Family farm fun at Doo Little Farm

Actually also known as Fountain Bush, but I totally prefer the charm of “Doo Little Farm”. 🙂
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I have been itching to just getaway already! Like pack up Team Porter into the car, and just go, go, go!Its been a while since we’ve actually done a family getaway..We always say after we do do one, that we should do it more often…Only to find that months have gone by and we haven’t made good on it. Case in point: Our Doo-Little Farm getaway. Which was almost a year ago! A fun spur of the moment fam getaway that was so good for the soul!…And loads of fun for the kids!

So clearly Im not the worlds most timely blogger, as Im only about to blog about it now…but seriously, you have got to go check this place out! It’s a sweet little farm tucked away deep in fields off the road on your way to Gaansbaai. So past Hermanus, but before Gaansbaai. We were lucky enough to be invited by wonderful friends to join them as a last minute decision.

It was our first roadtrip as family. Short as it was, it was a roadtrip none the less. I wasn’t sure how my smallest beast, Parker-Grace would take to it, as anything longer than five minutes more than likely ends up with lots of screaming and sweating. From Parker.

Fortunately, I was in a se le vie mood, and managed to keep both mine and everyone else’s spirits high throughout the drive with our little banshee. (And we still want to do the Garden Route with her. Oh, boy.)

The drive is not terribly long, and soon you’ll find yourself turning off into an area where nothing but veld surrounds you, until you reach the gate. As you get out of the car to open the main gate, youre greeted with a whole lot more field, and you begin wondering “where the dickens are we?”

But as you drive through the gates, and notice the beautiful horses trotting along, you immediately know you’re in the right place. You’ll drive past the main farmhouse, and continue to drive into the midst of nowhere, where suddenly up pops this little humble beaut!

You are greeted with a sandpit, which my big beasty immediately dove into, and which kept her happily occupied while we unpacked the car.

The house is open plan with a dining area to the left and large kitchen to the right. And if you’re there during winter, or just on a nippy day, then you’re in luck: because they have a fireplace!! Oh, yes please!

They also have kiddies table and chairs, and a cosy little lounging area, perfect for any boardgames you may wish to play as a family.

There are only two bedrooms, but can accommodate up to 6 people in terms of beds. There is a queen (king?) size in the one bedroom with an en suite.

And the other bedroom has a queen bed along with a double bunk, and enough space to plonk your camp cot down too. This bedroom also has its own en suite. The only thing, you’ll need some good communication and co-ordination as the hotwater is shared across the home. Which would explain the first 3minutes of my ice cold-im-in-jail-and being punished shower, which was then swiftly followed by my volcanic-we’re-near-the-sun scalding shower, which sent me fleeing to the furthest corner of the shower, plastered flat against the glass…trapped, like a wet, heaving cat.

But I digress…I love that the house has a surrounding porch, complete with a built in braai, dinner table as well as portable braai if you feel like braaing out in the sun, or even down by the dam. Speaking of dam, its only meters from the house, and you can totally use it. So swimming, rowing the boat, fishing…you got it!

There really is so much to do, in terms of living the farm life and just have a good time – if chilling out isn’t enough for you.

Kids can go ride on the very gentle soul of a pony, named Misty, they can go feed the piggies and lambs, and just generally get to know the farm animals. What about breakfast at farm based self -catering spot? Well now, you can go find your own freshly laid eggs from the chickens yourself, or go milk sweet Rosie the cow for your own fresh milk.

Farm life, for realizies, guys! Just be sure to have wellies on as it does get pretty muddy on the farm this time of the year.

Oh and you can also make your own butter – which we didn’t get a chance to do, but would love to just try it.

The main farmhouse yard is also pretty available to guests -so the jungle gym ,swings and trampoline are all free game for the kiddies. However, there is a jungle gym right there by your own farmhouse, with plenty of space to run around, or ride a bike.

Apparently, and I didn’t know this at the time, but the kids can also go on a Treasure hunt. So be sure to ask about that, if you do take your kids.

But for me, the real show stoppers were the horses…Oh my stars and garters,guys!…These beauties totally just rounded off the experience for us. Round about at dusk, be sure that you’re back your home, with your carrots or apples ready at hand, because they tend to come for a quick drinky drinks at the dam at that time, then pop over the fence for a snack by the cottage. So come prepared.

The girls were a little nervous, but were so keen to also get in on the horsie-feeding action. They feed straight from your hand..or your children’s hands. They are pretty gentle about taking the food- but I was still cautious with the girl’s feeding them.

Mind you, the horsies can get a bit bossy (the one was busy crossing the fence to get me to give more). So just be sure to stand your ground, if they do get bossy. Once snack time is done, they head on back home on their own
accord, trotting off for beddy-bye time.

They also swing by at dawn..ish. So be sure to have enough carrots left over for them then too.

We really enjoyed it as a fam, and are still forever grateful to our buds for the lovely getaway.

What you need to know:

Website: Not their official site, but a Gaansbaai site 

Tel: 028 388 0060 (cell reception on the farm is dodgy, so according to the owner, that is the most reliable number)

Tel: 2076 412 0740

Address: just 15 minutes from Stanford and Gansbaai,… nestled in the Uilkraal Valley directly across the road from the majestic Platbos Forest

Email: steven@burmar.co.za

Directions: Coming from Cape Town, take the N2 and drive straight and take the Hermanus turnoff near Botriver.
-Drive straight through Hermanus following the signs to Stanford/Gansbaai, drive straight past Stanford -do not turn into Stanford….keep going in direction Gansbaai.
-After approximately 20 km’s you will see a big sign saying Grootbos, turn left. This is their road, it starts out as tar but will become gravel once you pass Grootbos’ gate.
-Keep going for approximately 5km until you find our gate on the left-hand side – Doo-Little Farm.
-They are basically directly opposite the entrance to Platbos Forest – that has a big sign – so easy to spot.

Last few tips before I sign off:

• Bring gum boots for you AND the little ones, as the farm can be muddy this time of year, especially around the dam area.
• Don’t forget your old carrots or apples, so that you and/or your child can feed them to the horses – they usually hang out near the cottage.
• And pack in lots of bottled water. We are water drinkers, so we were sorry that we didn’t bring loads more water. It is a farm, so the water can be dodge. So either be sure to boil your water, or bring your own water.
• There are enough blankets for sleep time, but if you have an itty bitty baby, best you bring some blankies for the floor, as it does get chilly.

Goshhhh…now, after all that reminiscing in this post, I’m totes ready for that getaway…Need to get crack-a-lacking on the planning.

In the meantime, I do hope you go check Fountain Bush/Doo Little Farm out…if not for living a bit of the natural life, but then for that really endearing horsie-feeding encounter!

Happy farming!x