Netherwood Farm in Nottingham Road celebrates, food, nature, design, and life. Wanting a respite from the stresses of the medical world, Cardiothoracic Surgeon, and Owner of Netherwood Rob Kleinloog decided to invest in a cattle farm where through passion, innovation, collaboration, and multi-dimensional thinking, Netherwood Stud has grown into a multi-faceted destination in the Midlands.
Netherwood offers a variety of experiences. From modern café fare at Blueberry Café, craft beer at Happy Days Brewery, a wholly farm-to-fork experience at the Fork n’ Cleaver Restaurant, a wedding venue overlooking the majestic Drakensberg mountains, right through to overnight stays and family gathering to celebrate weddings at the Netherwood Cottages. Truly unique - Netherwood is made up of 5 different aspects, all set within a Working Angus Stud Farm, where additionally the majestic long horned Ankole cattle are also bred plus a few Alpacas who often make an appearance to delight the visiting clientele.
With no set plan to create a diverse business operation, other than pursuing a top-notch cattle breeding operation, after purchasing the farm in 2000 Rob met a sculptor where through “an act of philanthropy” he built several buildings and offered a space where coffee could be offered to clients wanting to invest in sculpture. With sweeping views of the surrounding farm valleys, dams, and across to the Drakensberg from the remarkable glass, steel and natural stone building, the popularity and offerings then expanded. Today Blueberry Café offers breakfast options, burgers, wraps salads, toasties and of course the famous “blueberry cheesecake”. When Rob’s son expressed an interest in beer brewing, they then decided to establish Happy Days Brewery and now this craft brewery produces a distinct range of beers and a beautiful space to enjoy good times with good friends plus be served with good food.
Wanting to create a wedding venue for his four children when the need arose, Rob’s then turned to his eldest daughter who became involved in the design and build of the wedding venue. The Venue has frameless glass stacking doors that enables expansive transparency to the outdoors plus 360-degree views of the magnificent countryside surrounds. From the initial building blog, the response was so extraordinary that the venue became fully booked for several years before Rob’s own children even utilised it! An old missionary church perched on top of a hill, at the back of Netherwood farm was then revitalised, plus cottages on adjoining farm were renovated to provide elegant one- and two-bedroom accommodation. This inventive process now offers a farm wedding in a modern, minimal style.
Fork ‘n Cleaver Restaurant has curated menus that encapsulate both the season and the region incorporating home-grown steaks where specific emphasis has been placed on cattle that are bred genetically, reared, and fed completely organically with no chemicals, and being slaughtered humanely. Everything is sourced as locally as possible, including salad and vegetables from Netherwood Farm’s own gardens.
Great businesses come from a variety of skills and talents. Rob has had a friendship that has spanned over ten years with the former Famous Brands CEO Kevin Hedderwick who now runs his own Venture Capital business. Both these individuals are likeminded entrepreneurs who applied their knowledge and strengths at Netherwood ensuring that this small family business has had, and will continue with, an incredible growth ride that resulted in this stand out, successful, and incredibly enriching rendezvous.
For further information call Netherwood farm on 033 266 7132