Innholdsfortegnelse for Spring 2021 i go! Platteland

Relax, it’s Garden Day! Sunday, 17 October, is Garden Day, and if the past 18 months have taught us anything it’s that we need open green spaces. It should come as no surprise, then, that gardening became one of the most popular hobbies during lockdown: Many people got their hands dirty for the first time, online shopping for plants skyrocketed, and the notion of the “urban jungle” started gaining traction. Celebrate this day with the rest of the world by wearing a crown of flowers, and admiring the green oasis that your hard work has produced – whether it’s a big garden, a vegetable patch or a collection of pot plants. Visit the Garden Day website for tips, recipe ideas and plant inspiration to make the most of the day.…

If you love the unusual citrus fragrance and flavour of Earl Grey tea, you probably won’t be able to resist Platteland’s new favourite gin: Bergamot Gin is infused with Italian bergamot oranges (Citrus bergamia), grown on the farm Bergsoom in the Citrusdal district. Francois Joubert of Incendo makes the gin for the Giardini family. We wrote about him in our Winter2020 issue, and lamented the fact that the gin wasn’t yet commercially available. But thankfully it now is – and we’ve made up for lost time by having four bottles all to ourselves… albeit only 500ml bottles. The story behind it is as lovely as the gin itself. For the young Alex Giardini, this unique products represents a connection with his Italian father, Giancarlo, who passed away eight years ago.…

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Distance from the big city? Trompsburg lies between Bloemfontein and Colesberg – exactly 120km away from either one via the N1. Facilities There is a U-Save, a Foodzone, a Pep and Dries Lategan’s hardware store. And you’ll be amazed at what you can find at the OVK cooperative. The town also has two banks. Nearest hospitals The new Albert Nzula District Hospital was in the news for having stood unused for five years after the building had been completed. It is now functioning and residents have varying views on the service and care it offers, but emergency services, occupational therapists and even psychologists are available. The town also has a GP and a physiotherapist. The nearest private hospitals are in Bloemfontein. Retirement facilities There is a good care centre for the…

If Simply Bee were a hive, Helena van der Westhuizen would surely be the queen – but not of the insect variety that spends its day feeding on royal jelly and laying eggs. No, this matriarch is more like a worker bee who doesn’t mind getting her hands dirty. Even though the Simply Bee shop, Bee Observation Centre, coffee shop, decor shop and spa – all next door to each other in Church Street – had significantly fewer visitors than usual last year, their online sales increased by a whopping 600%. And the business had its best year to date. Still, Helena says modestly, it’s probably because more people turned to online shopping. “And obviously it helps if you make products that get used up and have to be replenished.”…

Arriving at their farm outside Henley on Klip just before 07:00 might feel early, but the Freeman family – Sean, Nicola and their five children – rises as the cocks crow each morning. Sean walks past the vegetable show garden, making his way towards New Yolk City. The wintery sun illuminates the newly erected sign on the exterior of the 32 chicken runs. The letter “o”, frames a yellow egg yolk – and above it is an illustration of a city skyline with a chicken emulating the Statue of Liberty. “The kids refer to this as a typical dad joke,” Sean says. Courtney (23), Robyn (22), Daniel (20), and the twins, Leah and Jenna (18), are all involved in the business. “Courtney is in charge of design and social media…

When it comes to meat birds, Sean prefers a Light Sussex or a Potchefstroom Koekoek. Livingseeds’variety of Koekoeks are slightly larger than the standard breed available in South Africa. The Koekoek was developed by cross-breeding three breeds in Potchefstroom in the 1960s: Black Australorp, an exceptionally good layer and great meat bird; White Leghorn, another superb layer; and Barred Plymouth Rock because it’s easy to determine the sex of the chicks. “Look at the head of a chick: if it has a big white spot it’s a female, and if it has a small white spot, or none at all, it’s a male. You can determine the gender on Day 1. “About 17 years ago we bought local Koekoeks and re-bred them with Black Australorps, White Leghorns and Barred Plymouth…

Gaye’s annual Moonbloom calendar is based on the moon phases and South Africa’s climate zones (Western Cape; Eastern Cape and Klein Karoo; Western Free State; Northern Cape and North West; Gauteng; Free State Highveld and Limpopo; Mpumalanga; KwaZulu-Natal Midlands; and KwaZulu Natal Lowveld and coast). The calendar helps you determine which days are best to sow certain seeds, plant or replant, or complete certain tasks in the garden – so that in time you can establish a simple, healthy plant cycle. It uses symbols to indicate when is the best time to plant leaf vegetables or herbs, flower vegetables, stem vegetables, fruit vegetables, seed vegetables or root vegetables. The other categories are one-year-old flowering plants; flower bulbs and two plus year-old flowering plants; and trees. Gardening tasks include the best…

CALITZDORP Succulent Festival 18 & 19 September 2021 Calitzdorp celebrates the beauty of the Little Karoo’s succulents with a massive sale of rare species from the country’s best succulent suppliers – you won’t find these plants at your average nursery. The programme also includes a guided hour-and-ahalf tour, during which you will get to see the rare indigenous succulents of Jakkalskop blooming in their natural habitat. Experts will demonstrate how to propagate and care for succulents. And don’t forget to book your seats for the popular three-course dinner (R300 per person), where you will rub shoulders with succulent experts and enjoy a talk by Adam Harrower, succulent curator at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden. Contact vetplant.co.za CAPE TOWN Learn to draw fynbos – with freedom! 23 October 2021 Cape illustrator Karen…

“To survive as a project we have to diversify. To a large extent that prompted the idea of the allotments, which started in April 2019,” Jo says. “We now have 37 households on our 34 allotments, with some people doubling or tripling up and sharing costs.” What are the plot sizes and costs at the OZCF? They vary between 5m2 and 8 m2. For a 6 m2 allotment, first-timers pay R4 500 for six months, or R5 400 to have the farm do all the watering (basic watering via the irrigation system is included in the lower fee). Renewing allotment holders pay R3 900 for six months, or R4 800 with full watering. What’s included? Bed preparation for planting, seeds and seedlings for each season, trellises and stakes, hoop irons…

Peas (Pisum sativum) are among the oldest cultivated vegetables, having – since earliest times – been dried, soaked and used as a basic source of nourishment. They have only been enjoyed fresh since the 13th century, after achieving fashion status among Italian gourmets – who, by the way, prefer to poach them in stock. Bursting a pod of homegrown peas and savouring them like vegetable Smarties is a joy that’s guaranteed to secure their spot every year in your winter and spring veggie garden. Their delicious, sweet flavour makes their short season in spring well worth waiting for. Yet peas are also a “feeder crop” that provides soil with a much-needed supply of nitrogen. Once harvesting is done, dig the vines and roots back into the soil, where they will…

We’ve been very busy in cyberspace these past few months: our website is live, and we’re using social media to connect with you, our reader. Take a look at platteland.net. You’ll be able to: SUBSCRIBE to the print and digital magazine WIN Enter competitions in the magazine WRITE Tell us how much you enjoy the magazine, or complain about any subscription or delivery issues CHAT WITH US Go straight to our Facebook or Instagram pages Hellothere, Vilien! Our nearly 10 000 Facebook followers have surely noticed that there’s been a lot more activity lately – we have a wider variety of photos, videos and news, and reader posts and comments have increased. The person behind all of this is Vilien Coetzee. We asked her about her new role as Platteland’s social…

Spring is a time of delightful aromas in the garden, so why not in the kitchen too? Usher in spring flavours with the Funky Ouma range of salts and spices: Try the African Rub (R50), a versatile flavourant packed with herbs and not too much salt; and the Seafood Spice (R89), which also does wonders with grilled veg, white meats and savoury muffins. And for Braai Day? You’ll need the Braai and Cooking Salt (R28). Now that tastes like spring. As a big “thank you” to everyone who has supported the brand and other small businesses throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, Funky Ouma has put together a Thank You Box with Chilli Salt (280 g), an African Rub Travel Tin, 500 ml olive oil, and 250 g ground filter coffee. It…

Flower-picking FROM 1 SEPTEMBER Springtime is flower time. On Jamestown Flower Farm, you can pick your own flowers on a Saturday and Sunday. There are zinnias, snapdragons, delphiniums, poppies and many more blooms. Expect to pay R4 per stem. Where? Jamestown Flower Farm, Stellenbosch Entrance fee R30 online and R50 at the gate. Contact jamestownflowerfarm.co.za flowers@jamestownflower.co.za 082 894 6405 Counting sheep 2–3 OCTOBER Animal lovers, take thyselves to the Overberg, where the SA National Sheepdog Championship will showcase 30 of the smartest K9 breed doing what they do best: taking orders and herding sheep. Who will be the top dog? Where? Grootvlei farm, Caledon Contact sasda.za.net ajfp@isales.co.za or sasda@jenny.co.za The cherry on top! 29 NOVEMBER – 31 DECEMBER Take the whole family cherry-picking on Klondyke Cherry Farm, 30 km from…

Karoo at the Beach Box with handwoven cotton retro beach backrest and beach towel, leather beach bag with sweet thorn motif, the book Karoo Roads, cotton scrunchie, SPF50 sunblock and Ouma Cream for after-sun treatment – everything made by entrepreneurs from the Karoo R2 999 KarooFarmBox karoofarmbox.co.za Drie Poot foldable tripod chair with full-grain leather seat and meranti wood base R920 Faber fabercollective.com Cotton cool bag for two six-packs R380 The Beach Bums thebeachbumscpt.com Southfields Hard Seltzer in Mixed Berry and Lemon Zest, containing carbonated water, vodka (4,5% alcohol), cane sugar and natural flavours (12-pack) R199 Southfields drinksouthfields.com Fury Piri-Piri Chilli Sauces in Bird’s Eye Chilli and Prego Chilli, made with 100% organic ingredients (250ml) R120 for both Firefly Biofuel fireflybiofuel.com Gardening trowels R99 each MBV Emporium merakibyv.co.za Rhino Beetle Gin, which comes in…

Browse and shop Die Rooistoep and Roux Oregon Die Rooistoep and Roux Oregon are next door each other on the main street – you can buy gifts, clothes, art and wooden furniture here. Ewald Roux makes furniture from Oregon pine and restores furniture. Rooistoep 076 132 7954 (Rooistoep), 082 829 6503 (Roux Oregon) Eat out Snobs Coffee Roastery You may have come across the Snobs Coffee brand elsewhere, but the coffee shop in Trompsburg is the only one in the Free State. Snobs uses infra-red heat to roast its beans to ensure a thoroughly roasted bean with a bittersour flavour. A fire on winter days makes it a great spot for light lunches and, yes, the coffee is excellent. Snobs Coffee Roastery Free State 072 110 7291 Affi Plaas Coffee…

Willem Pretorius, one of our country’s finest artists, depicts the South African platteland with the same pathos as the late Walter Meyer, to whom local artists who specialise in hyperrealism pay tribute. His painting are photorealistic, but still leave the viewer feeling nostalgia for a lost innocence, for the so-called good days that were not good for everyone. There is also a detachment, a lack of comment – the landscape speaks for itself. Iewers, Êrens features colour prints – professionally photographed – of his 50 latest paintings. It is a good cross-section of his usual subjects: houses, trains, abandoned swimming pools, landscapes, old cars and ramshackle bakkies, and platteland dorp scenes. Every painting is accompanied by a piece of writing by a well-known author, poet or painter. It’s not a…

Egg A mere 48 hours after mating, a queen bee starts her lifelong task of laying 1500 to 2 000 eggs per day. She has to do nothing else – the worker bees care for her and feed her. The majority of eggs are fertilised and become worker bees; the unfertilised ones develop into male bumblebees. Larva The larvae, which hatch 3–4 days after an egg has been laid, have no legs, eyes, antennas or wings, and look like grains of rice with small mouths. The worker bees feed the larvae with royal jelly for the first few days, and then with honey and pollen. Only the larva of the future queen continues being fed with royal jelly. Within 5–6 days, the larvae grow 1 500 times their original size.…

Sean and Nicola say they have certain breeds that are as tough as nails. “We’ve never had issues with Koekoeks. It is a good-looking bird and a great egg layer with good meat,” Sean says. They have noticed that chickens in certain colours of the Easter Eggers are more delicate. “The grey ones don’t seem to thrive. They are prone to a genetic defect called scissor beak – their beaks cross, rendering the birds unable to eat.” Courtney wants to collect Sebright Bantams, which come from Britain and have a striking appearance. The edges of their white or tan feathers are as if outlined with a black marker – they belong in an oil painting. “But they are highly susceptible to Marek’s disease – a viral infection which can cause…

Some people may call her moonstruck, but that doesn’t bother Gaye Boshoff at all. “Maybe it’s my inner hippie, but I quite fancy being a bit of a witch – in the garden and in the kitchen,” she says, shaking with laughter. She has, after all, been preoccupied with the lunar cycle for years, planting crops in alignment with the phases of the moon. And, she says, it has not only produced many an impressive harvest, but also the birth of her Moonbloom vegetable and herb planting calendar, which she’s compiled, designed and published since 2016. (Read more about the calendar on page 96.) “One of my great pleasures in life is to grow healthy, organic food for my family. I believe that the lunar calendar – which I originally…

1 Take a succulent home On 2 October there will be a market day and plant fair where visitors can buy waterwise and indigenous plants such as aloes, pelargoniums, vygies, shrubs and trees. The nursery is open all year round too. 2 Watch a movie On 25 November, Galileo will screen a nature film in the garden. 3 Take a free tour Free garden tours are offered from September to December. 4 Enjoy the walking trails The Desert Birdwatching Trail, which is only 900 m long, takes you through various habitats that are home to a variety of birds – more than 90 species have been recorded in the garden. The Shale Trail is a short but steep 1 km route. The Grysbokkie Trail is an easy 3,4 km route…

1 A GOOD SCRUB AND PAINT The wall had been badly neglected and stained by iron-rich borehole water. Tobie raised the wall for more privacy and replaced broken panels. He then scrubbed it with a steel brush and gave it an undercoat, followed by two coats of deep-grey paint. 2 DOUBLE-PURPOSE RAISED BEDS Tobie has two large mountain tortoises that tend to cause damage to the garden. “What they don’t eat, they flatten as they move,” he says. He therefore built high plant beds that they can’t reach. The beds add extra dimension to the garden, and make for a pleasant area where Tobie can relax in the late afternoons and contemplate the day’s events. 3 A SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR CLIMBERS Although the wall has now been painted, Tobie eventually…

‘Allotment’is a British term for a small plot, formed by subdividing a large piece of land, that is rented and tended by an individual or family with the purpose of growing food and flowers non-commercially. The concept is different to that of community gardens, which are larger pieces of land cared for by a group of people. (In North America, however, the term “community gardening” refers to both individually and communally tended plots of land.) In the UK, the term “victory garden” is sometimes used, particularly when a community garden was established during World War I or II.…

Peasoupwithsmoked pork shank Pea soup takes me back to my primary-school days and the school hostel. I’m still dubious about soups because of what we were served back then – but trying this tasty recipe during lockdown has made me change my tune! Serves 4–6 Preparation time 30 minutes plus 1 hour standing time Cooking time ± 3 hours YOU NEED • 200 g split peas• 2 onions, chopped coarsely• 2 carrots, chopped coarsely• 2 celery stems, chopped coarsely• 1 large smoked pork shank of about 1 kg, washed in fresh water and patted dry with paper towel• 300 g frozen peas• juice and zest of 1 large lemon• croutons, to serve• sugar snap peas or rocket, to garnish THIS IS HOW Rinse the split peas under running cold water…

Skilpad Flower Camp, Namakwakand From Kleinzee, we drove to Hondeklipbaai and took the turn-off to Soebatsfontein. The winding ribbon of road tracked through a profusion of flowers, their faces turned to the bright midday sun. Just beyond a little hill we came upon a spectacle that took our breath away: the veld was ablaze! As far as the eye could see, the usually arid Namaqualand landscape had been transformed into a sea of orange daisies. We found a spot for overnighting at Skilpad Flower Camp and decided to stay for two nights, since the beauty that surrounded us was more than our eyes could absorb in one day. We settled in among the flowers and went to sleep with the joyous knowledge that we had an extra day to surrender…

NORTHERN CAPE Richmond Bookbedonnerd RICHMOND 28–31 OCTOBER Bibliophiles have a lot to look forward to at this year’s Bookbedonnerd book festival in Richmond. Local and international authors are will be attending, and the Modern Art Projects South Africa (MAPSA) Gallery will be exhibiting the works of top artists. The festival will conclude with “Agterpaaie”, where writers and visitors can explore the back roads of the Karoo. Contact richmondnc.co.za pcbaker@pcbaker.co.za or ddavid@uwc.ac.za Modern Art Projects South Africa NORTH WEST Sanctuary Book Festival KLERKSDORP 4–7 NOVEMBER The aim behind this book festival is to nurture a love of reading and writing. This year, 30 writers are involved, and guests will have the opportunity to meet the faces behind the pages. Where? Shack to Sanctuary, Klerksdorp Entrance fee R20 Contact shack2sanctuary.co.za 063 133…

Jane’s Delicious Superfoods for Super Health by Jane Griffiths Even though we have every one of Jane Griffiths’ books on the Platteland bookshelf, we’re delighted to make space for her latest creation: a comprehensive guide to more than 150 superfoods – foods rich in nutrients that can help improve our health and immunity, and reduce our risk of disease. Learn why superfoods are good for you, how to best reap their benefits and how to incorporate them into your meals. The book also contains interesting information about the history and origins of the food we consume; sensitivities to foods; and practical tips for making smoothies, fresh juices and sprouts, and for fermenting or drying ingredients. And, as we would expect from Jane, she’s included a generous measure of advice about…

Like a nymph, Carina Stander appears from among the trees in the Tsitsikamma, where she and her family live. Barefoot, wearing a plain white dress… her hair long and dark brown with splashes of colour. She glides down the garden path, which she, her husband and two sons laid themselves, to the gate in the white picket fence. Smiling broadly, she throws her arms wide open, tilts her head and warmly exclaims: “Welcome to our world!” It’s a land of magic, of fables and fantasy, that she’s created with her husband, Gerrit van Niekerk, and their two sons, 14-year-old Aden and 10-year-old Ilan. In the garden, monkeys cavort and turacos call to each other in the trees, and every now and then one of their two cats, Mooiloop and Avontier…

• Face mask Mix 2 tablespoons (30ml) honey with 3–4 tablespoons (45–60ml) double-thick plain yoghurt, apply evenly on your face and neck, and leave for about 25 minutes. The honey is antimicrobial and contains loads of antioxidants, and the lactic acid in yoghurt contains an alpha-hydroxy acid that removes dead skin cells and helps to reduce pimples and fine lines. • Sunburn and superficial burns Apply pure honey on the affected area and leave it for at least half an hour before washing it off. If you’ve burnt your tongue, simply place a spoonful in your mouth and keep it there for as long as possible.…

Do you desperately want to start a veggie garden but you actually don’t know where to start? The Livingseeds Spring Summer Vegetable Starter Kit includes everything you need to plant potatoes and six other kinds of easy-growing vegetable seed such as bush bean, tomato, cucumber, Swiss chard, marrow and lettuce. Most importantly, it also includes a copy of the Growing Manual by Nicola Freeman, which is mailed to you in PDF format. This 48-page full-colour instruction booklet takes you through every step of the process, including preparing your soil, seed planting information, seedling treatment, transplanting and caring for your plants. PLEASE NOTE The contents of the kit cannot be exchanged and are subject to change on a seasonal basis. Printed copies of the Growing Manual are not currently made available, so…

Planting by the phases of the moon is based on the centuries-old theory that lunar cycles influence plant growth. Just as the moon’s gravitational pull causes tides to rise and fall, it also affects moisture in the soil and in plants – which are 97% water. It is said that seeds will absorb more water during the full moon and the new moon, when increased moisture is drawn to the soil surface. This causes seeds to swell, resulting in greater germination and better-established plants. Moon-phase gardening takes into account two periods of the lunar cycle: the time between the new moon and the full moon (waxing), and the time between the full moon and the new moon (waning). It is considered best to plant certain plant varieties during the waning…

The hop plant (Humulus lupulus) is a perennial twining vine that belongs to the hemp family, so it’s a cousin of cannabis and stinging nettle. The plant produces new shoots in spring, which climb up 5m-high trellises through summer. When the cone-shaped flowers are mature, the vines are cut down and the flowers are picked, dried and processed into pellets. The pellets are used in beer production to develop its distinctive flavour. The active ingredients responsible for the bitterness, the so-called alpha acids, are a chemical compound found in the resin glands of the flowers. The quantity of alpha acids in the flowers is measured as a percentage of the weight of the total hop harvest, and fluctuates between varieties. The higher the percentage, the more bitter the beer. Just…

Fifteen years ago, Maria van der Westhuizen began working at the Karoo Desert National Botanical Garden as a cleaner. Today, she is head horticulturist at this garden’s nursery. “I had no interest in plants when I started working here,” Maria says. “To tell you the truth, I thought the drab succulents were actually quite boring.” But people who came to buy plants would occasionally ask Maria questions and she grew tired of not having the answers. “I eventually started hiding away when I noticed people who might want to ask something about the plants. Until, one day, I decided to find the answers in library books.” Maria asked the curator at the time – Werner Voigt, currently the curator at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden – whether she could spend time…

“My friends often phone me for advice on which plants to buy for their homes, where they will find them and how to keep them alive,” Tobie says. “During the first lockdown in 2020, a friend and I decided to start an online houseplant shop. We have tried to create a facility where people can buy affordable houseplants, and ask for advice on how to care for them.” Plants by Tobie has pick-up points in Blouberg, Sunningdale and Melkbosstrand; they deliver to Cape Town and courier plants throughout South Africa. Contact Plants by Tobie @plantsbytoby…

This voluntary nonprofit organisation is an organic urban farm adjacent to Homestead Park in the Cape Town City Bowl. It was founded in 2012 on the site of a disused bowling green. The popular farmers’ market, Oranjezicht City Farm and Market Day, which used to be located at Homestead Park, is now held at the V&A Waterfront every Saturday and Sunday. On Friday mornings at the farm Josephine Fitzmaurice and a team of volunteers can be found harvesting vegetables for the market, where a number of other small farms and artisanal food stalls also offer their produce and fare. The farm plans to resume its popular weekend workshops once lockdown regulations have been relaxed. Contact ozcf.co.za Oranjezicht City Farm and Market Day @ozcfarm…

The OZCF bokashi programme diverts about 200 tonnes of household food waste annually from the city’s landfill sites. “We’ve had a massive uptake over the past few months,” Ian says. “One lady loves cycling, so she uses her bicycle with a trailer to collect full buckets from her neighbourhood and haul them up to the farm.” Why bokashi? Unlike with compost heaps and worm farms, it isn’t necessary to sort kitchen scraps – dairy, meat, citrus and onions can be added to a 20-litre bokashi bin. Each layer of waste, about 3–4 cm deep, is covered with a thin layer of bokashi bran until the bin, which is sealed with a lid, is full. It’s an odourless fermentation process that can easily be managed indoors. What does the farm do…