Indholdsfortegnelse for Summer 2021/2022 i go! Platteland

It’s not only we humans who enjoy a swim in hot weather; most dogs love to jump in the water too. If transporting a wet dog in the car is a problem, get a Dry Pooch towel for every one of your tail-waggers. These fitted cotton towels are super absorbent and dry quickly. Olivia Prinsloo, a veterinary physiotherapist who offers hydrotherapy, designed the towels when she noticed that her patients’ coats take a long time to dry after treatments. The towels come in different sizes and a range of colours. GET IN TOUCH drypooch.com drypooch@gmail.com 082 887 6948…

Few things announce the summer as clearly as those condensation droplets that form on a bottle of rosé – the quintessential summer wine. Babylonstoren’s Mourvèdre Rosé, which was named the official rosé at the Royal Horticultural Society’s Chelsea Flower Show in the UK, is a distinguished addition to any wine lover’s cellar. This elegant dry wine, with its lovely salmon colour and notes of raspberry, is a treat for the senses. Every mouthful delivers a wonderful experience of crushed pomegranate, the sweet freshness of watermelon, and subtle acidity… It simply smacks of summer! Babylonstoren Mourvèdre Rosé is available for sale online from Babylonstoren’s website, shop.babylonstoren.com. Giveaway We are giving away three bottles of Babylonstoren Mourvèdre Rosé, worth R400, to one lucky reader. Visit platteland.net, click on “Win” and fill in…

Home Cooking by Herman Lensing Herman Lensing is one of very few food writers worldwide, if not the only one, who can pride himself on having his sixth cookbook published at the age of 34. The title and the subtitle – “Food that connects with your soul” – make it clear there is zero pretence in the more than 80 recipes he shares here. Meat dishes, cakes, breakfast, sides, biscuits, rusks and desserts like trifle and “bazaar pudding” feature on the menu, among others – all featuring ingredients that are readily available “from Pofadder to Pretoria”, according to the publisher. Interspersed are delightful personal anecdotes about himself and the friends and people he’s got to know on his travels across South Africa. R390 Struik Lifestyle 011 327 3550 penguinrandomhouse.co.za WIN…

A River Runs Through It. It’s as though the themes of the classic movie about fly-fishing, rivers, religion and sibling relationships are reflected in the lives of an Eastern Cape family when you listen to Alan Hobson recounting tales of growing up as one of four brothers on a farm near Pearston. Alan’s story begins in 1820, with two Hobson brothers who landed at Algoa Bay as part of a group of British settlers. “Since childhood, we’ve been hearing that when the two brothers came ashore, one had a Bible under his arm and the other a bottle of whisky. The one carrying the whisky was an entrepreneur who hired spans of oxen to transport necessities to farms in the area. Soon, he could buy his own oxen, and eventually…

Tiny homes are not for everyone, no matter how compelling your desire to downscale and embrace a simpler, more affordable lifestyle. For starters, switching to a severely confined space in the company of one or more people, no matter how easy-going, requires a very different mindset. Here are a few things you need to know: • Try before you buy. Before selling your house in the suburbs, dumping most of your accumulated possessions and moving to a cabin in the woods, spend at least a week in a tiny house with your proposed housemate or partner (and children, if any). This will almost certainly expose potential issues. For instance, personal habits that were irrelevant or even endearing in a larger space could trigger homicidal urges in a tiny house after…

AUGRABIES Oupa’s legacy lives on at Jaap se Tuin The late Jaap Oosthuizen of the well known Brabeesmond Nursery near Augrabies, Northern Cape, would smile today if he could see how his grandchildren are honouring his memory in a place where the succulents continue to flourish. On a hot Saturday morning, after a 5km walk through pecan orchards, alongside an irrigation canal and around vineyard blocks, much laughter and conversation can be heard in the sultry shade of a massive old Natal fig. Jaap planted the Ficus natalensis here at the nursery about 50 years ago. Eight years after he’d sold the nursery, his grandchildren Jaco Esterhuysen and Sonette Oosthuizen bought it from the new owner and renamed it Jaap se Tuin (Jaap’s Garden). The cousins focus on succulents from…

How has your market changed over the past 10 years? People didn’t really cook with exotic mushrooms before, but thanks to cooking shows on TV, home cooks are now a lot more informed and adventurous. At the same time we’ve seen a revolution in how people think about food. They want to know its origins and preferably grow it themselves. Why do you only supply oyster mushrooms? We began with white oyster mushrooms because they are the easiest to grow. We then tried portobello, shiitake and button mushrooms but these are a lot more difficult because they have specific temperature and humidity requirements. Why are the pink and blue oyster mushrooms only available to buy in winter? Like regular flowers, different oyster mushrooms need different temperatures in order to “bloom”. Pink…

My journey towards healthier eating began more than 25 years ago, when I started growing my own herbs, vegetables and fruit using natural and sustainable methods. The lessons I’ve learnt while growing organic food apply to my health and wellbeing too. As I became more aware of the importance of beneficial microorganisms and how destructive pesticides and chemicals are in the garden, I became more conscious of food additives and preservatives, and what I was putting into my body. I started questioning where food came from and how it was made. I began understanding how health is inextricably linked to what we eat. In much the same way that healthy, fertile soil produces strong and nutritious plants, so eating a balanced and nourishing diet is the foundation for a healthy…

Seasonal ingredients are given star status in Ilse van der Merwe’s new cookbook, Simply Seasonal, which features more than 80 recipes ranging from starters to side dishes and from main courses to desserts. Each recipe is accompanied by a glorious full-colour photograph. Seasonal cooking has been a buzz phrase in the modern food industry for more than a decade, giving centre stage to ingredients that are naturally in season where you live. Yet it’s an ancient cycle of living off the earth, eating as fresh as possible, maximising your nutrient intake, supporting local producers and even saving money. Choosing to cook and eat seasonally places a fresh spotlight on what’s being produced in our immediate surroundings. It encourages us to buy local and makes us aware of what smaller producers…

Winning letter 78 and gardening up a storm! Both my wife and I are 78 years old. Two years ago we moved from Pretoria to Cape Town and took occupation of a newly built home on a “raw” erf. The photos show what it looks like now. We did all of the work ourselves, without any hired help. We are already harvesting guavas, grapes, granadillas, strawberries, onions, carrots, beetroot, lettuce, spinach, peas, beans, tomatoes and lemons. The papayas and blackberries are on their way. The home came with a grey-water system – I laid pipes to the trees and shrubs. Recently I also installed two 1 000 ℓ water tanks, which contain 1 100 ℓ of rainwater by now. We are writing to you to prove that anybody can garden…

WESTERN CAPE Gansbaai Christmas Market 6–22 DECEMBER No fewer than 140 stalls mean you can be assured you’ll be able to find something special for each person on your list this Christmas. Where? Pretorius Hall, Main Road, Gansbaai CONTACT gansbaai.kersmark@telkomsa.net 083 793 0972 Stellenbosch Street Soirees 2021 8 DECEMBER Raise a glass with the residents of the town as this ever popular event returns. Enjoy live entertainment, wine tastings and sumptuous food. Tickets R150 per person from plankton.mobi Where? Drostdy Street, Stellenbosch Contact visitstellenbosch.org Herbal Healing & Medicine Making Masterclass GREYTON 18 DECEMBER Join an educational hike with Trish Taylor, a registered herbalist. You’ll also get to enjoy a tasty picnic lunch, including a glass of wine, in the nature reserve. Tickets R350 per person from quicket.co.za Where? Greyton Nature…

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Audrey Jantjies Writer and project manager Audrey has lived in Railton for many years. Her job as a project manager for the engineering company Delta means she’s often on the road, but writing will always be her first love. She was born in a “poorest-of-the-poor two-room cottage” in the neighbouring town of Suurbraak, and her complicated upbringing, as well as her current life, are a constant source of inspiration for her work and her blog, !Xairu Queen, which she initially wrote in English only. But then Audrey discovered the potential of her mother tongue, Afrikaans, during a writing course that the award-winning novelist Ingrid Winterbach presented at the Swellendam Winter School in 2019. Last year, she was selected for the Jakes Gerwel Foundation mentorship programme, and one of her stories…

Nothing can ever prepare you for it: waking up in the pitch-dark night with the realisation that there are people in your house. Strangers. In that moment, even through the fog of a deep sleep, you know the whispers and the swinging beam of a torch in the next room don’t signal anything good. You jump out of bed – relieved that you had the foresight to put on pyjamas – assess the situation double-quick, and make half a dozen decisions in a split second: Is this a dream? What can I use as a weapon to defend myself? Your eyes scan through the dark. Not the hand-carved knobkierie a friend gave you as a present. Not the leaden statue of the Virgin Mary that you bought in Croatia. You…

1 LIGHT It is not necessary to grow mushrooms in a dark place. Choose a place that receives enough light, but no direct sunlight. 2 AIR Good circulation is important for growing healthy mushrooms. Use a paper plate to circulate the air in the humidity tent every time you water the mushrooms. If they develop long, thin stems, they’re not getting enough air. 3 WATER Use the supplied spray bottle to spray the inside of the humidity tent 2–3 times a day; in hot weather, do this more frequently. It’s difficult to overwater mushrooms, but make sure the box doesn’t become soggy. 4 TEMPERATURE The optimal temperature is 18–24°C, but a degree or two below or above is also fine. Count the days It takes 1–4 weeks before your first…

As we mentioned in the Spring 2021 issue of Platteland, we have every one of Jane Griffiths’books on our bookshelf, but we love her new comprehensive guide to more than 150 superfoods. Learn why superfoods are good for you, how best to reap their benefits, and how to incorporate them into your meals. The book also contains interesting information about the history and origins of the foods 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 has included a generous measure of advice about cultivation. Jane’s Delicious Superfoods for Super Health is published by Jonathan Ball and costs R350 at bookshops countrywide. Giveaway We are giving away two copies of…

Show-stopping peonies from the Karoo Peonies are regarded as the star of any garden: they’re simply breathtaking. But this graceful lady happens to be fussy and knows exactly what she wants: sufficient sun, with a dash of shade – not too much – and not planted too deeply either. Peonies have caused many a seasoned gardener to doubt their own green thumb. For two Eastern Cape businesswomen this was a challenge they tackled with determination, patience and perseverance – and they celebrated their first flowering season this year! Ansuné Asher and René Harris set out on their floral adventure in 2018 on the farm Tafelberg Hall near Middelburg. “We decided to start something we’re both interested in – and what could be better than flowers?” Ansuné says. “We did extensive…

Make your own Christmas wreath FRANSCHHOEK 8–9 DECEMBER Take a walk through “The Garden of Eden” with Babylonstoren’s floral artist Constance Stuurman and fill your basket with flowers, foliage and seedheads. Afterwards, during a craft workshop, she will show you how to make your own wreath. The number of participants is limited to 15 per workshop – so book without delay. Tickets R500 per person Where? Babylonstoren, Franschhoek (on the Klapmuts-Simondium road). Contact babylonstoren.com Against the current MIDDELBURG, EASTERN CAPE 10–11 DECEMBER While the less adventurous among us like to spend summer holidays by the seaside or in a caravan park, others prefer to go against the current. A river-rafting outing in the Great Karoo is perfect for families or groups with a taste for adventure. Where? At Karoo River…

Distance from the big city? Swellendam is roughly halfway between Cape Town and George, about 220 km either way. Facilities You will find all the amenities you’d expect in a town of this size, plus a host of guesthouses and restaurants. Nearest hospitals, retirement homes and schools There are several retirement places in the town. Most residents have high praise for the service and staff at the provincial hospital. The nearest private hospitals are in Worcester, Hermanus and Mossel Bay. Closest Woolies At Mountain Mill shopping centre in Worcester (113 km), Whale Coast Mall in Sandbaai, Hermanus (143 km), and Mossel Bay Mall (170 km). Municipality Swellendam Municipality includes the towns of Barrydale, Buffeljagsrivier, Infanta, Malgas, Suurbraak and Swellendam. It was announced as the best municipality in the country in…

We live in a world in which accommodation venues would promote free WiFi as a selling point rather than the beautiful polished copper fourposter in the bedroom, or the mid-century Formica table in the kitchen. And that’s probably why you chuckle over the unpretentious message on Willemsrivier’s home page: “Willemsrivier is a working sheep farm, offering rustic, basic, unsophisticated, primitive farm-style historical and nostalgic nature-loving self-catering accommodation (not serviced, no aircon, no TV, no WiFi)”. In the airy living room of their farmhouse, which does have WiFi – it is, after all, where they live and work – Arend and Erika Kotzé laugh about it too. “I changed the wording the other day to make things crystal clear,” Erika says. “I had to… You won’t believe how many people –…

Do, wander, shop Wag ’n Bietjie farm stall and coffee shop You’ll find Wag ’n Bietjie on the way to Hoedspruit, 6 km from Kampersrus. Owner Megan van der Merwe bakes all the treats herself and also sells homeware, skin creams, pot plants and Sapmok shoes. If you want to buy one of her grass baskets, make sure it doesn’t have a Koekoek hen nesting inside it… Wag ’n Bietjie Padstal 072 422 8849 Restaurants Ambri Africa Lienkie Perucatti, formerly at Upperdeck Restaurant, opened this eatery on 1 October. The eisbein and pizzas are popular. 082 456 6228 Francine’s Venue & Farmhouse Wildlife photographer Emma Gatland and her fiancé, Luan Oosthuizen, a field guide, took over Francine’s on 1 September. It’s situated on a citrus farm 10 km from Kampersrus…

Grant Link Botha oversees a Facebook group called Container and Tiny Homes South Africa (ContainersandTinys). He loves the concept of a tiny house, but stresses that it’s not synonymous with a free-for-all. For starters, he cites a building code, known as South African National Standards, to which all permanent dwellings in South Africa must adhere. This slightly scary treatise is 23 chapters long and covers everything from authorised building materials to plumbing drainage requirements, and other minutiae that bring frowns to the faces of building inspectors everywhere. That’s only part of it. Any new home needs to be approved in plan before building commences, and the law requires that the plans be drawn up by a registered professional. “Gone are the days when we could draw up plans ourselves with…

When did you get a personal protection dog, and why did you pick that option rather than a uard dog? We live against the Magaliesberg; our property borders on the mountain. Someone came from that direction and broke into my daughter’s cottage at the back of our property – while she was home. Luckily, her bedroom door was locked and her meek Labrador, Lucy, stood over her, and barked and growled. The incident convinced me that a protection dog would have more bite than Lucy. So Rufus arrived in February 2012, an 11-month-old new recruit full of enthusiasm. For me, a well-trained dog outside the house is a much better option than an alarm system, because the dog can make decisions for itself. They can sense danger before it enters the…

The weather is fine here in Bushmanland. A cold front from deep in the Atlantic Ocean is pushing dark clouds over rocky ridges, quiver trees and bare expanses. The veld around Pofadder is so red it seems as though the edges of the clouds have caught alight. About 30km south of the town, the clouds are shredding themselves against Namiesberg. Streaks of rain leak from them and the earth slurps up the water. It’s also raining at Onder-Namies, the farm on which 28-year-old Marli Visser and her husband, Theunis, live. “We had 9mm of rain last night and another 2mm now,” says an excited Marli. The only evidence is a splinter of rainbow among the orange trees. “It’s a lot of water,” says her father, Andre Nel. “We must have…

Juicy, red, ripe strawberries are synonymous with the joys of summer. And, just like tomatoes, strawberries from your garden taste so much better than shop-bought ones. The good news is that South Africans can now grow strawberries from seed for the first time. The Mayford ‘Florian’ is a world-class strawberry variety known for its exceptional taste and prolific crop. The plants produce bright-pink flowers that eventually turn into flavourful berries. It’s a compact plant of about 35 cm in diameter. Its pretty flowers make it suitable for garden beds, but if you don’t have the space it’ll do well in a hanging basket, placed in a sunny spot on your balcony or stoep. Planting time Sow the seeds from early spring, and harvest the juicy fruit from early summer. Where…

Moon phases As the moon’s gravitational pull causes tides to rise and fall, it also affects moisture in the soil. Therefore it is said that seeds will absorb more water during the full moon and the new moon, when more moisture is pulled to the surface. This causes seeds to swell, resulting in improved germination and better-established plants. The moon also impacts plant growth through geotropism, which is how plants grow in response to gravity. Roots grow downward in the direction of the gravitational pull and stems grow in the opposite direction. • New Moon to First Quarter (waxing) – semi-fertile This is the ideal time to plant crops that produce their seeds outside the fruit. It is most suited to sowing or transplanting leafy annuals of which we eat…

–Augrabies Falls, Northern Cape – North of the Orange River, in the summer of 2020/21, it rained and rained and rained. Rivers flooded, dams overflowed, waterfalls thundered, and my good friend Michael Collett and I followed the course of the Mighty Orange. We stood on Hennie Steyn Bridge in Bethulie and watched a police helicopter herd stranded cattle through the floodwater to safety on dry land. We visited the Gariep and Van der Kloof dams when they were more than 100% full and millions of litres of water poured over the dam walls. We travelled to Douglas to see the vast expanse of water created by the confluence of the Orange and the Vaal. And we ended our journey at Augrabies Falls, awestruck by the incredible power of a mighty…