We live in a designer uni-verse. It has an awesome

symmetry. The biologist Lyall Watson once noted that things in it ‘have a glorious and unset-tling tendency to be beautiful – and it isn’t immediately obvious why that should be so.’

the Kapenta War

Foodie adventure Karoo

LaMB tALeSLaMB tALeSSetting out on a road trip to eat our country’s best lamb in-situ, Nikki Werner got to know the Karoo through its people and learned there’s a whole lot more to Karoo lamb than the bossies they eat. Photographs by Russell Smith.

48 Getaway AUGUST 2012 www.getaway.co.za 49

Foodie adventure Karoo

Braai fires were lit before day-

break and by nine o’ clock the

air in Calvinia was thick with

dust, smoke and the smell of sizzling

lamb fat. I pulled tender morsels from

a turmeric-stained sosatie and consid-

ered breakfast: heads or succulent

tails? ‘If you like meat take a Merino

tail,’ advised the nearest farmer, ‘if

you like fat choose a Dorper.’

Behind me locals flicked open their

penknives to tackle koppe issued in

plastic packets and queues formed

for blackboard-listed offerings such

as pofadders (sausages stuffed with

finely minced kidney, named for

looking uncannily like the viper),

skilpadjies (livers wrapped in caul

fat) and kaaings (fat that resembles

crumbly, fried mince). Chops and

wors appeared as an afterthought.

This nose-to-tail celebration of

the sheep takes place every August

when the Hantam district gathers

for |ts Vleisfees. It doesn’t get more

authentic than sampling the Karoo’s

lamb, lovingly cooked by the men who

reared it – or so I thought. Until Abe

Louw of Eat Karoo Butchery pointed

out that this town, on the Karoo’s

western edge, is just the beginning,

unwittingly inspiring a sequel.

Abe is identified as a purveyor of

genuine Karoo lamb; it’s stamped

as ‘Karoo Meat of Origin’ (KMOO)

through a certification system recently

launched by the Karoo Development

Foundation (KDF). Its intention, as

the chairman, Professor Johann

Kirsten, explains, is to protect the

reputation of Karoo lamb and the

economic rights of Karoo sheep

farmers in the same way only a

handful of French winemakers

He can read lamb in the same way wine connoisseurs might identify grapes from a vineyard site based on a red Burgundy’s characteristics

may call their bubbly Champagne.

To quantify what differentiates lamb

from our country’s arid interior plateau,

the KDF gathered scientific evidence

proving it is indeed the fragrant low-

lying bushes covering these wide-open

plains that give the meat its distinctive

flavour. Each species of indigenous

scrub, on which the sheep graze,

has a unique aromatic profile, for

example bitter or camphorous, but

most common, says botanist Sue

Milton-Dean, is the sweet and herby

Pentzia incana or ankerkaroo.

For Abe these flavour notes come

through in the meat to reveal regional

differences. He can read lamb in the

same way wine connoisseurs might

identify grapes from a vineyard site

based on a red Burgundy’s characteris-

tics. As he extends this analogy I sense

there is a world of nuance lost on our

uneducated palates, and understand

his frustration when he says, referring

to the blanket term ‘Karoo lamb’. ‘We

are still in the papsak phase.’

To test the theory, I headed for work-

ing sheep farms in different corners of

the Karoo, following the R63 out of

Calvinia and concluding with a lamb

banquet somewhere south of Three

Sisters. First up were KMOO members

Piet and Charmaine Botha on Stuur-

mansfontein, just short of Carnarvon.

(It’s also home veld for Abe and Johann

who, at a mere 25 kilometres away,

is counted as a neighbour.) When Piet

told me he orders Australian Blund-

stone boots online, in favour of veld-

skoens, I wondered how the delivery

guy would ever find this remote address.

The Bothas were waiting in front

of their homestead when I arrived.

It sparkled against ashen vistas as if

The 23rd annual Hantam Vleisfees takes place on 24 and 25 August 2012. Tel 027-341-8219, email vleisfees@klk.co.za,

www.hantamvleisfees.co.za.

tOP left and RIGHt: Lamb served every which way from pots and potjies at the Hantam Vleisfees. bOttOm: Our lamb banquet at Gannakraal (clockwise from top left): roosterkoek, onions and sultanas in tomato sauce, shank pot, stewed dried fruit, prickly pears, baked quinces, potbrood, rusks, tripe and samp.

50 Getaway AUGUST 2012 www.getaway.co.za 51

Foodie adventure Karoo

the thriving lawn, Cape Dutch façade

and ruffle of vine leaves had been

airlifted from Constantia. ‘You must

have green around your house, DStv

and internet otherwise you’re not

going to make it here,’ explained Piet.

These things stave off the isolation in

a place where, at times, RSG radio is

your only companion.

My bed was in a corbelled house that

still exists on their property – a domed

structure, that once sheltered its trek-boer architects, now restored for guests.

Later, protected from the elements by

walls of tightly packed flat rock, the

stars blinking as if within arm’s reach

above a kraal of boulders, another Piet

wisdom rang in my ears, ‘You learn to

adapt and use what you have.’ But

before I got to grips with the reality

faced by pioneering stockmen, dinner

was served. Charmaine presented

some extraordinarily puffy pumpkin

fritters and sticky-edged potatoes

hugged the leg of lamb braised in

Piet’s mum’s cast-iron pot. Abe might

wince, but all that came through for

me was: this is really good lamb. (Piet

uses Carnarvon Abattoir – also KMOO

approved – where each farmer’s meat

retains full traceability and is handled

in accordance with KMOO guidelines.)

And to start: those tails again – this

time marinated in garlic, lemon, cori-

ander seed and thyme and served to a

classical soundtrack. Just-cut tails are

braaied whole and woolly over asbos

coals, explained Charmaine, but when

trimmed to the size of short ribs (as

ours were) they are in demand as a

Later, protected from the elements by walls of tightly packed flat rock, the stars blinking as if within arm’s reach above a kraal of boulders, another Piet wisdom rang in my ears, ‘You learn to adapt and use what you have’

wedding hors d’oeuvre. As I picked

out juicy nuggets of meat I imagined

the brides, dressed in virginal white,

nibbling daintily so as to preserve the

spotless condition of their tulle skirts.

After dinner Piet brought out a well-

thumbed copy of Bossieveld: Grazing Plants of the Karoo and Karoo-Like areas. Like a Michelin guide for sheep,

desirable plants get five stars for good

palatability, quick recovery and drought

resistance; single-star plants are the

warning bells of overgrazing. He was

keen to look up the koggelmandervoet he had seen earlier, growing at the

gate below the corbelled house.

‘The Karoo is very interesting, if you

just look down,’ he said, paging over

ouma-se-kappie, voeltjie-kannie-sit-nie

(named because it’s covered in thorns)

and geelgranaat (yellow pomegranate).

As Piet read aloud it became clear

why his sighting was an important

one, ‘When koggelmandervoet grows

lushly it is an indication that the veld

is very well cared for...’

Two years ago, just as Piet’s 20 000

hectares were in peak condition, he

(and everyone around him) lost sheep

to Rift Valley fever. ‘Every sport has its

injury,’ consoled Charmaine, but Piet

still smarts. ‘That was a terrible injury.’

It’s a universal story, the farmer at the

mercy of nature. In every home the

hosts reach for our hands to say grace

and beside every bed there’s a Bible.

When you’re this close to the land, it’s

important to stay equally close to God.

From stony Dorper territory at Stuur-

mansfontein, I headed to greener

Charmaine Botha’s leg of lamb

What you need2 to 3 kg leg of lamb

freshly ground salt and

black pepper

6 potatoes, peeled

and halved

1 garlic clove, halved

2 sprigs of rosemary

What to doheat a cast-iron pot over

medium-high heat and brown

the lamb on all sides. Once

it’s sealed, season well with

salt and pepper. Add one

cup of water, replace the

lid and cook the lamb on

top of the stove over a very

low, gentle heat for about

two to three hours.

Check the pot occasion-

ally; it should never be dry

but the water should mix

with the meat juices which

are released.

Just before the last hour

of cooking on the stove,

arrange the potatoes around

the lamb and add the garlic

and rosemary. After the full

cooking time, remove the

lid, spoon some of the meat

juices over the lamb (this

creates a lovely golden

colour) and transfer the pot

to the oven, preheated to

180°C. Roast for another

hour, turning the potatoes

every 20 minutes.

Remove from the oven,

rest for 10 minutes, carve

and enjoy.

Cook’s note: thicken the remaining meat juices with a tablespoon

of cake flour and serve the gravy alongside the lamb.

tOP left: The corbelled house interior includes artefacts from its bywoner residents. These cash-strapped families, who once lived on the land rent free with the farmer’s permission, would store the occasional sheep carcass sealed with a paste of flour, salt and water under the bed and hang it outside in the cool night air. tOP RIGHt: Charmaine Botha’s pot-roast lamb on the Welcome Dover Stove in the corbelled house kitchen. bOttOm: The first dwelling on Groenvlei was restored for the Minnaar’s eldest daughter’s wedding and is now used as dining and function room – see the mule wagon (circa 1890) in the background.

52 Getaway AUGUST 2012 www.getaway.co.za 53

Foodie adventure Karoo

pastures (literally) where Merinos came

close to wearing golden fleece during

the 1950s wool boom. As Lawrence

Green wrote in his book, Karoo: ‘There

was a time when it looked as though

the Union’s wool would bring in almost

as much as the gold.’ At Groenvlei,

between Richmond and Murraysburg,

Johann Minnaar has lived it. ‘Fifty years

ago you could buy from your wool clip

10,11,12 bakkies; these days you’d

have difficulty buying one.’

Johann is every bit the sheep farmer

I’d hoped for: piercing blue eyes, char-

ismatic presence, greying sideburns.

He and his khaki shirt showed signs

of working hard, and he has firm

opinions. ‘Be very careful not to

over-emphasise the so-called Karoo

bush taste,’ he warned. ‘The essence

is how the animal gets killed.’

By now I’d realised my undertaking

was naïve; there were variables, not

only cooking methods and cuts, but

breed and slaughter too, which would

not remain constant on this journey.

As Johann’s gentle wife, Lynne,

handed out steaming mugs of Ma Joey’s

bean soup – her mother-in-law’s recipe

rich with lamb knuckles cooked until

the meat slides off the bone – we were

joined by Marguerite Wolfaardt from

nearby Damesfontein. Marguerite had

brought a fresh batch of her handmade

lamb sausage and was accompanied by

her son Philippie, a farm-taught butcher

who intends growing his meat sales

beyond interested guests.

Together we watched the sun sink

and set the sky on fire, but on a scale

Johann is every bit the sheep farmer I’d hoped for: piercing blue eyes, charismatic presence, greying sideburns. He and his khaki shirt showed signs of working hard, and he has firm opinions

of one to 10 Philippie rated it six-and-

a-half. He’s seen plenty of Karoo sun-

sets in his 25 years and will see many

more. Having graduated as a game

ranger just a few days before, he’s

keeping his promise of returning.

It’s no longer guaranteed that the

first-born son will take over the family

farm, so Philippie’s homecoming and

his fledgling business are treated as a

big deal. Philippie, who is completing

his meat examiner qualification, is a

reluctant self-promoter, ‘My lamb

speaks for itself,’ he said simply.

We continued the bossie debate

around a cosy binne braai, Johann

sipped a brandy-and-Coke, Every Step

You Take (the remix) played in the

background and parked against a

corner wall dating back to 1762 was

a mule wagon. Johann outlined the

kind of commercial slaughter he

believes causes stress to animals,

releasing adrenaline and altering

flavour. In contrast he described

Philippie’s small-scale operation:

sheep herded from camp to fate,

never knowing truck transport, and

processing that’s strictly one-person,

one-sheep – no production line.

Johann is equally passionate about

his daughter’s efforts to uncover the

facts about fracking or natural gas

extraction. As director of the indepen-

dent documentary Unearthed, which

premieres late 2012, Jolynn Minnaar

has spent 18 months investigating the

subject in the UK, America and Canada.

In January, US research published

by Bamberger and Oswald discussed

tOP left: Jackal and caracal are among a sheep farmer’s biggest threats. Keeping hides tracks a hunter’s progress. tOP RIGHt: Alec Jeppe affirmed our car manufacturer choice with his 1975 VW Double Cab, Die Bloubak – having traversed rocky farm tracks for 35 years, it’s still going strong. bOttOm left: Johann Minnaar humoured us with a portrait in the bossies – he isn’t convinced vegetation differences are discernable in lamb meat and says, ‘If you’re a connoisseur, maybe...’ bOttOm RIGHt: Kobie Jeppe skewers her sosaties on rose-mary branches and marinates the meat for up to four days.

54 Getaway AUGUST 2012 www.getaway.co.za 55

Foodie adventure Karoo

animals in gas drilling areas serving

as indicators of the negative impacts

on human health. In South Africa

these canaries down the coal mine

could be the sheep.

While the Bothas’ proximity to the

Square Kilometre Array (SKA) tele-

scope might spare them, the Minnaars

are resigned. ‘It will happen,’ said

Lynne softly. Johann backs his wife,

‘They’re going to frack this thing to

pieces, definitely, it’s coming.’

Regardless of the gas industry, times

are already tough. Our conversation

turns to production costs outstripping

income and the need to diversify and

I understand why the KDF feels com-

pelled to protect the heritage under-

pinning this economy.

‘It’s difficult these days, money wise,’

agreed Annalize Groenewald, head of

Graaff-Reinet’s Home Industry. The

domestic dream of being a farmer’s

wife is compromised by women work-

ing to supplement their husband’s

income. As with their urban sisters,

it’s easier to microwave the country

equivalent of ready meals – curry and

rice, tomato bredie and lamb mince

lasagne – cooked by Annalize. She

admitted (too modestly, I suspect)

her career was borne out of necessity,

to earn during drought.

Her kitchen is only a five-minute

drive from Groenvlei and Annalize

sent us off to Gannakraal, our next

stop, with a lamb pie that is ‘true

meat, no bone, no skin’ packed under

a wafery lid of hand-made puff pastry.

Her views echo those of Johann.

Having cooked lamb professionally

for over 20 years, she swears home

slaughter is superior, ‘There’s really

a big difference,’ she said, ‘It’s much

more tasty from the farm … really.’

Our padkos didn’t make it far. Only 60

kilometres later we were sitting in the

sun eating pie, and waiting out a

flat-tyre repair, when Kobie Jeppe

telephoned from Gannakraal. She

warned of approaching hail that had

decimated her prickly-pear garden. Back

on the road in our Tiguan we counted

down our collision with distant lightning

bolts and rain-streaked skies until, as if

crossing an invisible line, an avalanche

of water caused zero visibility. It was a

perfect Karoo thunderstorm – and a

dramatic intro for Gannakraal.

I’m still grateful to the Victoria West

Exchange for locating Gannakraal’s

number during the planning phase of

our trip – one call to Kobie unleashed

Karoo hospitality like a diviner striking

soda water. ‘For lunch I’ll prepare

shank pot with dumplings, sosaties,

tripe with samp, rack of lamb, pumpkin

tart and bread salad,’ informed Kobie.

‘Then for dinner, a braai – sheep’s tails,

skilpadjies, butterflied leg of lamb,

veggie pot, prickly pear salad and

roosterkoek. For breakfast, kaaings

with sheep’s sausage and maybe some

yoghurt and stewed dried fruit, and in

between we’ll bake a potbrood so you

can try one of my jams.’

If I were a farmer I’d have asked

Kobie’s hand in marriage. Shortly

after my arrival she opened a towering

pantry cupboard holding preserves,

bottled fruit and jars of cookies lined

up with military precision, comment-

The domestic dream of being a farmer’s wife is compromised by women working to supplement their husband’s income

tOP left: Kobie layers kaaings and lamb sausage for baking in the oven and serving for brunch. tOP RIGHt: Annalize Groenewald has refined her lamb pie through decades of repetition, like lightening her puff pastry by using half butter, half Cordon Bleu margarine. ‘But,’ she adds, laughing, ‘if the Home Industry from Pretoria come I use Stork!’ bOttOm left: Anna Berg is known for her roosterkoek and has cooked with Kobie Jeppe for more than 18 years. ‘She’s my best friend,’ says Kobie. bOttOm RIGHt: Headed for Alec’s wheelbarrow braai: a platter of lamb tails seasoned with crushed dried coriander and on the enamel plate, skilpadjies and the vetderm.

56 Getaway AUGUST 2012 www.getaway.co.za 57

ing, ‘My friends always ask: Kobie!

Do you think famine is coming?’

This is a woman of natural talent and

resolve. Her feast, a full repertoire of

lamb cookery as she knows it, was a

delicious expression of her largesse.

As was my parting gift: a bundle of

handwritten recipe cards.

Kobie encouraged me to take the

vetderm (large intestine), which she

considers the cook’s treat when

transformed over coals into a tube

of crackling, and to spread my rooster-koek with rendered lamb fat (much like

German schmalz) – a Karoo substitute

for butter during hard times. The table

talk was equally enlightening. Her

husband, Alec, advises checking the

central porous area of bone on a chop:

bright red means you’re buying lamb;

if it’s white, it’s mutton.

Alec’s precious flock is under con-

stant attack by ‘vermin’, a common

problem. The dried predator skins in

his garage – small victories in his fight

for survival – were a sobering sight: my

meal came at a price. As his turquoise

VW Die Bloubak creaked and bounced

over the veld in search of a Karoo

violet, Alec said quietly, ‘You’re fond

of your animals, you like them to have

good food and if it’s dry, you provide

… even at your own expense.’

I stayed in their son’s old room,

decorated with striped wallpaper and

a Porsche poster, and at lights out

someone tiptoed through the house

to shut down the generator by pulling

a chain – Eskom’s supply stopped 20

kilometres away. It felt like a sleepover

with grandparents I’d love to adopt; a

rare moment in time. Their son works

in London now, so when the Jeppes

wind up a lifetime and retire to town,

Lamb aside, it would be a shame to lose the characters moulded by this historically unforgiving heartland; their warmth, humour and hospitable spirit emanates from a place of complete trust and sheer goodwill

what they’ve created here won’t live

on. They’ll leave only memories for

the fortunate few who have visited.

On the way home I wondered

whether the same could be said for the

Karoo; given the current challenges,

can it survive? Lamb aside, it would

be a shame to lose the characters

moulded by this historically unforgiving

heartland; their warmth, humour and

hospitable spirit emanates from a place

of complete trust and sheer goodwill.

But I’d set out with another question:

could I discern the subtleties resulting

from the sheep’s diet?

Honestly? Not in the moment. There

were so many contextual considera-

tions – not least was the occasional

use of packet soup and instant gravy,

which surely sullies any natural flavour.

Often the pungency of the bossies

rubbed between my fingers less than

an hour before eating created an

expectation the meat could never

deliver on. What eating at source

lends – apart from access to artisan

slaughter – is a deep appreciation for

how Karoo lamb should be enjoyed

and a deeper understanding of the

intimate connection between land,

lamb and man.

Back home I braaied a loin chop

from each area, without so much as

salt or pepper and yes, side by side,

I could taste differences. Some were

spicy, others more minerally and

earthy. Generally, the level of flavour

complexity across all three was

undeniable. It was by no means a

completely controlled trial, but in

that precise moment Alec would

have been most proud. ‘Just remem-

ber,’ he’d told me, ‘a balanced diet

is a lamb chop in each hand.’

Behind Piet Botha (bOttOm left) are black-headed Dorper sheep, a hardy breed farmed primarily for their meat. Merino sheep (tOP RIGHt) are dual-purpose in that they can be farmed for both wool and meat.

58 Getaway AUGUST 2012 www.getaway.co.za 59

Foodie adventure Karoo

Foodie adventure Karoo

person). Dinner costs R180 a person and breakfast (at the farmhouse) is R90 a person. Tel 053-382- 5900, email stu-urmansfontein@telkomsa.net. GPS: S30° 54’ 79”, E21° 39’ 41”

The old manager’s house at Groenvlei is divided into three units of four, two and one bedrooms. The accommo-dation is fully serviced and may be catered or self-catering. There are braai facilities and a roast lamb buffet dinner costs R100 a person. Enjoy horses, hiking, tennis, bicycles and birding in summer and the fireplace and games room in winter. Self-catering is from R220 a person a night sharing. Tel 049-845-0305, cell 082-

659-2456, www.groenvlei.co.za. GPS: S31° 49’ 19”, E24° 14’ 43”

Accommodation at Ganna-kraal includes four rooms (most are en suite with a double plus a single bed). Owner Kobie Jeppe usually cooks a leg of mutton, venison pie, home-baked bread and veggies for the evening meal, but is happy to recreate the lamb spread we had or certain dishes (call ahead to arrange, price dep-endent on request). Essentially a foodie pilgrimage, but there are mountain-bike and hiking trails. DB&B costs R350 a person a night sharing. Cell 082-415-7634. GPS: S31° 54’ 46”, E22° 50’ 13”

What we drove‘This is a tarred road car,’ reprimanded the farmer who helped us change a tyre. The Volkswagen Tiguan 2 Litre TSI 4Motion may lean towards Urban Utility Vehicle, but its high clearance was an advan-tage off-road. It delivered us safely to the corbelled house on Stuurmansfontein, even after dark, illuminating corners and tackling dips an ordinary sedan wouldn’t handle. The powerful overtaking and smooth drive eased the long distances typi-cal of the karoo and there was space for luggage, professional photography equipment and a coolbox of frozen lamb. From R413 800, www.vw.co.za.

Getting thereContact the owners of the farms before leaving, as they will give precise directions and have a better knowledge (than a GPS) of the dirt roads that lead to their properties.

Suggested readingTimeless Karoo by Jonathan Deal (R310, Struik Travel and Heritage) gives a good over-view of the area and captures the spirit of the Karoo.

Useful contacts and resourcesFind out more about Karoo Meat of Origin at www.karoomeatoforigin.com.

To order Annalize Groene-wald’s lamb pie (R80), for collection at Farm Fare Home Industries in Graaff-Reinet or at Groenvlei, call 082-411-8186.

To buy lamb, call Philippie Wolfaardt on 072-783-2199. For stays on his family’s farm, contact Damesfontein on 082-413-0579 or visit www.nieubethesdaguestfarm.co.za.

Closer to Cape Town, visit Franschhoek’s Eat Karoo Butchery in the main road (find it inside Roubaix Fresh Produce). Tel 021-876-4670.

Find out more about the Unearthed documentary, at www.un-earthed.com.

Where to stay Stuurmansfontein Corbelled House is a self-catering es-cape for rest and reading that sleeps up to six. The house is R840 a night for up to four people (R100 for each extra

Travel PlAnnEr

Cape Town

Graaff-Reinet

Victoria West

Groenvlei

MurraysburgGannakraal

Three Sisters

CarnarvonStuurmansfontein

Beaufort West

CalviniaWilliston

0 50 100km

N1

N1

60 Getaway AUGUST 2012

GannakraalGroenvleiStuurmansfontein Corbelled House