guest Farm Barberton

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Guest Farm Barberton

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Email Aloe Ridge Guest Farm Reservations: booksa@madbookings.com

Aloe Ridge Guest Farm Accommodation

We have three B & B accommodation units at the main farmhouse, with two self catering cottages close by. The B & B units are designed for couples, with queen or twin beds; though arrangements can be made to accommodate families.

What better then, than just spending time here in our informal, eco-friendly and environmentally aware gardens surrounded by the tangible quiet and constant bird activity in specially planted indigenous areas? Walk through grassland, bushveld and rocky ridges to soak in the ambience created by ancient rock and indigenous bush or stroll around at the main farmhouse to take in our eco-friendly gardens and vermi-compost patch.

With this ethos in mind we do not have televisions, telephones or internet access in the rooms, though limited access can be arranged at the farmhouse for specific purposes.

The old farmhouse was converted and adapted to house three, 3 star, B & B accommodation units. The units are designed for singles or couples with queen or twin beds; though arrangements can be made to accommodate families. Sleeper benches are available for two children sharing and they stay free of charge.

Each unit has been designed with its own style to maximize the space available and is completely self-contained. They all have a little verandah area too. Two, 4 star self catering cottages have been built close by.

The cottages have been planned with family & group gatherings in mind. Situated away from the farmhouse, they are ideally placed to take advantage of the spectacular views and the quiet of the natural surroundings.

Secure in their own fenced off area, there is ample space to allow for children to play games, ride small bikes etc. and even a “play corner” with swings and a sandpit. Our accommodation is graded by the TOURISM GRADING COUNCIL of South Africa.

The swimming pool, at the main farmhouse, is definitely the place to be in our glorious summer weather. All guests are welcome to use it.

We provide full bed and breakfast facilities as these are the primary intentions. Whenever possible, to make full use of our wonderful climate and encourage visitors to take in the ambience of our natural surroundings, we serve breakfast outdoors.

In keeping with our passion for birds and birding all our accommodation units are named after a bird – Kestrel, Kingfisher and Korhaan, at the farmhouse, and Sunbird or Swallow at the cottages. Each unit is identified by a picture of the relevant bird outside, on the glass door and the key-rings also have a picture of the relevant bird.

All the units have bathing facilities, a basic kitchenette with fridge and microwave, tea making facilities, toaster and all the crockery and cutlery you should require. 2 of the units have kitchenettes with wash-up amenities.

Bedding and bath towels are supplied throughout. In summer we provide swimming towels too. Fans are supplied in summer with heaters and extra blankets for the winter.

Kestrel and Kingfisher are identically equipped but laid out as mirror images with a double bed in one and twins beds in the other.

Korhaan
( 1 large room with high Knotty Pine ceiling)
Korhaan differs in being totally open plan and having a glorious bath rather than shower. A great social event for your and your partner with a glass of wine perhaps?

The beautiful screens add an attractive dimension to the rooms and provide privacy in the bathing areas. Guests are free to move them to whatever position suits their purposes.

Most of the wooden furniture, including the screens, has been locally made by a carpenter in Barberton and is from sustainable sources.

Swallow and Sunbird Cottages
Both cottages and the farmhouse lounge have a fireplace for the few really cold nights. We are confident we can accommodate you and any specific requirements you may have. Stretchers are available to put up the extra guest in Korhaan or the cottage patios, for example.

Accommodation is not only about sleeping, though this is of course important, it is also about the enjoyment of the whole experience of staying at Aloe Ridge. There is so much to do in the area, and, of course, one of the best parts should be coming home to Aloe Ridge – a home away from home. We would like you to feel that way about it, so come and make yourselves at home.

MEALS
General Options:
We are able to cater for specific meal arrangements including packed lunches or evening braais and homemade dinners by prior arrangement. For early risers packed breakfasts can be booked. Evening meals can be organised too; we can supply a braai pack and facilities, or we have farm cooked frozen meals if you are in a rush.

All vegetables/herbs used in the ingredients are organically grown on the farm. Best of all we provide a wonderful ambience in which to enjoy your meals. So come and find a quiet place to relax and make yourself at home.

ALOE RIDGE HAS NO CONFERENCE FACILITIES BUT EACH “SPACE” ( ie farmhouse or cottages) CAN ACCOMMODATE GROUP FUNCTIONS.

About The Farm
The farmhouse is some 700m above sea level. Barberton has an average of around 800mm of rain a year and the temperatures can reach the high 30s in spring and summer. This makes for verdant green gardens and indigenous bush resulting in numerous bird species in summer.

Winters are relatively mild with daytime temperatures averaging around the 20 to 24 mark, but evenings can be chilly turning cold after the sun has set. Winter brings its own charm and though the veld is browner there is still abundant colour from our lovely aloes, which in turn attract numerous bird species.

Birding
More than 230 bird species have been identified on the property. Birdlife on the farm is actively promoted, by the planting of bird attracting trees and other plants. Re-vegetation of the old lands is also underway using trees and shrubs found in the area and if possible taken from plants actually on the property. This is an on-going task, and we are involved with the "Working for Water" project in reducing the infestations of these aliens.

We are developing a number of walks around the property that take advantage of the various biomes that can be found. These include grassland, savannah, bush (Sourveld) and the rocky ridges. However many of the birds can be seen around the garden. Details of monthly sightings are kept, and bird lists are available if you would like to record your sightings.

The garden is being designed to provide a number of varied habitats. All of which are "water wise" to reduce the pressure on the underground aquifer which is tapped by our borehole. Our herbs and vegetables are grown in an "organic" regime, for inclusion in our preserves and other products. We use no chemicals and sprays, insecticides or herbicides and grow everything in as "water-wise" manner as we can, collecting rain water for irrigation.

Birding has been a passion of ours for many years, and was one of the main reasons why we chose to live in the Barberton region. Thus to see the changes we have wrought bringing in new species is tremendously rewarding. It will be an on-going process certainly, but it is not too difficult to make those changes, initially on the scale of the garden and immediate environs, but, with time, over the rest of the farm.

This area has, according to the Bird Atlas, and verified by the local birding community, around 400 species on the local list. This is due in part to the fact that the sub-tropical lowveld is one of the best regions in South Africa, but locally there are a number of different biomes which can be readily accessed.

There are scattered Forest remnants – all that has been left for us by the insidious spread of plantations. Grasslands in the mountains (with the same proviso concerning plantations). Bush and rivers in the lower basin. Each with their own mix of species.

Email Aloe Ridge Guest Farm Reservations: booksa@madbookings.com