2026 Rates same as 2025

For us goodwill is a tangible act, something like a desire to good to others, to see other people prosper and to celebrate their good fortune by something we do. Sometimes it is to help others to achieve goodness for themselves. Or to be genuinely interested in another's welfare that impact their lives away from ours. It is a good thing to contribute to other people's happiness! 

Goodwill is sometimes born out of necessity, something that happens to our hearts when we are humbled in life, when we get to see the picture from the other person's perspective. It is a decision to benefit others even going out of your way for them. We are not always able to, we do what we can when we can.

So we decided to keep our rates the same as last year, at least until the end June 2026! 

It is our hope that you can benefit and that it brings you much joy! 

Where there is water there is life

In farming-tourism nature dictates and we had to learn to adjust, adapt, bend, change, re-focus, all to keep what we have planted and cultivated, foremost alive and then to try and maintain what there is. As the dry weeks tick over, we do it all over again, with more intent and and eventually every day. Plus the learning curve of loss. Hopefully we survive this day better.

Over the 9 years since we bought here, it just rained less and less, the gaps in between longer and the rain showers shorter. We started looking at the desert countries to see what they have been doing for all their lives, and discovered ingenious marvels like the Iranian qanats. To make an oasis of our self-catering farm stays, is the answer on how to welcome our guests and their dogs, when they get away to the mountains. Mark planted trees from the very beginning and the gardens are now shaded, the canopies and thicket keeps the buildings cool, releases amazing aromas, and refreshes the soul to rest deeply in the Hands that made the mountains and all that is on it.

We still have enough water to keep all the splash pool filled, all the gardens watered and to irrigate the pecan field. Our own garden still has green lawns, and our veg garden enough onkruid to feed the ducks and chickens. The cement dam is a tell tale because we cannot keep it filled for those deep dunks anymore, there simply is no surplus. The earth dam is also very low but still not dried up. It still takes the most beautiful vista pics. Not one guest was ever stranded with no water in the taps to shower or to use freely during our very busy December holiday season. But the drought is visible in the camped fields that are plainly bare, dry and void of green life. The exposed and baked ground ranges in color from orange, pink, grey, to yellow depending on what time of the day it is.     

I am all for Living Water, the story of us coming to our little farm. Without Living Water, I am parched and washed out for life, then mere survival become pointless. So for us, to find deeper meaning in our time on the farm, we want to do good to others tangibly. And this by giving a financial benefit when venturing to the kloof.

Please read the pages of the Tree House, The Klein Karoo Cottage and Klipspringer Cabin, as well as the Kudu Bush Camp for their rates

Stars in my eyes

In my case the penny was really slow to drop. It was all a rush to get packing, and to get moving, and get to the farm so we could get started to fix everything. And so it was, on arrival we started to clean and fix everything. 

A couple of months in an my sister who lived in Pretoria then, came to visit. She fell head over heals in love with the farm! The majestic mountains, the clean air, the fresh water, the tranquility of nature sounds, sitting by the fire under the starry skies, the birds, the veld, the bush, the promise of peace. It all worked its charm on her as it did with us when we visited the farm those very first 4 days and promptly made an offer to buy it. We were smitten as she was for the very same reasons. And those are the same gifts we share with guests, gifts no human hand can fabricate. There are even more birds calls this morning, because there are more trees, more plants, more grass and more life giving water than before.

Insert the fix everything part. Then a couple of years later that my sister sent her first pictures to us that she took on that visit, that the double blink happened for me. Oi wey. What the hell did we think? When I look at those images I can't believe that we fell for that level of ugly, dirty, and paid for that plain backwards. And I also can't remember looking at it then and thinking yuk, hou verby!

Many times i said, better we didn't know then what we know now otherwise we would never have come here. However, then June 2023 came...

The kingdom of heaven is like something precious buried in a field, which a man found and hid again; then in his joy he goes and sells all he has and buys that field.

Again the kingdom of heaven is like a man who is a dealer in search of fine and precious pearls, who, on finding a single pearl of great price, went and sold all he had and bought it.

Without this word I would still be holding true to better we didn't know. But after June 2023 I slowly started to understand that we risked everything and nearly lost everything, but then found something far more valuable than the farm itself. I found the single greatest pearl in the dust of the dry veld on my knees. We became a man who sold and bought all he had, to gain the most precious pearl of the greatest price...

    

 

Time to do life

    Speekhout farm - the previously dirty&under dog that became the Father's lounger where He can sit as honored guest👐

    It took 8 years for God's vision to reform our hearts and this farm. Under the same tree that we made an offer to purchase the Pandora's box, is where God came to honor us with His victory. God was so excited for us to start re-building and cleaning the farm, and of course He had total fore-knowledge. It was us that was slow to realise we actually bought the field so that we could find the hidden treasure! So ja, this is our story, from miry clay to feet upon the Rock: it is either your stumbling stone or it is your Chief Cornerstone. This is our Revival farm, the place God chose to bring us low so that we could be Revived.  For all man in his natural state, the choice is simple, allow God to be found by you or become more abased. Eyes wide open yet sees nothing. Today I set before you life & death......choose Life!

    Our friend, a salted boer from Bronkhorstspruit told us that his father taught them, the moment you put something behind a gate, you have to feed it and then IT becomes YOUR baas. That's the privilege of the experienced. Maar nee, when we still had plenty of woema, we just had to first try it for ourselves. So we open and close those gates every single time to keep this sort of thing in and that sort out. Speekhout farm's reception is at our Fratorria's front gate (Italian for homestead) and is by far the most interesting place on the farm! I always look forward to meeting guests there because the most amazing people find their way here. And without exaggeration, we really get the best guests. And I can't agree more that good fences makes good neighbors.

A rainbow without rain

    It takes time to be with God. We need more time with God. It's busy on the farm, even busier when its dry. Precious Life Giving Water keeps everything alive. The two towers: waterworks and sunlight, they determine the sum of water pipes over distances, either with solar or electric pumps, or gravity fed relays. It rules everything, it governs life and time on the farm. One thing to walk and pray, another to be still and be quiet. We just want to be ourselves here with God, without the tasks required to keep everything going that we have set-up along the way. There is a line in life. At this point, we want nothing else than God's will for this farm and our lives on this farm.

    We want the best for our guests and now is always the best time to visit the Baviaanskloof. There are full moon nights, and starry dark moon nights, the mountains are His and He is always ready to receive people.

Jesus - What can I do for you?

The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”

“On your way,” said Jesus. “Your faith has saved and healed you.” 

In that very instant he recovered his sight and followed Jesus down the road.

Mark 10:51-52 The Message

    

Spring Specials

 2024 September, October, November

Travelers often ask when is the best time to visit the Baviaanskloof?

Of course it is an open ended question. As with tree planting - the best time to plant a tree is today!

    Weather wise, these 3 up and coming spring months (similar to autumn before the serious cold sets in), are the most temperate of months for us. The days are balmy and warm enough to not wear that extra layer yet the evenings are still cool enough to get the kindling going for a warm fire outside and indoors. Its great to have had a longer sleep because now the sun is already rising earlier and one gets up when there is light!

    From the very beginning, we have loved to share our little farm with travelers who get out to the majestic quietude of the mountains and bird song in the crisp morning air. 

The Speekhout spring special is -15% on the total accommodation cost of any 2 night booking for two or more people at any one of our 3 self-catering farm stays during Sep / Oct / Nov '24

Mark and I came to visit the farm in September 2016 and stayed in the Klein Karoo Cottage for 4 nights, and proceeded to buy the farm in October, the sale concluded in November. We then moved here ourselves in April 2017. Ja we did. In hindsight, we never farmed before, knew nobody here, have never been in the hospitality industry or knew any of the cultural groups living in this closed community.

                 So why was God so excited to send us here?

Well, it turned out that Speekhout is our revival farm! In the end it took 7 years for our own REVIVAL to take flame. With so much to give God thanks for, we love to celebrate the Lord's Feast of Trumpets (Yom Teruah), Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) and Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) during the spring of our lives and the beginning of a new season.....

 

I simply love the smell of Jasmin. It smells of Newness of Life and the promise of the best that is yet to come! 

Please ask for the spring special specifically upon enquiry thank you. Paulien 072 202 5752 whatsapp only

Winter Specials

The hidden season of the klein karoo is June, July and August

Brightest stars

Warmest wood fires

Feather duvet cuddling between flannel sheets

Fragrant Malay curries

Orange glowing mountain tops

Crystal clear water

Freshly baked bread

T I M E  T O  S L O W  D O W N

The Speekhout special is -20% on the total accommodation cost of  any 2 night booking for two or more people

We would appreciate it if you specify the special upon enquiry

We love to share our winter with travelers who get out to the majestic quietude of the mountains and bird song in the crisp morning air.  That is why we offer a winter special each year!

Paulien 072 202 5752 whatsapp only

Ek is 'n skip in die Baviaanskloof

        Voordat ons albei te oud word en nog kon kies om kinderdrome te vervul, wou ons die stad verlaat en op ‘n plaas bly. So het ons verkoop, opgepak en getrek met alles wat ons het. Ons moes die oop-see aandurf wat toe eintlik die droeë karoo was. Die water het gelydelik om ons mooi skip opgedroog te midde ‘n aangaande droogte wat voor ons tyd begin het. Op ‘n dag erens tussen die toeriste pad en die teerpad, besef ek dat ons gestrand het in ‘n woestyn van pragtige majestueeuse berge en klipharte.

        Tussen my kniee en die stof, begin die onlesbare dors van droogte-depressie. Om 'n lang sad storie kort te maak, leer ons darm hoe om vir ons ongenaakbare en goddelose bure te bid. Ek begin te bid vir reen en herlewing hoe langer ons swoeg. Hoe meer dinge ondenkend skeef loop hoe meer smag ek na helder, helende Waarheid. Ons is verbeister deur die mense wat hulself oorgee aan skandelike drifte (die taal het ek in die Afrikaanse bybel gkry).

        Ag en dit was nie lank nie toe kom ek agter die locals het ons gemerk as inkomers. Serious. Aanvanklik word dit vermom as diegene wat nie hier gebore is nie, maar eventueel blyk dit dat dit ‘n voorkeur van ingetroude geselskap is. Tog skuil die oorsprong van die ongeskrewe kulturele reg om te kies wie is in en wie is uit, net onder die vel.‘Geslote gemeenskap’ was vir my artikel-woorde totdat my mooi skip in ‘n dig-toe plek kom vasval het. Of die brandmerkery 'n antitese is van die Blye Boodskap of nie, die mense kies spirituele blinheid sodat hul eie wil kan geld. Ek wonder wanneer gaan hulle agter kom dat die sout laf is. Vir almal wat alles weet, lyk dit of daar geen besef is dat Jesus die grootste inkomer is wat nog ooit gelewe het nie.

En die Koning sal antwoord en vir hulle sê: Voorwaar Ek sê vir julle, vir sover julle dit gedoen het aan een van die geringstes van hierdie broeders van My, het julle dit aan My gedoen. Mat 25:40

        Van Genesis tot Openbaring, sluit die Skepper die vreemdeling in Sy huishouding wat Hom as God aanbid. Jesus is die Koning van die Jode, Heilige van Israel, die Een wat was en Is en gaan Wees, ‘n Hebreuse man wat kultureel nie boer-Afrikaans of Christen is nie. Hy is inderdaat die Hemelse Bedelaar wat al Sy kinders wys hoe om Hom te volg. Hy sien alles en weet alles. Hy sien hoe onberou die bokke bly.

        Ek verstaan nou eers hoekom die Here so opgewonde was om ons in ballingskap na hierdie plek toe te stuur. Hy is die God van die wildernis en is intensioneel om spesifieke geestelike werk to volbring wanneer Hy jou trekpas gee. Dit sodat Sy roeping op jou lewe kan vervul word. Al het ons hoe ons beste voetjie voorgesit, die duiwel het ons nommer gehad. Rof soos bok-kniee is die vervalle staat van 'n mens maak nie saak waar jy op die aardbol bly nie. En toe is hier presies waar God gereken het, is ons tweetjies se perfekte plekkie om H E R L E W I N G te vind... 

        Dit was die terug-bid vir die vrees van God wat die reen van herlewing gebring het vir ons. 'n Mens kan nie se en maak soos jy wil nie, dis wat die duiwel in wese is. Die Vader het vir Jesus 'n wildernis, 'n Getsemane en 'n Judas gegee.

VOLG MY se Jesus

        Wat bly van die mens oor sonder die Heilige Gees se invulling? ‘n Geskende beeld van ‘n Skepper wat nie alomteenwoordig is nie, wat nie almagtig is nie, wat nie bevoeg is nie, wat nie betrokke is nie, wat nie goed genoeg is nie, wat nie soos ander afgode is nie.

        My weenklae het my barmhartige God gehoor. Ek gaan My Engel stuur om jou hele huis te besoek en vir jou te gee wat aan jou behoort, se Hy. Ek is jou Geregtigheid. Dit is My arm en My regterhand wat vir My die reg tot oorwinning uitbring. 

        Niemand kom eens agter dat Hy die stoor verlaat het nie. En as Hy nie daar is nie gaan ek ook nie daar wees nie. Wag, laat ek aanhou bid vir HERLEWINGS-REëN! Laat dit tog ordentelik ons uitgediende droeë skip deurtrek, die hout saf maak en een word met die kloofsand, want die ou skip kan nie die nuwe seisoen se seeninge hou nie, dit gaan ‘n Rooi Ferrari* vat om hierdie berge te omseil.

 

*Evangelistiese Bedienning 

OMyOtherHat

It is time for a change. Speekhout Farm is switching from a website to a BlogSpot

        This I can manage, update and publish myself. Where I live, if you don't do it yourself, sorry ne. So ja, welcome to our farming life. By now we have realised we are not farmers in the true sense of the old way, but since we live on agricultural land (and are white, go figure), we are called boere. Not by choice but by default of where we live. No matter that we say we are not, we are. 

    

        Mark is a tree planter and loves to get into the dirt to plant especially seeds. He has pockets full of seeds, his eyes always catching those little beauties wherever we go. He loves seeds and is always ready to reach when the trees and plants are ripe to present their gifts to him. Seeds give Mark such joy. He is one of those collectors, and what a happy day when he happens to meet another collector! The most precious gift to Mark: seeds. There is always more no matter where we go.

        And then the day those tiny little green spruces bumps the soil up.... he notices it hey. And then the finger pictures - I take snapshots with his finger pointing to that minute little teeny bit of life in the soil. He calls me to proudly show me the tiniest first new leaves. It is what we do here too. There is time to watch things grow.... okay only joking, on our farm the work turns out to be the activator of growth, and omyhat, how I have grown.

        

        In the city I had the luxury of paying somebody to attend to our gardens while I attended to many other things. Here I am a make-shift garden boy of sorts. After the rains I pull weeds, the energy mass is super for compost. I water the collection of flower pots of joyful colors that fringes our karoo garden. Man, they are really so beautiful. Mark is also a lawn-guy. We have a multi-purpose lawn, mostly on the western side of the farm house. It keeps the ground cool and holds the sprinkler's moisture around the trees and bushes. This helps to cool the house down during those hell hot months. As the sprinkler rotates, it gracefully slows down the heat-up rate of the house. Each little water droplet from the wobbler has a microscopic change on each microbe of heat. I love the lawn here more than ever, and so do the dogs.

        The trees together with the grasses create their own micro atmosphere. There came a day my sister sent us a photo of what it looked like here when she came to visit the first time. We cried because it is not what we saw when we came to view the farm. Honestly, it was horribly backwards but that’s not what we saw. In hind sight it was most probably the catch to think we can do it. The bait to fix and renew, the prospect of a promise not fulfilled. The chance to re-create something of meaningfulness and purpose. The chance to start something new and different while we still had time.

        So, the next thing is watering the new beginnings. Mark planted a myriad of trees around the farm house and 6 years later we have our own cool shade. We brought saplings from our own variety of thorns trees Mark planted in Orange Grove, and came to the farm and re-planted the offspring. Yes, we transported as many of our plants with us as we could practically manage. We also brought the outdoor orchids which is a family heirloom from Mark’s parents’ days.

        Mark was so inspired, he propagated indigenous cedar trees that once grew here in this very kloof. 1890 the last giant cedar tree was chopped down and hauled out of this kloof we read in the recorded writings.... We cried. We tell the story to guests who are all ears about the kloof. Mark harvested the seeds of the local cedars and embarked on a simulated process to germinate it. He then re-planted them everywhere where water can reach. They die as a still burnt-orange crackle, from a fungus we suspected. If they live, the sheep love to eat them kaal, and every now and again they grow green and tall. A real krismis tree of sorts. They are future giants we will never see tower above the humble landscape they once reigned.

        Yes, the Living Water. Water works is another full time aspect of our farming life. When we weed-eat the bossies down, it looks like lawn too! MondayWednesdayFriday, our watering motto, every day could be Tuesday, there is no telling what day it is. Thus the drought gave us a new rhythm. In the beginning, GNT in the one hand and the hose in the other, I watered the groupings of bags and pots, sometime I watered just weeds in the black bags, but not the smoking stuff. (I smoked my last cigar 22 years ago on someone else's wedding right before our own.)  I don't pull weeds out of the bags anymore, I flippen land up pulling those finger picture spruces as well. During the drought, even the quarts just couldn't keep up with the watering. Nor could I. There is simply not enough booze in the world to douse a drought.

        So, I prayed. And watered the pots. When water is at a premium, you close the nozzle between the pots and the bags to save water. While the hose is open, I count. Close and open. Pray, twist and turn. The bags and pots and I survived the drought but just that. There was nothing left for me to do but pray. I have been praying for rain for more than 5 years now. I have also been praying for revival here for the same time. Revival-rain. The rain did come but not yet revival. It rained somewhere on the Kouga mountains again, funneling the gift down the slopes into the Baviaanskloof river, giving us a continues flow not seen here by us in 7 years. What a joy to drive through the water every single time. Endless pictures, stop before the river click. Once in the water windows down, click click both ways. Kill the engine so we can listen to the water flow.... The amazing veld flowers and the abundance of water, ‘n ware skouspel

        The psalmist wrote, the life of mortals is like grass, they flourish like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. Peter penned it like this, for you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. For, all people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever.