R 9 450 000 | Farm for Sale in Grahamstown Rural

Location
The farm is situated in the Kommadagga area north of Oliphantskop pass and within an easy 11km of the N10.

Size
Made up of a single title deed the farm is approximately 890ha in extent.

Description
This farm is an example of an easily managed livestock farm with the bonus of having various game species which provide an additional income stream. Fully developed on the stock handling side and well stocked with naturally occurring game as well as introduced gemsbok, impala, blesbuck and springbuck (heart water) it is now well balanced and would require little input or alteration from either a managerial or infrastructural perspective. The topography, while short of being described as mountainous, is steeply undulating in parts but mostly flat. It is varied enough to be interesting but is still traversable via robust 2-wheel drive. The lowest point on the farm is 520m above sea level with the highest point being 700m. The extraordinarily healthy state of the Karoo veld here is definitely what sets it apart from similar properties and adds a dimension that is both aesthetically pleasing and very useful in terms of serving as a buffer in the winter months. The current owner runs angoras, damara sheep and at times a few cattle.

Veld types
This sweet veld farm has a good mix of valley bushveld, karoo shrubs and herbs plus grassland.
While the bulk of the property would be described as transitional Karoo veld, of interest was the density and quality of grass species that dominate in places the usual array of Karoo succulents. The lower elevations and drainage lines had healthy stands of cenchrus and pannicums. Climbing out of the basin and these grasses are superseded by a band of setaria which is initially mixed with, and at higher elevations dominated by the aristidas. These grasses were, as mentioned, complimented by a healthy variety of Karoo succulents, most of which appeared short, and well utilized. Perhaps one of the most significant features of the available grazing is the diversity of edible karoo shrubs which would become invaluable during the dryer months.
In the main browse is typical of the area with the “lolli pop “Jacket Plums, Guarri, Sweet Thorn, Wild Olive, Shepard’s Tree, Spekboom and Schotias dotted at random across the veld. Overall, the browse quality is good as is evident by the number and health of the resident kudu population.

Rainfall
The farm falls in a predominately summer rainfall area with an annual average of +- 450mm.

Game species
Judging by the condition of both the game and the veld, a good balance of species and numbers has been obtained. The current count is approximately:
Kudu----------------at least 20 + resident and more free roaming.
Blesbuck----------- 35
Springbuck--------300(heart water)
Impala--------------50
Gemsbok-----------6
Steenbok-----------numerous
Duiker---------------numerous
Warthog------------numerous
Mountain Reedbuck----- several

Infrastructure
Main House – The main house has 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms plus separate toilet. It includes an open plan lounge and dining area, as well as a playroom and office. There is a pool with a lovely pool house which is currently being used as an entertainment area. In conjunction to the pool house there is a tennis court, which needs a bit of attention. There is a garage with 2 x lean-to, as well as a workshop, loft and butchery which includes a 3x3m cold room.

Top House – The top house consists of two loft rooms, as well as one ground level bedroom. There is a lounge, kitchen and bathroom. There is also a nearby stable, which is used as an entertainment area.
In addition, there is a shearing shed included in the infrastructure. All the camps have water as there are round concrete troughs in every camp. The camps have a netted perimeter plus a division in the middle.
There are 3 kraals (church camp/windmill camp/main camp around house) and 2 dip tanks which are currently in use. There is a cattle handling kraal with sliding gates and a loading ramp.
The farm also has a horse ring.
The farm is supplied with 3 phase electricity.

Water
The water infrastructure is well developed supplying water to the 10 camps. There is a borehole equipped with solar that produces approximately 500lt per hour. Another borehole delivers water at a rate of 12 000lts per hour. There are also 3 old historical fountains that no longer produce water. Note in conjunction to the above boreholes the current owner recently developed another 3 strong boreholes of approximately 26 200lts, 26 200lts and 13 600lts per hour (recommended delivery rate and not currently equipped).
The farm has a large dam (+- 400m long X 60m wide and 4m deep) which holds +- 96 million liters. Said dam can be used to gravity irrigate part of the +- 7ha of lands near the main house with borehole water also being an option for irrigating with via draglines and permaset.

Conclusion
This farm would be a very good “turn key” acquisition for someone not wanting to spend extra time and money of developing a property. The whole set up is very functional and well designed with more than adequate infrastructure and the whole property would be very easily managed. It is within a comfortable 90 minutes of Port Elizabeth and easily accessible off the tar road. The farm is large enough, and with a varied and challenging topography, to still have the wilderness feel about it, while still being easily manageable and affordable. For the PE executive, there couldn’t be many better places to invest in one’s weekend and holiday enjoyment.

Price
R 9 450 000 + VAT.