Originally called “Houmoedâ€, the 50 hectare farm just outside the picturesque little town of
Wellington, was bought by "Kelpie" Barns shortly after his return from active service in North
Africa and Italy. Unable to settle down to a nine-to-five routine in the city, Kelpie and his wife,
ballet dancer Yvonne Blake, decided to go farming! The wrench from sophisticated urban life to
hectic rural chores on a run-down farm was character-building to say the least. Kelpie was a
prize-winning amateur photographer and champion ballroom dancer, while Yvonne's ballet
career was set to take off after pre-war seasons in London and Paris with a company of emigré
Russian dancers, the Ballet Russe.
The early years demanded a very steep learning curve, a component of which involved Kelpie in
watching very carefully what his neighbouring farmers were doing from season to season! A
mixed farming operation involving a couple of cows, a semi-domesticated goat prone to chasing
the three young children through the house, fruit trees of all kinds and some neglected vineyards,
was slowly streamlined to concentrate on export apricots and plums, new vine cultivars, and
guavas.
