EXPERIENCE FARM LIFE... At Wegraakbosch Organic Cheese Farm in Magoebaskloof

If your idea of a perfect day involves a little fresh air, a lot of laughter and getting your hands slightly dirty, then Wegraakbosch Organic Cheese Farm is calling your name.  Tucked high up in the folds of Magoebaskloof, is an off-grid, family-owned and run farm where cows, geese, pigs and chickens live out their best life in harmony with the land and the seasons.  

This is not a ‘look but don't touch’ kind of farm - your family is invited to roll up your sleeves and experience it for yourselves. 

The daily cheese-making tour at 10.00am is where the magic happens. Using traditional Swiss methods that are over 800 years old, the team transforms fresh milk into cheese using a giant copper cauldron over an open wood fire. It is a fascinating and mesmerising process, giving you new respect for the delicious cheeses you are about to taste and it’s quite something to see the sheer delight on a child’s face when they realise milk does not come from a carton.

You can try their peppadew, cumin and garlic soft cheeses or the more mature Havarti and Lesedi and even pre-order a cheese platter to be enjoyed under the dappled shade of the wisteria. Overlooking the vegetable garden, it is the perfect spot to take in the surroundings while working your way through a spread of farm-made cheeses, preserves and seasonal produce. Add a glass of wine or a cool drink, and suddenly the hours stretch out in the most delicious way.

Once you have had your fill of creamy goodness, it is time to head outdoors, where the real farmyard adventures begin.  Michi and Raymond Kröger passionately believe that happy animals mean healthy people and this applies to the grass-fed cows who produce the delicious range of cheeses and the free-range chickens, as well as the micro-organisms in the soil which feeds the flourishing organic veggie garden. 

At 10.30, the egg-collecting mission kicks off and this is where things get interesting. Armed with a basket and a sense of purpose, you and the kids can head out with a member of the farm team to gather eggs straight from the hens. These are not supermarket-perfect eggs - they are all different sizes but warm and absolutely wonderful. Kids love the experience and adults love it much more than they expected.

Feeling brave? Good. Because the next challenge involves a cow.  Hand-milking takes place later in the afternoon, and while it may look easy, there is definitely a knack to it. Under the watchful eye of the farm’s experienced milkers, you can give it a go, laughing at your first attempts before getting into the rhythm of it. This is one of those experiences that feels both completely unfamiliar but strangely satisfying.

And then a highlight for many, at 3.00, it’s feeding time for the calves. Bottles in hand, visitors are welcomed into what can only be described as organised chaos, as eager little calves jostle for their share. It is messy, joyful and guaranteed to be a highlight, especially for younger visitors who will be talking about it all the way home.  Of course, it is not all action and adventure. Wegraakbosch also knows how to do “sit back and savour” exceptionally well.  For those who want to dive deeper into farm life, the Farm to Plate experience is a must. 

This is where things really shift from visitor to participant. You will wander through the garden with Michi Kröger, harvesting whatever is in season, from vibrant greens to sweet strawberries, before heading into a hands-on cooking session. Under the expert guidance from celebrity chef Laaika Moosa, of LaaiksFood, your freshly picked ingredients are transformed into a feast that feels both wholesome and celebratory.  There is something deeply satisfying about eating a meal that you have helped gather, chop and create. It is both creative and unexpectedly grounding.

Wegraakbosch can easily be enjoyed on its own, but it also forms part of the wider Magoebaskloof Foodie Tour, where it sits alongside coffee tastings and craft beer experiences. Whatever you choose, visiting Wegraakbosch Organic Farm isn’t just about showing kids where their food comes from but also supporting local small-scale farmers who give back as much as they use, nurturing their environment and producing food that’s good for us to consume. So let’s buy local and ‘eat lekker’ and support a positive cycle of growth on our planet.

Please book all dairy activities and the Farm to Table experience in advance - Wegraakbosch is a working farm.  Call: 072 370 1886 | 072 361 0664 

Michi Kroger, fourth-generation farmer at her family-farm, Wegraakbosch Organic Farm

Custodians of the Land

Beyond the sensory pleasures of a day on the farm lies a deeper story. Wegraakbosch is not simply a place of production or tourism. It is a living philosophy, shaped by generations and grounded in a profound respect for the land.  A fourth generation farm, it is guided by an ethos that builds on past lessons learned but also innovates through shared knowledge within the global village to meet the challenges and create solutions. 

Traditional farming techniques and cheese-making methods are preserved not out of nostalgia, but because they represent a slower, more intentional way of working with nature prioritising the use of wood-fired heat, pasture-fed cows and small-batch processes.  Life here is off-grid, with energy, water and resources managed with care and each decision shaped by an awareness of impact. In a region that serves as a vital water catchment area, this accountability becomes even more critical.

“As custodians of the land,” Michi Kröger explains, “we see it as our responsibility to care for it and to give it a voice.” This sense of stewardship runs through every aspect of the farm. It is not simply about sustaining what exists, but about improving it for future generations.  Michi speaks about the importance of long-term thinking. “In Japan, when planning anything structural, they plan for the next six generations. For us, maintaining the environment or leaving it better than before is a priority for those who come after us.” 

This perspective shifts the focus from short-term gain to lasting impact, a philosophy that underpins the farm’s regenerative approach.  At Wegraakbosch, this is not just a trend, but a practice rooted in observation and respect which ensures a balanced system. One of Michi’s passions is redefining what farming is and she sees the soil and sustaining the microbiome as the most important part of it all.   Michi observes, “the many facets of our farming can sometimes keep us in the now, but seeing grasslands flourish, or watching birds interact with our veggie garden… in other words, a healthy biodiversity system, gives me motivation.” 

This emphasis on connection exists not only between people and land, but within the community itself. “We live in a place where there is a strong relationship between land and environment,” Michi reflects. “Seeing people collect wild tea and asparagus from the grasslands shows that this connection is still alive and being passed on.”  This sense of community extends beyond the farm to life in a small mountain village which can nurture a shared way of living emphasising cooperation and mutual support, which in turn creates a fabric of trust and belonging.

At the same time, Wegraakbosch exists within a broader conversation about sustainability and development in Limpopo. Michi acknowledges the complexity of balancing environmental priorities with pressing social needs, but maintains that this is not separate from community wellbeing. “Conservation brings people here. That in itself is a huge benefit to the community, whether as a visitor or resident.” This is where ecotourism finds its place and travellers are drawn to the beauty of Magoebaskloof, but what they experience at Wegraakbosch goes deeper. 

They encounter a way of life that values slowness, connection and care. In doing so, they become part of a larger story, one that links food, land and people in meaningful ways.  Ultimately, Wegraakbosch is about more than cheese, or even farming - it is about hope. “When we lose hope, all is lost,” Michi says. “But seeing biodiversity flourish and knowing that we are contributing, even in a small way, gives us hope.”  This is a place where tradition and innovation meet, where visitors can learn and grow, and the land is not simply used, but honoured.

www.wegraakbosch.co.za