Innehållsförteckning för Winter 2022 från go! Platteland

Does your neighbourhood have a WhatsApp group – or a “WhatsUp” group, as some call it – where everyone gets the opportunity to showcase their dismal spelling and insatiable appetite for fake news to the wider community? (“Has nobody in this backward place heard of my cousin’s neighbour’s grandson, who was cured of Covid and piles thanks to Prophet Goodluck’s potion of crushed garlic, two Disprins and a fresh snoek head? But it has to be a snoek head, mind you, because hake won’t do.”) Do you also have neighbours who appear to be able to “WhatsUp” but not to use Google, so they need to ask three times a day when it is your turn for load-shedding – even though the phone has pinged 38 times in the past…

The South Coast flaunts its farming side The KwaZulu-Natal South Coast is probably best known for its beaches, but now the province wants to prove it has more to offer tourists than lazy days spent getting a tan. Agritourism is a growing trend, and it means visitors to KZN can spend colder days exploring the area on a farm tour suitable for the whole family. Earlier this year, Ugu South Coast Tourism (USCT) introduced South Coast Agri-CULTURE tours with the aim of sharing “authentic coastal farm experiences” with tourists, according to CEO Phelisa Mangcu. They offer two tours, and these are the six destinations on the tours – each one offers a unique set of activities and experiences: 1 BBS FARM, Southport This operation started as a subsistence farm run…

It makes no difference from which direction you approach Piet Plessis – it will be via a dirt road. The hamlet doesn’t lie on any tourist route. Not many people go that way unless they have to. And the few who do arrive in Piet Plessis seldom go farther north; they usually go back the way they came. Here, north of Vryburg, cattle and game are the main attractions. Most visitors to this remote part of the country are in search of calves or kudus. Or trouble, if you happen to find yourself on the R377 between Stella and Piet Plessis after heavy rains. It’s the reason I’m regarded with wide-eyed amazement by two women when I park my mud-caked bakkie in front of Piet Plessis Primary School. “Looks like…

Johan and Yvonne Fourie Koperfontein Tuisprodukte The Fouries have lived Koperfontein for 25 years. They moved here in 1997 after Yvonne resigned her job as school secretary in Hopefield. Two years before that, she had started a side hustle, making preserves. Her first product was traditional pickled curried green beans, her father’s favourite. “And so I kept going with it, consulting the Kook en Geniet [the classic South African cookery book] and old booklets on preserves that an aunt had left me. Sousboontjies made with heerenbone from the Sandveld, atchar made with yellow cling peaches… And then we planted 36 olive trees, so I had olives to cure. That’s how Koperfontein Tuisprodukte came about.” Before long the two of them began selling Yvonne’s preserves at markets in places such as…

Driving east on the N2 between Bot River and Caledon, there’s a turnoff onto the R406 and a big arrow painted on a container pointing the way to Greyton, a popular weekend escape for Capetonians. But before you get to Greyton, you’ll see another sign – one that looks like a church bell tower – that welcomes visitors to Genadendal, a village with a rich spiritual history that is still evident today. This is where the Moravian missionary Georg Schmidt and a group of Khoekhoen established the first mission station in South Africa in 1738. Today, it’s not hard to picture the sight of a German missionary arriving here on horseback 284 years ago. Many Genadendallers, or “Genalers”, as residents often refer to themselves, still travel by horseback. The settlement,…

Superstition in the northern parts of South Africa has it that you place the feather of a southern groundhornbill in a dry river bed if you want to break a drought. Here, these charismatic red-and-black birds are called rainbirds. Some people would even warn you to remember to pick up that feather later on, otherwise it won’t stop raining. Seeing a southern ground-hornbill (Bucorvus leadbeateri) stalking through tall grass, foraging, is an amazing sight. These birds grow up to 1 m tall and can easily weigh 5 kg. And if you’re wondering why some people call them thunderbirds, you should wind down your window the next time you encounter one somewhere in the north of the country, like in the Kruger National Park. Their distinctive booming call – a deep,…

Ours is a country with few large trees. Here and there, you’ll find patches of montane forest, the one in Knysna being the most famous, and then you have the Lowveld with its fat baobabs and slim thorn trees – silhouettes that define the landscape. But between Knysna and the Lowveld, there are many wide-open spaces: the Karoo, the edge of the Kalahari, the red grass veld of the central Free State, the dry West Coast. In terms of trees, our country is rather bare. Still, when I think back to my childhood in Robertson in the Boland, it’s the bloekoms I remember. Yes, there were jacarandas, cypresses, Norfolk Island pines and sweet pines in my home town, but the giants, the towers of the tree landscape, were the eucalyptuses.…

What is a camino? “A camino can mean different things to different people,” say the four founders of this route, Andrew and Peter Kilpin, Leon van Rooyen and Dave de Beer. “See it as an opportunity to appreciate the incredible nature and history of the Overberg region.” What is special about this trail? “Each of the five days covers very different terrain, unlike most other hiking trails, which are either in the mountains or on the coast. The trail crosses fruit and wine farms, winds along mountain paths, and ends with a stretch of beach.” How do the seasons vary on the Hermanus Camino? “Each season on the camino is different, but the mountain fynbos is at its most beautiful during winter, and from June onwards the whales arrive to…

Winning letter I was particularly excited to get my hands on the Autumn 2022 issue of Platteland when I realised that Clocolan would be featured. My paternal grandmother is from this little Eastern Free State town that lies between Ficksburg and Ladybrand. On 21 March 2022, we returned from visiting family in Clocolan – my younger sister had not been in almost 10 years, my maternal grandmother had never visited the town before, and it was my four-year-old nephew’s second visit. Two things really saddened me, other than the depressing levels of poverty that plague Hlohlolwane, as the town is called by locals: (1) The town was riddled with more potholes than I’ve ever seen; and (2) water supply issues meant we all had to run to fill up buckets…

Congratulations on the brilliant article about freshwater fly-fishing in the Eastern Cape. It was expertly written, lip-smacking and juicy – among the best in the lovely Summer 2021/22 issue of Platteland. The interesting legend Sarie Marais-Nell shares in the sidebar on page 67 not only made me smile but also sent me on an etymological journey of sorts. I gladly share the outcome. The Woordeboek van die Afrikaanse Taal (WAT) highlights several distinctions in the meaning of “kiepersol”. First, it points out that it is a historical name for a large sun screen with a long handle that was used particularly during the 17th and 18th centuries in Dutch East Inda and at the Cape – thus nothing other than a large umbrella. The term originates from quipersol, which came…

Lucinda Isaacs and Kerone Haas Chef and entrepreneur Kerone does not hail from Genadendal, but his surname does. He is familiar with his father’s home town because, while growing up in Mpumalanga, he often spent his school holidays in the village. He moved here permanently in March 2021. Because he comes from a business-orientated family, he jumped at the chance to rent a commercial property. “We didn’t know yet what we were going to do!” he says. Kerone opened the doors of the Mountain Valley Centre in December 2020, with a hardware store, among others, as well as a coffee shop that belongs to – and is named after – his twin sister Abby. “There was a great need for something like this,” Kerone says. “We wanted to do something…

First-time visitors to “the valley” tend not to have high expectations as they drive north on the R25 from Bronkhorstspruit. The road is flanked by grassland and maize fields – it’s a flat and unremarkable landscape. Then, at the Super Centre filling station, there’s a turn-off onto a gravel road that enters a poort. The road descends to the Wilge River and the mountains part in front of the driver like the Red Sea before Moses. The road passes through the “small valley”, a narrow passage with towering red cliffs. Then, towards the east, the “large valley” unfurls, and in the distance the mountains stand sentinel over the river. The various names for this picturesque valley each tell a tale: Wilgepoort is derived from the name of the river and…

Picture a pair of velskoene. In your mind’s eye you’re probably seeing a man with tanned legs in khaki shorts, knee-high socks and a pair of worn leather shoes with deep creases, scuff marks and stains – evidence that they’ve lasted for years. The design of the shoe is classic: lightbrown leather hugging the ankle, a row of stitching where the upper meets the sole, and laces threaded through three pairs of eyelets. A shoe for a farmer, a labourer, an outdoorsy kind of person – plain yet tough. Sometime during the past few years this modest leather shoe has gained a new following. These days, you’ll spot everyone from Instagram influencers to Prince Harry wearing vellies. Even the South African team at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan,…

Worldwide, wild accusations are made about the water consumption of eucalyptus trees. According to some sources, a single eucalyptus can use up to 1 000 l of water per day, but most experts agree the figure is closer to 200 l But even that is disputed in some circles. Research has been done in India, for example – a country with a shortage of wood fibre and where 150 000 ha of eucalyptus plantations are planted each year (and where 70% of the country’s 3 ha plantations consist of eucalyptus trees). The findings suggest that eucalyptuses do not actually store huge water reserves and do not exhaust groundwater supplies either. In fact, their impact on the environment is minimal and does not affect the water table negatively. Rather, these trees…

Wouter Kruidenier, Pieter Smit and Yolande Snyders, the three founders of Christen Aksie Netwerk (CAN), explain how and why they began this labour of love: Where did the idea for the network come from? “Wouter and Pieter would often discuss work over coffee at my restaurant,” says Yolande, who manages the administration of the project. “Wouter owns De Kruidenier Eksklusiewe Tuine, and Pieter is the owner of De Smit Eksklusiewe Strukture. Eventually, we began to talk about the challenges our neighbourhood was facing. “They are two practical men who take action rather than complain. Wouter started by planting water oaks, plane trees and pin oaks in a side street near his house – and he hasn’t been able to stop since,” Yolande says. “We don’t have beautiful parks like Europe…

The last sentence spoken in A River Runs Through It, the 1992 film based on the autobiographical novella of the same name by Norman Maclean, is a seminal line from a seminal text: “I am haunted by waters.” The main character, Norman, means this metaphorically as he casts his line into the river where the trout swim. Water flows through all his memories – the good and the bad. Mountains are like that for me. I grew up in Springbok in the Northern Cape, where our house stood at the foot of a mountain. Well, to a child that rocky koppie was a mountain. A group of us kids from the neighbourhood would spend spring afternoons running along its paths among the Namaqualand daisies, and playing hide and seek behind…

I write in response to Hanlie Nel-Smith’s letter “To be a child again” in the Autumn 2022 issue of Platteland. I grew up in Victoria West, the town she refers to. The house in the photograph belonged to my parents for many years. They bought the property for R800 in 1972 from the town’s former miller, Mr Bartjie van Wyk. My late father planted the pepper trees next to the house. My parents lived there until my father passed away in 1990 and my mother moved to Huis Frieda Kempen retirement home, where she died in 2008. The house was subsequently sold and converted into a guest house. On two occasions we stayed there with our children… and felt so much longing for the happy times gone by. Thank you…

Parys has to be the town with the most noble character! Our own “Paris”, in the heart of the Free State, where strangers from different continents soon become fast friends. We camped at Weltevrede Country Resort for a few days, but spent most of our time in Parys. For us, this town on the banks of the Vaal River holds a special allure, and it offers plenty to do. First, we wandered the streets. The town reminds me of Nantes, France, as seen on the TV programme Die Edik van Nantes, produced by Nataniël and his brother Erik. Antiques shops and pawn shops abound. There are also several gift shops and even an exclusive shop selling high-end furniture and all sorts of luxurious decor items. On weekends, especially, you’ll see…

Steenberg in the Constantia valley, which has been producing wine since the 17th century, is known for its excellent Chardonnay. The 2021 vintage has now been released with a new label to reflect the sophisticated taste of this classic wine. Aromas of marmalade, apple, butterscotch and shortbread and flavours of quince and candied apple make it the perfect wine to pair with a hearty winter dish. Steenberg head chef Kerry Kilpin says it also works well in a sauce served with roasted pork belly. She shares her recipe with us. Roasted pork belly with a Chardonnay-mustard sauce Serves 4 Prep time 15 minutes Cooking time 50–70 minutes You’ll need • ½ teaspoon (2,5 ml) whole fennel seeds, crushed• pinch of dried chilli flakes• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) Maldon Sea Salt…

The aerial view of Koperfontein on Google Earth’s summer-bronzed satellite image – and Mapcarta’s green winter image – shows a cluster of silos and a smattering of houses, crammed in between the railway line and the R45 provincial route that connects Saldanha with Villiersdorp via Vredenburg, Malmesbury and Paarl. It resembles one of those one-horse towns, perhaps a ramshackle railway station, that you’d miss if you sneezed as you drove past. And that was indeed the case for yonks, especially after the modern R45 was built that no longer ran through Koperfontein (or its larger neighbouring town, Hopefield). Now look a bit closer at those satellite images and see whether you can spot a strange group of fine little white lines that lie roughly in the shape of a horseshoe…

When the lights dim In Church Street, just beyond the shadow of the imposing Dutch Reformed church, a lovely Art Deco building that used to be a car showroom was turned into a world-class theatre and cinema with 140 seats and ultramodern equipment – and lots of pizzazz! Called The Showroom, it has hosted plays, concerts, films and many festivities since November 2013. Alas, in February this year the owners posted on The Showroom’s Facebook page that they’re having to temporarily close its doors until such time as the health risks related to the Covid-19 pandemic are reduced. One can only hope it will open again soon. On a road to somewhere Many routes lead to Prince Albert, but the most scenic one is undoubtedly Swartberg Pass, coming from Oudtshoorn.…

We chatted to bulb expert Hendrik van Zijl to find out where the best places are in Nieuwoudtville and surrounds to experience the annual wildflower extravaganza. The Northern Cape town of Nieuwoudtville on the Bokkeveld Plateau is rightly famous for its breathtaking natural wildflower display from June to September. Bulbs thrive here thanks to the unique conditions: besides five different soil types in the area, this is where the Cape Fynbos region meets Hantam Karoo, Bushmanland and Knersvlakte. These bulbs are known as geophytes, and South Africa officially has the richest collection of geophyte flora in the world. Nieuwoudtville is home to 309 of the 1 551 geophyte species in the Cape Floral Kingdom – and 80 of them are endemic! It’s not uncommon to count up to 50 plant…

Understanding the basics 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…

Kasteelberg pokes its craggy head up from the surrounding plains, creating a visual beacon from afar. It must have been the case for the San and the Khoekhoe peoples who roamed the plains and whose art is left on rocky overhangs, telling us of their presence; and for the early European explorers who traversed these lands. Recorded in its history are attempts to measure the circumference of the earth in the southern hemisphere, and expeditions revealing flora unique to its slopes. I, too, have trawled the nooks and crannies, savouring the splendour, with stupendous views north to the Cederberg and south all the way to Table Mountain. Around it farms sprang up, today producing some of the Cape’s best wines, wheat for bread, and olives, followed by villages that now…