MOOIPLAAS GUEST HOUSE
Accommodation Services in Oudtshoorn

The story of how the fortunes of this town have risen and fallen is a dramatic tale. Ostrich meat has become very popular and is available in most stores. We also share our recipe with you on how to cook an ostrich fillet to mouth watering perfection! Find out more so you know what you are looking for when you purchase an ostrich skin item. Ostrich eggs are the largest of all eggs, the yolk is the largest single cell that exists today on our planet, though they are actually the smallest eggs relative to the size of the bird. This uses the colouration of the two sexes to escape detection of the nest, as the drab female blends in with the sand, while the black male is almost undetectable at night. Its distinct, subtle taste and versatility has made ostrich meat a most sought after menu item by hoteliers, restaurateurs, home cooks and caterers throughout the world. It is high in protein, cholesterol free and low in kilojoules & fat. Ostrich leather processing has advanced tremendously since ostrich skins were first processed and manufacturers produce the very best exotic leather. This is first drum-dyed to achieve the colour, then a transparent topcoat is applied to give it a sheen which contrasts the quills from the valleys. Any item that can be made of leather can be made using ostrich leather. Using ostrich leather in an article automatically increases the value of that item in terms of luxury and status. The quality rating system for the leather is determined by visually inspecting the primary crown. Here in the fertile Klein Karoo valley, between the Swartberg and Outeniqua Mountains, people could literally look out their windows at the two-legged dollars, yens, and later, euros. There were the locals, of course, but others came from the ends of the earth. And so came the Jewish community from Russia and Lithuania, with limited possessions but big dreams and tons of energy, to Oudtshoorn, to share in the wealth of the feather. Houses were carefully planned by architects such as Edmeades, and it was a challenge to give each ostrich palace built against the semi-arid Klein Karoo landscape a unique character. Alongside gold, diamonds and wool, ostrich feathers became South Africa’s chief export product. A government delegation travelled to North Africa and discovered the origin of the most beautiful of beautiful feathers in northern Nigeria and the Sudan. The population of Oudtshoorn as well as the ostrich population grew exponentially. From over the mountain basic requirements such as flour, milk, meat and bread were purchased. Major disputes arose over water and the wealth seekers were at each other’s throats. In the Little Karoo earnings from ostrich feathers were higher than from any other agricultural product. Veterans tried their best and newcomers joined the industry. In the following years more immigrants flocked to Oudtshoorn in search of wealth. The entire Oudtshoorn community invested their assets in feathers. The volume of feathers offered on the market overshadowed the limited demand. Within a year approximately 80% of all role players in the feather industry were bankrupt. Ostrich leather, or even the use of ostrich meat as a secondary industry, was not yet thought of. In 1916 the industry again was brought to its knees by the biggest drought in history. Feathers remained on the farm and millionaires were back on the street.