Innholdsfortegnelse for Spring 2020 i go! Platteland

Here at Platteland we are looking forward to a maskless visit to Bushmanland with its solitary mountains and koppies, recently lauded as “the most biodiverse arid area in the world” by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco). Spanning about 5 700 ha east of Springbok, this section of the Succulent Karoo Biome will now be known as the greater Karrasberge Protected Area. It comprises four new nature reserves – Areb, Karas, Marietjie van Niekerk and Smorgenskadu – that represent vegetation types that were previously poorly protected or not protected at all: Bushmanland Inselberg Shrubland, Aggeneys Gravel Vygieveld and Bushmanland Arid Grassland. The establishment of the new reserves was a joint project of the Wilderness Foundation Africa, the World Wide Fund for Nature South Africa (WWF-SA), the Northern…

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The history of Tesselaarsdal is broadly outlined in Annalize Mouton’s fascinating book Tesselaarsdal: A Bend in the Road. The story begins with Johannes Jacobus (Jan) Tesselaar, the son of a German immigrant who, as a reward for having been a soldier for the Dutch East India Company (VOC), received two loan farms from the governor at the time, Willem Adriaan van der Stel: Hartebeestrivier in 1781 and Steenboksrivier in 1791. The settlement was initially named Hartebeestrivier, but to avoid confusion with another farm and postal point with the same name, the Post Office changed the name to Teslaarsdal Farm 811, which later became Tesselaarsdal. When Jan died in 1810, he left all his possessions, including the farms, movable assets and 38 slaves, to his wife, Aaltjie. (According to the Caledon…

Pietersarel de Bruyn Owner of Herbs-Aplenty and Steampunk Distillery Pietersarel and his wife, Susann, moved here from Paarl 16 years ago. “We used all our savings to buy this Port Jackson and hakea farm. There was absolutely nothing else here.” They were really looking for a patch of land in the Boland, but, says Pietersarel, property costs R1 million per hectare there. “They say you will only get a piece of old land there in one of three ways: either you marry for it, or you inherit it, or you buy it on a third bankruptcy auction!” It’s hard to believe this was once just bare earth. Today at Goedgegewe, their 40 ha organic farm, you will find a factory and an expanse of fields filled with herbs such as…

Crockery with the willow pattern, commonly known as Blue Willow, is made by over 500 manufacturers worldwide. While variations exist in the original design, each piece must include these elements to be considered authentic: A weeping willow A pagoda A bridge with three figures on it A boat Two birds in flight According to legend, the story began when the beautiful daughter of an influential man fell in love with her father’s accounting assistant. When her father discovered it, he banished the assistant and erected a high fence to keep his daughter in – only being allowed out to walk beside the water and the willow trees. She went into mourning… until she received a message from her beloved. He came to her rescue at a banquet, but her father…

Just 14 km west of White River, on the Brondal Road, a 4 ha property lies snugly among farms where macadamias, avocados, lemons and tilapia fish are cultivated. After entering the gate at The Artists’ Press, there’s a studio on your left. A few metres ahead lies a sizeable dam under a treetop canopy. Hidden among greenery are the main house and a guest house, Waterfield, and behind the buildings lies Eden: a fruit and vegetable forest. “We have macadamias, pecans, mangoes, grapes, bananas, guavas, pomegranates, pineapples, starfruit, apples, litchis, dragon fruit, cinnamon and pepper bark, to name a few,” Tamar Mason says while Moya, a brindle greyhound, and Lima, the new puppy, welcome us enthusiastically. Old souls Emma the Jack Russell and Doddo the cat are a little less…

It’s 10 January and time for our first full-moon walk of 2020. As usual, we have accepted the regular invitation extended by Koringberg farmer’s wife Bregda Mostert to join her on the path that leads up the mountain from her “back yard”. From the top, we will first watch the sun sink into the sea at Langebaan in the west, before turning in the direction of Porterville to gaze in wonder at the spectacle beyond the Groot Winterhoek Mountains… At first you are staring into nothingness, but soon a halo appears… and then the moon makes a magnificent entrance. Bregda’s full-moon walk has become an institution. Every month, we receive a reminder via WhatsApp that this month the moon will appear on this day at this time, so we will…

The secret to walking is to do it often. Keep dangling a carrot in front of yourself so that walking remains interesting and enjoyable. • Buy a fitness tracker such as a Fitbit Charge 2. It is relatively inexpensive and gives you basic information such as your heart rate, the number of steps you take daily, how frequently you move every hour (it vibrates to remind you when it’s time to get up and move!), and how many calories you have burnt. You download the app on your smartphone and then receive weekly statistics – including information about your sleeping patterns. Set yourself a goal of a certain number of steps and increase it regularly. A good goal to aim for is 10 000 steps per day, but if you…

Do newcomers to small towns experience the feeling that the locals know too much about them? Definitely, says Julienne du Toit. “Especially when you first move to your new platteland dorp, you are immediately the subject of braai-side conversations. In a dorp, social capital is – along with skinder – the most valuable commodity. It always amuses me when a TV programme or book has a character fleeing to escape attention and heading to some remote settlement. That’s the one place you are guaranteed to attract attention. If you really need to escape, disappear into a city.” One of the best gifts you could give a person in a small town, Julienne says, is a juicy bit of gossip. She cites a blog by Naomi Roebert for Africa In Touch…

The SA Plastics Pact is a collaborative initiative that brings together key stakeholders in the local plastics value chain. It aims to tackle plastic waste and pollution at the source – and to create a more resilient circular economy for plastic packaging that, in conjunction with other local initiatives, serves human and environmental wellbeing. The pact – the first in Africa to form part of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s global Plastics Pact network – currently has more than 20 members, including Pick n Pay, Woolworths, Spar, Shoprite and Checkers, Food Lover’s Market, Massmart, Clicks, Spur Holdings, Unilever, Tiger Brands, Addis, Tuffy, Danone, Distell, TFG (The Foschini Group), Coca-Cola Africa and HomeChoice. They have signed up to a joint set of four ambitious and time-bound targets, ensuring that this collaboration will…

At Home with Cannabis concludes with a cannabis treatment guide for a wide range of medicinal applications: Acne, ADD/ADHD, motor neuron diseases such as ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), Alzheimer’s disease, anorexia, anxiety, arthritis, asthma, autism, high blood pressure, cancer (hormone-driven cancers, early-stage cancer, late-stage cancer, cervical or ovarian cancer, skin cancer, prostate cancer, testicular cancer, thyroid cancer), chemotherapy, Crohn’s disease, dementia, depression, diabetes, eczema, epilepsy and seizures, fatigue, flu, heartburn and indigestion, heart disease, Huntington’s disease, insomnia, lupus, menopause, menstrual cramps, migraines and headaches, nerve damage, pain, Parkinson’s disease, post-traumatic stress disorder, pregnancy-related morning sickness, stress, stroke and tension.…

In At Home with Cannabis, Durban-based cannabis consultant and cancer survivor Kelly McQue provides readers with everything they need to know to embark on their own cannabis healing journey. The knowledge she acquired is based on her own experience of healing herself and helping others successfully heal or manage their conditions. It includes personal stories, counsel, tried-and-tested recipes, tips and a basic dosage guide for the treatment of various health issues. The book is published by Struik Lifestyle and you’ll find it at bookshops countrywide. The price is R200. win We are giving away two copies of At Home with Cannabis. Send an email with your name, street address and telephone number to helloplatteland@gmail.com with the words “Spring Cannabis” in the subject line. The closing date is 27 November 2020.…

Dorothée buys all her seed from the Livingseeds online store. “They sell an amazing range of organically produced heirloom varieties, and their seeds are disease-free. Collecting them all is addictive. What’s more, Livingseeds’ staff members have great knowledge and they're truly helpful. livingseeds.co.za Other resources include: On Facebook, the group isexcellent most members are gardeners, naturally – and then I also find the group veryinsightfulandinteresting When it comes to books, byJaneGriffithsoffersbrilliant advice about companion planting, crop rotation and soil types. ( Platteland Thephotographsareespeciallyinspiring. I often watch YouTube videos by Geoff Lawton, an Australian permaculture guru, and Bill Mollison, the “father” of modern permaculture.…

What sets Mushroom Hunting in South Africa apart from other mushroom field guides? In this guide I focus on only a few select edible species. If you are a rookie mushroom forager, the number of species can be daunting. The books shows you which types are worth searching for. Which edible mushrooms can we look for in spring? In the winter rainfall regions, porcini mushrooms are prolific in spring and summer. The morel is a lesser known but very interesting spring mushroom that is worth seeking out. Where do you like to go foraging for mushrooms? I live in Cape Town and my favourite spots are oak and pine plantations, like in Newlands Forest. Tokai Forest and Jonkershoek used to be great places to look for mushrooms before they were…

Menu Creamy coconut Bircher muesli with blueberry compote Apple and rye brunch muffins Harissa lentil shakshuka with foaming sesame butter Labneh breakfast cheesecake Labneh Tahini and cranberry granola Farmhouse seed bread Healthy “Nutella” Rosemary and summer berry jam Creamy coconut Bircher muesli with blueberry compote Bircher muesli was made famous by Swiss physician Maximilian Bircher-Benner, who recommended it to his patients to support a speedy recovery. Its healthful reputation remains firmly intact. The original recipe has been adapted to include seasonal fruit, nuts, seeds and anything else wholesome that can be foraged from the pantry. If you love oats, this is just the ticket. Serves 4 Preparation time 10 minutes plus chilling overnight Cooking time 6–8 minutes plus cooling time YOU NEED FOR THE BIRCHER MUESLI • 120 g porridge…

Crochet bulb flowers Short R570, tall R590 and poppy R660 Projekt projektonline.co.za @petabeckerprojekt Salomonmen’s hiking shoes R2699 garden and dining table. K-Way Strata women’s hiking boots R1 399 Both pairs are lightweight and waterproof. Cape Union Mart capeunionmart.co.za Devil’s Peak Hero non-alcoholic craft beer Unflavoured R290 and Twist of Citrus R261 (for a six-pack) Takealot takealot.com Langbaken Karoo cheese is made by hand from raw millk. From left (in the background): Williston R225/kg, Karoo Swiss R247/kg, Karoo Ash R205/kg, Karoo Crumble R244/kg and Karoo Blue R253/kg Langbaken langbaken@williston.za.net 053 391 4161 or 082 550 4981 Ice Bomb sorbet ice lollies, made with real fruit, are available in lemon, strawberry, granadilla, mango and litchi (packet of 10) R200 Ice Bomb icebombs.co.za Growing Paper gift cards, made of recycled paper with embedded…

R295 000 This vacant 1 182 m2 property is in the centre of the planned business zone for Tesselaarsdal, next to J&S Store and the liquor store. It is zoned for agricultural use, but the municipality may give approval for use it as a business without rezoning. privateproperty.co.za R799 000 This rustic house on a 3 900 m2 plot has two bedrooms and two bathrooms, and affords lovely views of the mountains. There is a 70 m2 shed on the property with space for three vehicles and potential for conversion into a workshop. realnet.co.za R1 999 000 Just imagine: a three-bedroom, two-bathroom 100 m2 home with a 100 m2 covered stoep on a 2,7 ha property with a swimming pool and three braai areas! There is another 36 m2 building…

On her website Rise and Shine Works, Sarah-Jane describes herself as an architect and illustrator. “Drawing has always been a part of who I am, and I have a particular love of old buildings. That’s why I decided to study architecture. “But the course has a strong digital focus: you design most of your plans on a computer. When I started working, I spent many hours in front of a computer; eventually it felt as if I had almost forgotten how to draw!” In 2014, Sarah-Jane joined Malherbe Rust Architects in Paarl, where she was inspired by the way in which Johan Malherbe, one of the founding members, used drawing by hand to solve design problems and to illustrate ideas. “I started to use drawing to explain concepts to builders…

Mark explains that there is an abundance of archeological evidence pointing to the existence of man-made soils, called terra preta, or black earth, in the Amazon. “In some places it is metres thick and incredibly fertile. Pieces of pottery, bone and manure have been found in between, which proves it isn’t naturally like that. “For hundreds of thousands of years people were turning wood into charcoal and putting it into the ground. It is backed up by scientific research that says charcoal is good for growing plants, because you are creating a coral reef. It holds water, releases it slowly and makes a habitat for micro-organisms. “We have a fireplace in the house and when we used to burn wood, we had ash to clean up. Now we use a…

Walk in comfortable clothing that fits loosely and “breathes”. Shops such as Cape Union Mart, Outdoor Warehouse and Sportsmans Warehouse sell shirts and pants made of thin fabric that absorbs perspiration and promotes its quick evaporation. They are easy to wash and dry quickly – perfect for multi-day walking trails. Also think about choosing bright colours or items with reflective strips to make you visible on the road. The following will improve your walking experience: • Good walking shoes or boots. These should fit comfortably, offer enough support and preferably be shock absorbent. If you have cash to spare, choose waterproof shoes that are also breathable. • Good socks are essential. Your cotton socks are fine for a walk around the block, but the further you walk, the more you…

You won’t find them written down anywhere, but it’s worth knowing that platteland village rules and customs are no less binding than the edicts of governments and municipalities. Whereas city types can live in the same house for decades without exchanging a word with their neighbours, your assimilation into dorpie culture depends on your willingness to talk, adapt, respect and, above all, listen. Oh, and wave. If you are a mature adult, young people will call you Oom or Tannie. This is the way of the platteland; embrace it. If you feel that your job, social status or command of language somehow makes you superior, you are well advised to suppress that feeling. Also, don’t be a smartarse. “The worst thing you can do is to mock the locals, insult…

OUR EXPERTS Peta Hunter of Peta’s Place Equestrian Centre in Durbanville petasplace.co.za Peta’s Place Equestrian Centre peta@petasplace.co.za 082 581 2814 Theo Janssen (hoofcare practitioner) of Barefoot Trimmer in Centurion (and countrywide) Theo Janssen a Hoof Care Practitioner theodorejanssen@gmail.com 083 212 8993 BOOKS AND ARTICLES byPattiMandrellXulon Press, 2006) byKathyPikeClarity of Vision Writing & Design, 2009) byAdelevonRst McCormick and Marlena Deborah McCormick (HCI Books, 1997) byCarolynnMarshallCarolynn O Marshall, 2013) byLaineyCullen-McConkeySkyhorse, 2019) “Equine Assisted Therapy: A Unique and Effective Intervention” by Azmaira H Maker, posted on WEBSITES Equine Assisted Psychotherapy Institute of South Africa (EAPISA) Equine Connection Counseling…

The SA Plastics Pact saplasticspact.org.za info@saplasticspact.org.za South African Plastics Recycling Organisation (SAPRO) SAPRO represents the country’s plastics recyclers or reprocessors that procure sorted, baled end-of-life plastics and reprocess them into raw material that can be used to manufacture new plastic products. Click on “Consumers” at the top of the homepage and then on “Where to recycle” for a countrywide list of recyclers that are SAPRO members. plasticrecyclingsa.co.za lisa@plasticrecyclingsa.co.za (Lisa Parkes) My Waste Are you wondering how and where to get rid of everything from outdated audio equipment to used paint cans and old car batteries? My Waste is a wonderful database with a wealth of (countrywide) information that enables people to contribute actively to sustainability. mywaste.co WastePlan This private company provides on-site recycling and waste management services to health-care providers,…

Makes 5 ml concentrated oil Preparation time 15 minutes plus 1 day for soaking Cooking time Several hours YOU NEED • 50 g dried cannabis flowers• 2 cups (500 ml) food-grade ethanol(90% or higher alcohol by volume), available from ethanolsa.co.za EQUIPMENT • a sieve, a stick blender or scissors• a glass jar with a lid• cheesecloth or pantyhose• a jug and coffee filters• a glass bottle or jar (no lid required)• 2 pots, 1 large and 1 smaller• a rubber band• a fan• a syringe THIS IS HOW If you are using a sieve, rub the cannabis flowers through the sieve, leaving behind any stalks and sticks. Place the fine cannabis that passed through the sieve in a glass jar and add the alcohol. If you are using a stick…

“The deep roots never doubt spring will come.”— Marty Rubin I planted four lemon trees in our garden at home about 12 years ago. We have never sprayed the trees with any pesticides – we feed them twice a year with Epsom salts and apply compost around the trees once a year. One of the Eureka trees started bearing these deformed lemons with finger-like growths in April this year. One of the other lemons we cut open even had a smaller lemon inside it. Do you perhaps know what could be the cause? Ryno Palm, DE DOORNS Tim Grout of Citrus Research International replies: This deformity is caused by the citrus bud mite (Aceria sheldoni) and could result in all sorts of interesting fruit shapes. It occurs in most citrus-producing…

There are more than 1 700 botanic gardens around the world, but because of the Covid-19 pandemic most of them are currently closed to the public. Fortunately, it is possible to take a walk through several fine gardens free of charge (and without a mask). How? Virtually, of course. The website The Spaces has selected nine of the best virtual botanic garden tours, including the recently restored glass house at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in the UK. Admire the symmetry of Versailles, the most iconic French garden that took more than 40 years to complete. And allow yourself to be enchanted by all the hues of artist Claude Monet’s garden at Giverny – aand his home with its famous green front door. thespaces.com/take-a-virtual-tour-of-beautiful-botanical-gardens “I must have flowers, always, always.”—…

Our sincere thanks to Johan Smit from Subtropico International in Klapmuts for supplying the baby-marrow flowers. Flapjacks To make sure all my flapjacks were perfectly round and the same size, I used rings similar to the ones restaurants use to poach eggs. But this is entirely optional! Makes 10–12 flapjacks Preparation time 10 minutes plus 1 hour resting time (see tip) Cooking time 15 minutes YOU NEED • 1 medium or 2 small baby marrows (100 g), washed• 1 cup (250 ml) cake wheat flour• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) baking powder• 1 extra-large egg, beaten• ¼ cup (60 ml) melted butter• 150 ml warm milk• sunflower oil, for shallow-frying• crispy fried bacon, honey and cheese, to serve THIS IS HOW Top and tail the baby marrows, grate them coarsely, and…

Dogs as household pets were a strange concept in the Eastern Cape platteland where the late Afrikaans author Hennie Aucamp was raised in the ’30s and ’40s. Household dogs belonged in the city, and farm dogs were working dogs, he told me one day while we were chatting about cows and calves and dogs and cats. This was also the case at Gretna, our farm in the Settlers area of the Springbok Flats in Limpopo, where there was always a commotion of at least six working farmyard dogs. “Pack” doesn’t sound quite right when talking about tame dogs. Nor do some other descriptive English alternatives: kennel, cowardice, cry or litter. THE BRITISH are indeed crazy about their four-legged friends. Even in the countryside around the hills of Malvern in Worcestershire,…

“Depopulation of the platteland is a reality; people are suffering. Poor municipal management, a lack of employment opportunities and a crippling drought are all contributing to the rapid decline of numerous platteland towns. How can we reverse this trend? Why are some towns successful and others not? What does the platteland still have to offer?” These three questions, under the title “O, wye en droewe land” in the discourse series listed in the festival guide for this year’s Woordfees in early March, caught Platteland’s eye. These same questions are occasionally posed in letters we receive from readers who, for the first time in years, and prompted by nostalgia and fond memories, had visited the town in which they'd been raised… Dr Leslie van Rooi, Senior Director: Social Impact and Transformation…

Distance from the big city? Tesselaarsdal is 135 km from Cape Town and 48 km from Hermanus. The nearest towns are Caledon (23 km) and Stanford (38 km). Nearest hospitals Caledon Provincial Hospital. In Hermanus you will find the Hermanus Mediclinic, Hermanus Day Hospital and Hermanus Provincial Hospital. Nearest Woolies Hermanus Municipality Theewaterskloof Municipality in Caledon Big events The annual Tess Fess is a true community festival where friends and family are invited to enjoy the fruit of the residents’ labours. It is scheduled to be held from 4 to 6 December this year. Activities at last year’s festival included a fashion show, dance, tractor tours, a tug-of-war contest, a potjiekos competition and Boeresport. Stalls will offer food, drink and crafts. Annual Tesselaarsdal Festival…

Blue Willow plates don’t need much introduction. They were created in 1779 in England by Thomas Turner and soon made their way to other parts of the world, appearing on tables across Europe, the Americas and, yes, South Africa. They took pride of place on the tables of ordinary people and were highly fashionable in eateries in the US between the 1920s and 1950s – hence the American phrase “Blue Plate Special”. The blue doves were even presented with pride in British palaces. They remain sought-after items today. Collectors pay handsomely for the pieces, which have been manufactured throughout the years at 500 factories around the world. Indeed, it was a set of Blue Willow dinnerware belonging to Sarah-Jane Jordaan’s mother that inspired her to send the willow tree off…

Most experts recommend starting realistically and walking for 30 minutes five days a week. In this time frame you should complete 2,5 km – 3,3 km, or 3 000 – 4 500 steps, and burn 100 kcal – 300 kcal (420 kJ – 1 260 kJ). The further you walk, the more you will benefit, because in the first half-hour of exercise your body burns sugars that are stored as fuel. After this, your body starts to make fat cells available for this purpose. And no, you don’t have to take bigger steps in order to exercise better. Rather follow a road that has some inclines. Interestingly enough, the perception that running is better than walking is not true. (Just Google “Walking is” and view the list of options that…

Makes 200 ml Preparation time 5 minutes Infusing time 6–8 hours YOU NEED • 10 g dried cannabis flowers• 200 ml locally sourced raw honey EQUIPMENT • cheesecloth or pantyhose• kitchen twine• a glass jar with a lid• a large pot or slow cooker THIS IS HOW Arrange the cannabis flowers in the centre of a square of cheesecloth, then gather it up at the corners to make a small bag. Tie it securely with kitchen twine. Place the cannabis bag in the jar and pour the honey over it. Seal the jar tightly with the lid. Place the jar in water using the bain-marie method: fill a large pot two-thirds of the way with water and place the honey-and-cannabis jar in the water. If you are using a slow…

Do not till the soil Garden soil is an ecosystem on its own. If you work the soil over, you disturb the balance and kill many of the invisible helpers. Even when you feed your beds with compost, do not work it in; let the worms do it for you. They also raise the nutrients that are deep underground to the surface – and all the tunnels they burrow are excellent for drainage. Spread out a blanket A proper layer of mulch saves water, prevents erosion, feeds the soil and keeps weeds from germinating. It keeps soil cool in summer and provides protection to some extent from the winter cold. Think of a forest floor that always has a layer of fallen leaves and other organic material. Variety is important…

Your group has nearly 9 000 members. Why do people find mushrooms so interesting? “Mushrooms are unbelievable!” Megan says. “They are so diverse and we know so little about them, yet they are everywhere. Mushrooms are one of the most important components of a healthy, functional ecosystem.” According to Andrew, the majority of questions posted on the group concerns whether or not the mushrooms people find are edible. “They get really excited about searching for something mysterious in nature that turns out to be edible. But many people are worried that they could be toxic. Others are simply fascinated by these somewhat obscure little organisms.” Megan founded the group six years ago. What was the inspiration behind it? The group was originally started as the Facebook platform for MushroomMAP, Andrew…