Kilometer upon kilometer of silvery savanna, a sprinkling of blesbok and the odd zebra. Prepare you for a change of pace as you fly off the main road to Colesberg and head towards the tiny town of Smithfield in the Free State. The town lies 132-km southeast of Bloemfontein on the national road to Port Elizabeth. Smithfield has a small population of approximately 4000. It is a prosperous wool-growing district with a large number of cattle as well.

Smithfield is the third oldest town in the Free State. Waterval farm was the original site chosen for the township. However, when plots were offered for sale, there were no takers. Farmers were dissatisfied with the site (24 km west of present-day Smithfield). They preferred Rietpoort, where there was abundant water. The new town was named New Smithfield (the New soon fell away), after Sir Harry Smith, Governor of the Cape at the time.

The Caledon River bound Smithfield on the east and south. The district is drained by various tributaries of the Caledon River, the Vinkel Spruit and Wilgeboom Spruit being the largest. As the town lies 13 km west of the Caledon River, water has to be obtained from boreholes around the town dam.

Archaeologically, the name Smithfield is well known because one of the most important Stone Age cultures was named after the town. George Stow, a renowned scientist, excavated a cave near Smithfield in 1877. He found tools from the Late Stone Age and described them in his book, "Native races of South Africa."

There are wonderful Bushmen paintings in the hills near the town. "Ou Grietjie,"a cannon used by the Free State in the Basuto wars, has been mounted in front of the magistrate's office. It was named after Margaret (Grietjie), wife of the gunner Robert Finlay.

Until recently, this sleepy village in the foothills of the Maluti Mountains was virtually unheard of, except by local farmers. Today, there is a wonderful Artists' Colony, a combination guesthouse, restaurant and art gallery. It can be described as a sort of mirage in the desert, an oasis with Italian-inspired food and exquisitely dressed guestrooms. It welcomes travelers on the thirsty route through the Free State to the coast. Enjoy the wonderful cuisine!