Real Namibia

“Namibian farm fare is generally very fresh. If the farmer offers you fresh beef or chops for breakfast, by all means accept the offer, but don’t look out the kitchen window.”

And for the eagle-eyed traveler, there is always the opportunity to spot some diminutive game, amongst the vast herds of cattle.

Namibia is a country plagued by drought, with the obvious exception of 2006. Farmers are an incredibly stubborn, hardy type of individual. However the banks, to whom many farmers owe their existence, as well as their loan repayments, are equally stubborn. In the quest to satisfy bank managers, Namibian farmers came up with an ingenious scheme to supplement their incomes: farming tourists. In this way, the guest farm was born.

In order to comprehend the idea of a guest farm, you need to put aside your concept of what farming should be. In Europe, a farm is typically a few hectares or a few hundred hectares in the case of a large commercial enterprise. In Namibia a farm is tens of thousand, if not hundreds of thousands of hectares. Many farms are comparable in size, if not to one of the European principalities, then to a small European nation. Hapless wanderers can get seriously lost on Namibian farms.

The reason the farms are so big is due to the carrying capacity. The land is dry, so in order to fatten the animals or even keep them alive in times of drought, far more land is needed.

A stay on most Namibian guest farms gives you the opportunity to see a Namibian farm at first hand.

Usually the farm consists of the farmer, his family and the farm workers. Each has his or her own role to play. Your role will be to be the guest. Although you will stay in a bungalow on the farm, you will quite likely be treated not just as a guest, but also as family. However don’t abuse the hospitality by jumping into bed with the farmer or his wife.

The chances are that you will eat with the family as well. Namibian farm fare is generally very fresh. If the farmer offers you fresh beef or chops for breakfast, by all means accept the offer, but don’t look out the kitchen window. The milk will also come fresh from the cow. Depending on the rain, the vegetables may be fresh as well.

As a point of interest, most farms make their own sausage, salamis and polony, according to recipes that are handed down from generation to generation, so whatever you eat will probably be quite unlike anything else you eat. And although the flavour will be unlike salami or sausage that you might be used to elsewhere, it will be a rare opportunity to eat unprocessed food.

The day’s activity will probably entail a farm drive. Do not be surprised if it lasts until well into the late morning, if not into the afternoon. As I mentioned a few paragraphs up, Namibian farms would make most landed royalty green with envy.

During the farm drive, the farmer will spend an inordinate amount of time extolling the virtue of his livestock. Do not be offended. It is purely a matter of professional pride. With a few clever questions, you may be able to get the history of the farm and an overview of the history of the ground and the farming operation.

The farmer will also know where all the wildlife is.

Lunch will be a brief affair, normally consisting of sandwiches or rolls with cold meat and salads. People will be in a rush to get back to work.

If you have time during the afternoon, you can probably relax by the pool or take the opportunity to catch up on sleep.

The evening meal will be huge and the conversation will last long. The farmer and his family will want to hear what is happening in the rest of the world, what your opinions are, and will want to hear your opinions of their opinions as long as your opinions are favourable.

Some of the farms have ceased farming operations and banded together with other farms to take down the fences and establish ‘conservancies’. These conglomerates survive on visitors alone. They offer an opportunity to see the are as it once was, before the fences went up.

A visit to a Namibian farm has a number of benefits. Not only do you get to see Namibia, but you also get a better opportunity to interact with people who are not waiters or receptionists.

If you want to see all of Namibia, a stay on a Namibian farm should be high on your list of priorities.

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