Parcel Two - Main farm complex, including the dairy. (±1,521 Ha)

Details

- Arable under irrigation: 65 Ha

- Other arable: 350 Ha

- Pastures under irrigation: 160 Ha

- Other pastures: 30 Ha

- Veld: 800 Ha

- Fruit: blue berries 6 Ha nectarines and peaches 12 Ha (all under drip and micro irrigation)

- Buildings Managers House

  • Office block, with 10 offices and conference room
  • Dairy
  • Workshop and stores 900 m2
  • Pack shed 700 m2
  • Farm cash shop
  • Houses - 10 residences
  • Village - 149 Houses
  • Old Village - 25 Houses
  • Junior school (seven classrooms - 200 children)
  • 5 Teachers houses

    - Dams
    1 Large (250,000 m3) fed by large canal from Dorps River Irrigation-gravity, and boosted by pump

    - The district road and railway runs through this parcel

    - The Dorps River also runs through this parcel

    THE DAIRY

    The dairy currently milks about 250 cows (twice a day). The plant was supplied by Milkrite, and allows 18 cows to be milked simultaneously. The diary includes 3 stainless steel holding tanks (2 x 5,000l, and 1 x 4,700 l), a 22 kva standby genset, a full calf rearing facilities and a spray race.The pastures adjoining are as follows:- Rye grass - 134 Ha- Kikuyu - 76 Ha (of which 34 Ha is irrigated)- Erograstis - 40 HaThe dairy is capable of accommodating up to 600 cows with only a small addition to the milking parlour.

    THE DAIRY HERD

    This Holstein herd is the largest in the area. There are currently a total of 280 cows of which 245 are in milk (118 confirmed pregnant) with 35 dry and pregnant. There are a further 183 heifers (day old to pregnant) with 57 being pregnant. Average production is 25 l per day @ 2,500 l per lactation. The herd is presently on Kikuyu and is milked twice a day.

    The dairy realised a nett profit of R950,000 in calendar 2001, and presently has a turnover of R260,000 plus per month which is expected to grow to at least R300,000 in March 2002.

    THE IRRIGATED LANDS (750 Hectares)

    The farm can irrigate 250 Ha at any one time. There are 50 kilometres of underground pipes with 150 ha being gravity fed. An increase in the pumping capability and above ground pipe capacity would allow more than 250 Ha to be irrigated at any one time. More than ample water is available.There are 8 dams on the farm, with the largest being 144,000m3. Most of the water is sourced on the farm, plus the farm enjoys water rights to the Dorps River, which flows through the estate. There are also several boreholes.

    • FRUIT ORCHARDS

    Blue BerriesBlue Berries
    Coromandel Farm is South Africa's largest producer of this fruit with 13.25 Ha of 13,808 trees. 6,54 Ha are under netting and 7.68 Ha are fed by drip irrigation.

    Peaches
    (13.48 Ha - 9,598 trees) - All under netting 12,8Ha with micro jet irrigation. Varieties include: Transvalia, Orion, Safari, Bouigold, Novadonna & Desert Gold

    Nectarines
    (3 Ha - 2,916 trees) - All under netting with micro jet irrigation. Varieties include: Arm King, Sunlite, Fiestared, Mayglo & Margareths Pride.

    FRUIT PACKING SHEDS

    (Parcel 2)Packing activities focus on peaches, nectarines and blue berries. The modern, 1,200m² packing warehouse complex includes are 3 cold rooms (total 91m²) and a freezer room (23m²), 3 conveyor-sorting lines, electronic platform scale and a Komatsu 2 ton forklift. Offices adjoin the factory floor with change houses opposite. One section of the building is dedicated for storing packing material.

    WORKSHOP COMPLEX

    The workshop complex is located opposite the dairy and fruit packing shed and adjoining the office complex. It boasts 3 large steel buildings (2 x 500m² and 1 x 950m²), and a brick under iron fertiliser store (± 700m²). The necessary offices and workshop facilities accompany these structures. Further improvements include a large number of carports, a workshop pit, warehousing for stores, electrician's workshop, ablutions and electric security fencing and underground fuel tanks.

    Within this complex there is also a magnificent stone barn under iron, and a shop/butchery building also partially built of stone with a walk-in cold room and other butchery equipment.

    OFFICE COMPLEX

    The office complex is located opposite the manager's residence and adjoining the workshop complex and dairy. This face brick building under iron has a 10 offices, a boardroom, reception, computer room, kitchen and 2 toilets. The entire complex construction is of extremely high quality with solid wood doors and excellent finishes.

    AbelstadFarm Residences

    All the 3-6 bedroomed houses spread over this parcel have well established gardens and good finishes. They have all been inhabited and looked after.

    The main housing estate of Abelstad is located in Parcel 2, and comprises 149 houses; all built of brick with asbestos roofs and are neatly laid out on high ground. There is also a 200 student (seven classrooms) school with 5 teachers houses.

    The old village of some 25 houses is located on low ground near the school is in the process of being shut down.

    Click to see:

    Parcel One - African Manor house - Stables - Parcel Two - Parcels Three, Four and Five, Home page.