Summer is most definitely in attendance in Cape Town!  And I can’t think of many better ways to spend a sultry summer’s evening than lolling about on a lawn somewhere leafy, picnicking on a communal spread and enjoying the sounds of some local musical talents.

We’ve covered Picnic Baskets (the kind you order in advance, usually on wine farms), and we’re all set for Picnic BYO (great places for picnics, and some ideas on where to find awesome goodies to fill your own basket).  This time, though, it’s all about Picnic Concerts.

Click a link below to skip to that particular event, or scroll down to view them all!

• De Waal Park – Concerts in the Park
• Backsberg Picnic Concerts
• Kirstenbosch Summer Sunset Concerts
• Solms-Delta Summer Concert Series
• Helderberg Nature Reserve Picnic Concerts
• Paul Cluver Summer Concerts

De Waal Park Summer Sunset Concerts

De Waal Park, Oranjezicht.  Cape Town.

A new series of summer concerts launched in De Waal Park last last year. The season continues in the new year until Sunday 1 April 2012. The concerts, free to the public, will be on every other Sunday afternoon at 4pm.

Venue / Location:
De Waal Park is located in Oranjezicht, with gates on Molteno, Upper Orange and Camp Roads. Entrance is free and patrons are encouraged to arrive from 15:00.

http://www.dewaalpark.co.za/events-in-de-waal-park/

Dates & Times:
SUNDAY 5th FEBRUARY – The Gugulethu Tenors
SUNDAY 19th FEBRUARY – The Rudimentals
SUNDAY 4th MARCH – Ike Moriz
SUNDAY 18th MARCH – Saudiq Khan
SUNDAY 1st APRIL – Nomfusi *starts at 3pm, not 4pm.

Cost:
None, it’s free!

kykNET Backsberg Picnic Concerts

Backsberg Estate, near Paarl. 

It’s lovely out at Backsberg Estate, and spending a Sunday afternoon lolling about drinking their fantastic wines and listening to great artists sounds pretty good to me (dress for hot weather, it’s cooking this time of year).  Audiences can choose to pre-book a special Backsberg picnic to enjoy with these sunset acoustic performances, or buy one of their (apparently) famous lamb burgers at the venue. http://backsberg.co.za/picnicconcerts/

Dates & Times:
Admission to concert venue starts at 3pm, with the opening act starting at 4pm and the main act at 5pm.  Sadly, the summer season is already over half-way through – but four concerts still remain:

• SUNDAY 29 Jan: Die Tuin Dwergies
• SUNDAY 05 Feb: Blues Broers
• SUNDAY 12 Feb: Laurie Levine
• SUNDAY 19 Feb: Francois van Coke

Cost:
Tickets are R85 or R170 with a picnic and R100.00 at the gate. Children under 12 years get in free when accompanied by their parents.

How to book tickets:
Online bookings can be made at www.ticketbreak.co.za/backsberg.  Contact Details: picnicconcerts@backsberg.co.za

Kirstenbosch Summer Sunset Concert Series

Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden (Rhodes Avenue, Newlands, Cape Town)

Dates & Times:
Season runs from 20 November 2011 – 1 April 2012. SUNDAY evenings, concert starts at 5.30pm (gates open at 4pm).
View full lineup.

Cost:
Ticket prices vary from R60 to R125 (adults), depending on concerts and whether you are a member of the Kirstenbosch Botanical Society. See here for individual prices.

How to book tickets:
Online bookings can be made at www.webtickets.co.za. Redeem your e-ticket at the Kirstenbosch Ticket Office. Over-the-counter tickets go on sale on the Tuesday preceding each concert, from the Visitor’s Centre Ticket Office only. On Sunday tickets will be available at all three entrances. Telephone bookings (021 761 2866) can be made from the Tuesday before each concert, with an administration fee of R10 per ticket applicable.

Solms-Delta Summer Concert Series 2012

Solms-Delta Estate, Franschhoek

Enjoy a feast of rural Cape food, music and dance each Saturday evening from 14 January to 10 March 2012.  Sample the estate’s wine and tuck into a hearty Fyndraai Kaapse Braai Buffet in a beautiful setting.

Listen to the Solms-Delta Music van de Caab’s homegrown bands and the Delta Soetstemme and Delta Valley Entertainers perform alongside some of South Africa’s favourites, such as much loved Hannes Coetzee, Les Javan, Hot Water, Tribal Echo, House of Davids, Kaapse Affodille and Pieter van der Westhuizen.

Dates & Times:
SATURDAYS. 14, 21, 28 January;
4, 11, 18, 25 February;
3, 10 March.
From 7.00pm to 9.30pm.
Cost: R195pp (food and music). Kids U 12yrs R95.
More info/bookings:
To book call Henry 021 874 3937 or email: restaurant@solms-delta.co.za and follow them on Twitter @solms_delta and Facebook.com/solmsdelta, for updates.

Helderberg Nature Reserve Picnic Concerts

Helderberg Nature Reserve, near Somerset West

This series of summer concerts is held to raise funds for the nature reserve’s Environmental Education (EE) projects.

Dates & Times:
The season is already more than half way through, but three concerts still remain: SATURDAYS – 5 February 2012, 19 February 2012, 11 March 2012.
All concerts start at 17:30.

Tickets at the gate: R40 Adults, R10 Scholars, Free for children under the age of five

Enquiries: call the Information Centre  (021) 851-4060.
Or email helderbergfriends@telkomsa.net.
www.helderbergnaturereserve.co.za/events/concerts/

Paul Cluver Sunset Concerts

Paul Cluver Estate, Elgin

Only an hour or so out of Cape Town (less, if traffic is kind) is Paul Cluver Estate, in Elgin. During the summer season, Saturday evening concerts are held under the trees at the estate’s lovely wooden amphitheatre. Concert tickets are limited, so it’s not too crowded, and you can order a picnic in advance, or bring your own food (but not your own wine).

Dates & Times:
Selected Saturdays during the summer season.  Gates open at 5pm (seating is unreserved), and concerts start at 7pm.  Five more concerts remain for 2011/2012:

• SATURDAY 4 February 2012 – FreshlyGround (R325)
• SATURDAY 11 February 2012 – Share The Love (special concert) (R200)
• SATURDAY 18 February 2012 – Elvis Blue (R200)
• SATURDAY 25 February 2012 – Watershed (R325)
• SATURDAY 10 March 2012 – Vusi Mahlasela (R325)

Cost: Various (depends on concert price)

Bookings:  Book concert tickets via Computicket.  Book picnic hampers directly with Paul Cluver Estate:  021 – 844 0605  or email tourism (at) cluver.com

Summer has returned and, with it, the urge to venture outdoors and spend as much time as possible lazing in the sunshine.  We Capetonians are pretty spoilt for choice when it comes to summer activities, but one of my favourites is enjoying a leisurely picnic in a beautiful setting.  It’s informal and laid back and there are so many different ways of doing it that suit all kinds of budgets and taste.

And so once again I find myself creating a list of picnic options in Cape Town – split into three different groups:  Picnic Baskets (the kind you order in advance, usually on wine farms), Picnic Concerts (picnics at concerts) and Picnic BYO (great places for picnics, and some ideas on where to find awesome goodies to fill your own basket).

In this post, it’s all about wine farms and other picturesque locations offering picnic basket options.

The list below will morph and grow with time, as I discover and try more picnics – so if there’s something I’ve left out, please share the info by leaving a comment below, and I’ll see about adding it to the list! Please please treat this list as a guide only – ALWAYS phone the picnic organisers (most require bookings anyway) before you go, to avoid disappointment.

Picnics in Cape Town

Click on the links to view the full details.

• Buitenverwachting ‘The Picnic Basket’ (Constantia)
• Casa Labia Picnics (Muizenberg)
• Roundhouse Rumbullion Picnics (Kloof Nek)
• Steenberg Winery picnics (Steenberg)

Picnics in the Cape Winelands

Click on the links to view the full details.

• Allée Bleue Picnics
• Boschendal’s ‘Le Pique-Nique’ (Groot Drakenstein)
• Delheim Riverside Picnics (Stellenbosch)
• Solms-Delta Picnics (Franschhoek Valley)
• Spier Lakeside Picnics (Lynedoch, near Stellenbosch)
• Warwick Gourmet Picnics (R44 between Stellenbosch and Klapmuts)
• Zewenwacht Picnics (Kuilsriver)

Buitenverwachting ‘The Picnic Basket’

Buitenverwachting Estate, Klein Constantia Rd,  Constantia.
www.buitenverwachting.co.za

Relax under the beautiful oaks of Buitenverwachting Estate… A veritable feast!  Tables and chairs are provided (if you want them) and there’s a very strictly applied maximum number of picnics allowed (which means it doesn’t get overcrowded).

Cost:
R125 per person. Picnic hampers for children under 10 years of age: R45.00 per child. No credit cards accepted.
Dates & Times:
Open November to April; Monday – Saturday. Closed on Sunday & PUBLIC HOLIDAYS. Closed over Christmas and the New Year. Picnics served from 12 midday to 4pm (closing at 4pm)
Bookings:
Adrienne (021) 794-1012 Cell: 083 257 6083

Casa Labia Picnics

Casa Labia, 192 Main Road, Muizenberg, Cape Town
www.casalabia.co.za

Children’s menu includes a sugar fruit stick, a whole wheat cheese roll, a cup cake, fruit juice and a little surprise toy for R50.00.

Cost:
Picnic hampers cost R285 per couple. Cash bar available on the terrace.
Bookings for a family of four (2 adults and 2 children) qualify for a special price of R335.00 for the adult basket and two kids packs.
Dates & Times:
Every Saturday from 12noon to 3pm during the summer period.
Bookings:
Picnics work on reservations only. Bookings for the baskets would need to be made and confirmed by Friday at 10am.

Roundhouse Rumbullion Picnics

The Roundhouse, Kloof Nek, Cape Town
http://www.theroundhouserestaurant.com/on_the_menu.html

The Roundhouse Rumbullion offers ‘tapas picnics’, where you select what you’d like from a list of possible options (varying from jars of pickled olives to cheese burgers with wedges).

The views from the Roundhouse lawns are spectacular – go early to secure a good table (and book for more than two, if you want a table to yourselves).

Cost: Variable, depending on what you order (view Menu)
Dates & Times:
Wednesday to Sunday, lunchtime.
Bookings:
Tel. 021 438 4347 / Email info@theroundhouserestaurant.com

Steenberg Winery Picnics

Steenberg Vineyards, Steenberg, Cape Town

Steenberg Vineyards now offers gourmet picnics for visitors. The menu looks fantastic! It’s put together by Food Fanatics, with ingredients sourced locally from fantastic ethical producers like Cure Deli (charcuterie) and Dalewood Fromage (cheeses, yum).

And, I’m happy to report that everything in the picnic hamper is biodegradable: from the recycled wine cartons to food containers and cutlery. I’ll be going along soon to try it out myself and will report back on the experience!

Cost: R300 for a basket for two, including a bottle of Steenberg Sauvignon Blanc or Merlot (vegetarian option available at same price).
Dates & Times: Picnics served daily between 11am and 5pm.
Bookings: Tel. Lida – 082 954 8158
Menu: Steenberg-Picnic Menu (subject to change)

Picnics in the Cape Winelands

Allée Bleue

Intersection R 45 and R310, Groot Drakenstein (map)
http://www.alleebleue.com/en/allee-bleue/hospitality/picnic.html

Shaded by an historic oak tree, freshly made picnic baskets are served to you from the picnic gazebo and an ice bucket to keep your drinks chilled.

Menus are priced at R145.00 per person, which includes 0.5l mineral water, coffee or tea and a seasonal gift from the Allée Bleue Estate. Children are well catered for with a menu priced at R45.00 per child and the kids can safely play in the picnic area that is secured by an attractive Cape Dutch wall.

Available every day of the week, weather dependent, bookings for picnics at Allée Bleue Wine Estate are essential.

Cost:
R 145.00 per person, R 45.00 for children under 10 years
Dates & Times:
Open daily from 11h30 – 15h00
Bookings:
info@alleebleue.com / Tel. +27 (0) 21 874 1021/2/3

Boschendal’s ‘Le Pique-Nique’

Boschendal Estate, Stellenbosch
www.boschendal.com

During the summer months Boschendal’s Le Pique-Nique provides the ideal setting for simple French-Style country meals. Picnic hampers filled with simple country fare are served from a gazebo, relax and enjoy the fare at tables and chairs set in the shade of fragrant pine trees.

Cost:
R150.00 per adult excluding beverages and service – baskets packed in servings of 2, 3, 4, and 5 each. R59.00 per child (under 10) excluding beverages and service. Valid until May 2012.
Dates & Times:
1 October 2011 – mid May 2012 (weather permitting – cancelled if raining). Baskets to be collected between 12.15pm & 1.30pm. They may be collected later – by arrangement.
Bookings:
Tel.: +27 (0) 21 870 4272/3/4/5 | Email: reservations@boschendal.com
Menus: Picnic Menu | Vegetarian Menu
Good to know: Maximum seating capacity: 180. No BYO – No Bring Your Own Wine.

Delheim Riverside Picnics

Knorhoek Road, Stellenbosch
www.delheim.com

Enjoy a gourmet picnic on the scenic lawn at the riverside behind the cellar. No BYO – the full range of Delheim wines is available at cellar door prices.

Costs:
Basket for 2 people @ R260 (excl additional beverages), basket for 4 people @ R520 (excl additional beverages). Children under 12 @ R65. Vegetarian option available on request (same price).
Dates:
Available every day, Monday to Sunday until end April 2012
Bookings:
restaurant@delheim.com or (021) 888-4607 (book by latest 10h30 on the day)

Solms-Delta Picnics

Delta Road, Off the R45, Groot Drakenstein, Franschhoek Valley
http://www.solms-delta.co.za/restaurant/picnics/

Solms-Delta has ‘winefarm’ picnics available, made by Fyndraai chef Shaun Schoeman and his team. A personal guide will carry your basket and blanket and assist in selecting a quiet spot on the forested banks of the Dwars River or overlooking the private Solms lake.

Guests are more than welcome to cool off in the river shallows, so pack your costumes and towels! Numbers are limited to ensure a level of privacy.

Pre-booking is essential. The baskets are freshly packed upon your arrival, so please expect a short wait (maximum 15 minutes) before being escorted to the river.

Solms-Delta Lekkerwijn 2010, soft drinks or Solms-Delta Vogelvrij Spring Water bottled at source on the estate, is also included in each basket for two.

Costs:  
R135 per adult (view menu).  R65 per child. (View menu)
Dates:
Picnic season starts 1 September. Fyndraai is open seven days a week from 9.00am to 5:00pm
Bookings:
+ 27 (0)21- 874-3937

Spier Picnics

Spier Estate, Lynedoch, near Stellenbosch.
www.spier.co.za

Awesome picnics at Spier Estate, near Stellenbosch. Superb lakeside atmosphere (complete with plenty of ducks) and lots of gently swishing trees provide shade. Pony rides for kids.

The deli is currently closed for renovations (until 1 December 2011), so pre-booked picnics are currently only  available over weekends and public holidays.  These are catered by Eight, a wonderful ‘farm-to-table’ restaurant which serves delicious meals made from locally-sourced naturally-grown produce.  From the 1st of December, though, you will once again be able to book picnics every day of the week via an online facility.  No private picnics are allowed, but if you don’t want to buy a whole picnic basket, you can instead pick up items from Eight To Go, a ‘take-away’ version of Eight which is due to launch in early December (love the sound of that!).

Cost:  R150 per person, or R240 for two (this cost may change when the online facility becomes available in December).
Dates & Times:  Currently available only on weekends and public holidays.  From 1 December 2011, picnics available every day of the week.
Bookings: Tel. 021 809 1100  (online bookings available from 1 December 2011)

Warwick Gourmet Picnics

On the R44 between Stellenbosch and Klapmuts.
www.warwickwine.com/picnic

“At Warwick we strive for simplicity but this doesn’t mean that you should compromise on flavour. Our Gourmet Picnic experience was designed to provide a balance between the freshest seasoned ingredients and a flavour profile that will satisfy the most sophisticated Gourmand.”

Costs:
Gourmet Picnic basket: R299.00 serving two guests
Vegetarian Picnic basket: R299.00 serving two guests
Kids Basket: R49.00 per child under 12 years of age

Dates & Times: 
Guests can collect and pay for their picnics upon arrival at the Bistro counter.
11:30 – 12:30, 12:30 – 13:30, 13:30 -14:30 7 Days a week – 365 days per year
Bookings:  
Call 021 884 3144 or email visit@warwickwine.com

Zewenwacht Picnics

Zewenwacht Estate, Langverwacht Rd, Kuils River
http://www.zevenwacht.co.za/zw_restaurant.html

Zewenwacht offers a variety of picnic options: the Estate basket, Vegetarian basket, as well as the kiddies hamper as well as two braai basket options (they provide the meat, wood etc – you braai it). Other goodies such as chips, chocolates, hot beverages and the estate’s wines can be purchased at the picnic kiosk. (View Picnic Menu 2011/2012)

The estate will be unveiling their recently upgraded picnic facility in early 2012. This includes “a superb brand new children’s play park, comprising of wooden jungle gyms, swings, slides and climbing ropes for the little Tarzans!” They have also laid down lawn over an extensive area, adjacent to their helipad, where patrons can either make use of picnic benches or alternatively use picnic blankets (available on a loan basis) to enjoy the “gastronomic delights that (the) chefs have put together in the baskets”.

Costs:  
Estate Basket – R280 per basket for 2 people.
Vegetarian Basket – R280 per basket for 2 people.
Kids Basket – R60 per child.
Braai Basket Option 1 – R280 per basket for 2 people
Braai Basket Option 2 – R360 per basket for 2 people.
Dates:
18 September 2011 to May 2012
Bookings:
Tel: (021) 903 5123 / email: restaurant@zevenwacht.co.za
Good to Know:
Conditions for the Braai Basket: Minimum of two baskets to be ordered / Order must be made 72 hours in advance / We supply wood, firelighters, grid & a braai area / Braai to be made & supervised by yourselves. / Please ensure that all fires are thoroughly extinguished.

The lovely Casa Labia in Muizenberg has just launched ‘Picnics on the Lawn’, offering Saturday afternoon picnic hampers to couples and families who’d like to enjoy the beautiful view from the cultural centre’s lush lawns.

On a sunny day, there really isn’t much to compare to the view from that lawn – I’ve not been for the picnic (yet), but have eaten at the cafe and couldn’t resist wandering out to stare out at the sea.

The picnic hampers look amazing, full of quality ingredients which, added to the perfect setting, makes this seem to me a very tempting picnic option indeed – I can’t wait to try it out for myself!

Even if you aren’t into picnics, the Casa Labia is a wonderful spot to visit – for its contemporary South African art gallery, its delicious food, and its tranquil atmosphere.  It’s located at 192 Main Road, Muizenberg.

Picnics on the Lawn – Details

Cost:
Picnic hampers cost R285 per couple, and there will be a cash bar available on the terrace.  Children’s menu includes a sugar fruit stick, a whole wheat cheese roll, a cup cake, fruit juice and a little surprise toy for R50.00.

If you’re booking for a family of four (2 adults and 2 children) you will qualify for a special price of R335.00 for the adult basket and two kids packs.

Dates & Times:
Every Saturday from 12noon to 3pm during the summer period.
Bookings:
Picnics work on reservations only. Bookings for the baskets would need to be made and confirmed by Friday at 10am.  Contact the cafe at cafe@casalabia.co.za or 021 788 6062.

Good news for us southern suburbs market-lovers:  a new food and goods market will be launching this Saturday at the Baxter Theatre in Rondebosch.

Operated by the guys who created the lovely vibey Blue Bird Garage Market in Muizenberg, the Blue Bird Baxter Food & Goods Market will be held every Saturday under the magnificent trees of the Baxter garden.

Visitors can “enjoy an array of wares, entertainment and tasty delicacies while browsing through the variety of stalls with wonderful hand-made and vintage goods on sale”.

The Baxter garden will be transformed into a bustling rendezvous where exhibitors will display and sell vintage-styled clothing and jewellery designs in a convivial and fun atmosphere. These local designers include The Pendant Warehouse, Akimbo, Aeroplane Jane, Yesterday and Tomorrow, Aphrodite, Natasha Woods, love joy jewellery and Like Clock Work. The Little Hattery will launch a new range of amazing hats, and Noon-Gun T-shirts will kick-start their latest range of T-shirts.

There will be also be a nursery selling garden accessories and a variety of plants, and live music will be provided by students from the UCT College of Music.

Not much in the press release about the food element (other than what’s available from the Baxter itself), but I gather there will be a craft beer bar and a variety of food stalls to explore.

Rondebosch being my ‘hood, I’m very excited about the new market, which is more or less within walking distance, making it a very appealing Saturday afternoon activity…  Of course, being an outdoor market, weather is always going to be a factor, but here’s hoping the elements are kind for the launch and that locals come out and play!

For further enquiries and to become a stall-holder, please contact Dylan Speer on 082 493 9055 or email him at bluebirdgarage@gmail.com. For more event info visit http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=257504914296190

Blue Bird Baxter Market Details:

Where: Baxter Theatre garden, Rondebosch
When: Launches Saturday 5 November 2011. Thereafter, every Saturday from 12 noon to 6pm.

Gutted.  The Hout Bay Green Faire is on this Saturday, and I’m going to miss it.  Again.

But, for those of you who will be in town this coming weekend, it’s a fun day out, and a great way to find out about eco-friendly products and services in Cape Town.

The details:

Envirochild presents its 5th annual Hout Bay Green Faire on Saturday 29 October 2011.

After 4 successful years the Green Faire has become a permanent feature in the community and has attracted 1000’s of visitors from the Cape Town metro.
The Green Faire  is a volunteer driven event – providing a showcase of products and services that offer ways of living lightly on the planet.

Eco-friendly, human friendly, animal friendly and planet friendly choices are easier when we know what’s available.

Many companies are offering these choices now and this Faire is a way for us to find out more about them.

There’s a long list of exhibitors, who’ll be showcasing everything from urban gardening services and worm farms to eco-friendly cleaning products and compost toilets!

Green Faire Event Details:

Dates & Times:  Saturday 29 October 2011, 10am-5.30pm
Cost: Adults:  R20 / Kids: R10
Location:  Kronendal Primary School. Andrews Rd, off Main Rd, Hout Bay, at the Shell garage corner.
Website: www.houtbaygreenfaire.org

I love farm expos – the smell of farm animals takes me back to my childhood, and I often think about how lucky I was to have that kind of upbringing.  The kind of childhood where you knew the name of the cow who’d provided the milk for your breakfast cereal and understood, moreover, how it got from being inside the cow to filling up your bowl (I even tried my hand at milking… though I was never any good at it).

And then I wonder how many kids these days even know where milk comes from… (other than from neatly lined up milk bottles on supermarket shelves).  I think it’s a really important connection to make, not just with cows and dairy, but with all food.  Knowing how your food got to you gives you an appreciation of its value, and leads to less waste and to better choices (free range versus battery chickens, for example – not really any contest there).

So, I’m looking forward to the upcoming ‘Cape Dairy Experience‘, to be held on the 4th and 5th of November 2011 at Sandringham (same location as this year’s Cheese Festival – just off the N1 between Cape Town and Paarl).  It’s an opportunity for city kids (and addleds) to come and see all shapes and sizes of cows and goats, and even try their hands at a few farm activities:

For the young ones there is loads of fun: ice cream eating competitions, milk demonstrations, dog jumping competitions and tractor shows.  They can milk a dummy cow and see how experienced learners show their beautifully groomed animals in the ring.  There is even an opportunity for them to try their hand at ‘showing’ a goat or cow themselves! While the boeresport games and jumping castles will rid them of extra energy, self made stokbrood with melting butter and jam will no doubt please the hungry tummies.

Okay, so the ice-cream might be the greater enticement than milking a cow, but at least some important connections will be made, right?

And for us addleds, there’s plenty too.  I particularly like the sound of the Dairy Pantry:

Few foods match the variety, versatility and sheer eating and cooking pleasure of dairy.  The Woolworths Dairy Pantry promises an unparalleled country experience: learn to bake traditional milk tart, roosterkoek and pot bread on an open coal fire, churn your own butter the old fashioned way and make cottage cheese – easy-easy.  Each day at 12:30 you can see the well known food blogger, Nina Timm from My-easy-cooking fame, in action in a cook-off with other bloggers like Candice le Noury, the gorgeous gourmet, using a surprise bag of ingredients.  Puglia Cheese will show you how to make Italian cheeses and Huguenot Chocolate, the boutique chocolaterie in Franschhoek, brings you sweet seductions in an interactive demo and tasting session.

Mmmm… and, then there are the Western Cape Milk Goat Championships and – not to be missed – the crowning of the 2011 Absa Cape Dairy Queen (“more than 200 of the country’s finest Ayrshire, Holstein and Jersey cows from as far as KwaZulu-Natal, the Southern Cape, the Free State and the corners of the Western Cape will try their utmost to be heralded South Africa’s top dairy animal”).  Never a dull moment!

As those of you who went to this year’s Cheese Festival will know, Sandringham is the perfect venue for an event like this.  Easy to get to, plenty of parking, and it’s a real farm when there aren’t events and expos on the go.
 

Cape Dairy Experience Details:

Venue: Sandringham (halfway between Cape Town and Paarl on the N1)
Dates & Times: Friday 4 November – 10am to 5pm (aimed at dairy producers)
and Saturday 5 November – 9am to 9pm (aimed at the public)
Cost: R30 pp. This entitles you to a shopping bag, programme for the day and show programme, inspirational demonstrations, fun and games and tastings where applicable. Tickets available at the gates.
FREE entry for children 13 years and under.
Groups of school children get free entry with prior booking at the organiser’s office – phone Liezel at 021 975 4440 or email her at liezel@agriexpo.co.za
Website: www.capedairy.co.za

I love the sound of this: ‘Heritage Walks’ through Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens.  These walks, led by the Kirstenbosch Garden Guides, cover a variety of interests and enthusiasms – everything from medicinal plants to remarkable trees, and a history of how the garden came to be the beautiful place that it now is.  I’ve missed a few already, but there are still eight walks on between now and the end of October, and I definitely want to tag along for one or two of them in the weeks to come.

Here’s the schedule for the remaining walks during October 2011:

Monday 10 October: 10h00-12h00
Useful and Medicinal Plants
For thousands of years our wonderful plants have been used by the people of Africa for food, medicine, for housing, for rope, soap, for digging, fishing, hunting etc. Which plants? Come and find out! Starting at the Visitors’ Centre, Gate 1.

Friday 14 October: 10h00-12h00
Early Explorers and their Search for African Medicinal Plants
250 years ago people in Europe discovered the treasure trove of plants waiting in the Cape. Plant collectors, doctors, botanists came from all over, hunting for new medicinal plants. Who were they? What plants did they find? Come find out! Starting at the Visitors’ Centre, Gate 1.

Tuesday 18 October: 10h00-12h00
Catering for Capetonians
What Kirstenbosch means to Capetonians – the people who helped create and sustain this Garden. Starting at the Visitors’ Centre, Gate 1.

Friday 21 October: 10h00-12h00
Secrets of Survival of Succulents
How do plants survive in the desert with almost no rain? How do they defend themselves? Come and see the clever tricks and disguises they use! Starting at the Visitors’ Centre, Gate 1.

Saturday 22 October: 10h00-12h00
Remarkable Trees of Kirstenbosch
A closer look at some special trees. Starting at the Visitors’ Centre, Gate 1.

Monday 24 October: 10h00-12h00
Nature’s Heritage
An entire Kingdom! Plants for Africa! Explore them with us!
Starting at the Visitors’ Centre, Gate 1.

Thursday 27 October: 10h00-12h00
Catering for Capetonians
What Kirstenbosch means to Capetonians – the people who helped create and sustain this Garden. Starting at the Visitors’ Centre, Gate 1.

Friday 28 October: 10h00-12h00
Garden for a Nation. Who created it?
100 years ago Kirstenbosch was an abandoned farm, overgrown with weeds and alien vegetation. Today it is one of the world’s Top Seven Botanical Gardens. How did this happen? Who performed the magic? Let us tell you the story!
Starting at the Visitors’ Centre, Gate 1.

This initiative is part of the Cape Town Big 6.

To make a booking or enquire further, contact the Information Desk at 021 799-8783.

This weekend the Swartland is coming to Cape Town for the Swartland Country Market at Kirstenbosch.  The market will take place on Saturday 8 October 2011, from 10am to 4pm at the Stone Cottages across from Kirstenbosch Gardens.

The Swartland, in case you’re wondering, is a large area stretching from Malmesbury to Porterville, known particularly for its wines and olives.  They even have an official ‘Swartland Wine and Olive Route’, though I’ve never been on it myself.

We want Capetonians to realise that some of the country’s best wines are just around the corner. We are only 78km away, and we are sure that once people realise what we have on offer they will take the short drive up the N7 more often (Jolene Janse van Rensburg, Santam Swartland Wine and Olive Route Manager).

Some of the Swartland’s best food and wine producers will be at the market.  Here’s what organisers have in store:

The region’s extraordinary soils, little irrigation and some of the oldest wine stock in the country have produced some exceptional wines, and the winemakers themselves will be in Kirstenbosch to show off their wares.

The 50 or more stalls will include:

• The innovative young winemakers behind the Swartland Revolution, (Mullineux, AA Badenhorst);
• The affable Danie Malan whose family has been producing remarkable wines at Allesverloren 1872;
• Piketberg’s finest – organic wines from the elegant Org De Rac and the top class Cap Classique from Nieuwedrift;
• The quality wines from Swartland Winery, the gateway to the Route; and
• The new kids on the block: Franki’s Vineyards (featuring vintage cars), Nuweland, Nassau, and many more wines that underline the quality of this route.

The winemakers will be joined by exhibitors selling a large range of products and produce, including jams and preserves, olives, cordials and fresh-baked Swartland breads.

Included in the mix will be some top class potjies and other gastronomic delights for which the Swartland is justly famous.

There will also be a selection of arts and crafts on offer, and live entertainment during the course of the market.

To find out more, and to keep up to date with the happenings in the Swartland, visit the Facebook page or the website www.swartlandwineroute.co.za

Spring has sprung, and the whales are making their way back to our beautiful oceans. Coming up, the annual Hermanus Whale Festival celebrates the return of these awesome creatures of the deep with a 5-day ‘enviro-arts festival’.

Details:
Hermanus, known as the best land-based whale watching destination in the world, plays host to thousands of visitors (2010 we welcomed 130 000 visitors) who flock to the seaside resort to exhilarate in the unique natural environment, watch the whales and revel in music, and African rhythms during the festival

The 2010 Festival spread its wings to include ten venues around Hermanus and we plan to further extend this in 2011 to include Mount Pleasant, Zwelihle and Gateway Shopping Centre amongst others. The variety of events planned will keep the whole family entertained throughout the festival which includes a street parade on Saturday 1 October.

The full programme of events is available at the office or click here for the schedule
Enquires: 028 313 0928 or email: festival@hermanus.co.za

I love figs. LOVE figs.  Until this summer, though, I had no idea there were so many different types of figs. I thought a fig was a fig, was a fig.

Then, two friends and I started something called The Harvest Share, hoping to connect city dwellers with local farmers around Cape Town. We met Charles Ochse, who grows figs and peaches on Hoogwater Farm, near Wolseley, and persuaded him to set aside a portion of his export quality produce for fifty Harvest Share members.

Over the period of about two months, we received four batches of fruit – a different combination each time. It was seasonal eating at its best: each kind of fig ripened at a different time, so one week we’d have White Genoa figs, the next, red Evitas and Adam figs. We even got to try King figs, which were absolutely superb.

Anyway, long story short – it was great fun, and the figs from Hoogwater Farm are gobsmackingly delicious. The season is just about over, but if you missed out on Harvest Share, and are fig-crazy, there’s now an opportunity to go and gather your own:

This week we have seen a great number of figs ripening in our orchard. right now ALL the cultivars are carrying fruit and would be a great opportunity for the public to taste the different varieties side by side in the orchard. We are not harvesting so the trees are laden with ripe figs!

We will be open to the public during the week as well as Saturday from 07:00 till 10:00, until the season ends in mid April.

Entry costs R40/person, eat as much as you like and take home 1kg figs per person (that equates to two Very full punnets). Thereafter R3/punnet.   Children in primary school enter/eat free (although no takeaways).

Anyone interested should arrive at the farm office to make payment, collect punnets and directions. Figs are sprayed only with organic pesticides.

Hoogwater Farm is located about an hour and a half from Cape Town (Google Map) – and if you’re a fig fan, definitely worth the trip.  Full directions are posted here.

Wine estates, in general, tend not to be on the eco-friendly side… The amount of pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilisers that go hand-in-hand with most wine-making in Cape Town (and elsewhere) can be a little off-putting to anyone with an inkling of how negatively those practices affect the environments in which the vines are grown.

But, happily, there are some estates out there who are working towards a new way of wine-making – one that’s more in harmony with nature and all its quirks.  

Some go whole hog and farm organically or even biodynamically, while others find creative ways of drastically lowering their carbon footprint until their operations are totally carbon-neutral, or possibly carbon-negative.  Still others commit, via the Biodiversity and Wine Initiative (BWI), to preserving large tracts of natural fynbos and the ecosystems they contain.
It’s so exciting to see these pioneers bravely break away from commercial agricultural methods and invest their resources in more sustainable solutions – and I believe we should all support them at every chance we get!

One of the best ways to visit some of these wonderful farms and farmers is on a new ‘Eco Wine Tour‘, conducted by Charles Lourens of Bottle Plate Pillow, and Pieter Geldenhuys of PG Top Tours.

I was invited to join the tour a little while back, and had the most awesome time.  On your own, you might get a good wine-tasting in, and a chance to survey the scenery, but with Charles and Pieter you get the whole lowdown on what the farms are doing to be more eco-friendly, and can ask the many questions you might have in that regard. You also get to taste a lot of wine.

We visited the picturesque Avondale Farm, near Paarl, and literally got to feel (and smell) the beautiful soil in which the vineyards grow (no chemicals, so the soil is super-healthy), and meet their happy snail-gobbling ducks (no need for snail bait – those birds are way more efficient).  We tasted their superb biodynamic bubbly, and other fantastic wines (and took some home).

We stopped in at Backsberg Estate, and were shown around by Simon Back, who told us more about their latest carbon-neutral innovations (such as lighter glass bottles, and the recently launched ‘Tread Lightly’ PET bottle range,  which require fewer materials to produce, and by being lighter reduce the carbon-footprint of transport).   Somewhere in between, we had some generous samplings of the farm’s always-delicious wines.

Feeling quite merry by this stage (well, I certainly was merry – I’m not that robust when it comes to wine-tasting!), we then had a glorious lunch at Towerbosch, on Knorhoek Estate (a BWI-supporter)  Towerbosch is a wonderfully atmospheric restaurant which specialises in traditional Cape foods, with ingredients sourced locally where possible.  It was absolutely delectable, full of flavour, and everybody had seconds (and plenty more wine).

After that, it was time for an impromptu detour to Mooiplaas (not originally on the tour schedule, but we had a little leeway time-wise) and a bumpy ride up to the farmhouse, where we tasted more wine (naturally), and chatted to co-owner Tielman Roos about their farming methods (their wines are not organic, but do carry the Integrity and Sustainability seal).

As part of their commitment to the environment, Mooiplaas has set aside a large portion of land for the conservation of endangered Renosterveld habitat (part of our Cape Floristic Kingdom, unique to this part of the world).  Tielman leads walks through the reserve – and I hope to go back and do that some time soon.

And so back to Cape Town, where the tour culminated in a visit to Cape Town’s only city winery, Signal Hill Winery.  I loved this place… the wine was incredible, experimental and rather mind-blowing, and I really didn’t want to leave.  From three tiny urban vineyards around Cape Town (Kalk Bay, Camps Bay and one other… Oranjezicht, I think?), these guys lovingly produced just six barrels of wine that proudly grace the tasting room.  They’re passionate about keeping those green spaces in the city, and producing these unique and unusual wines.

It was a fantastic day out.  Charles and Pieter were both very knowledgeable about the wine estates, as well as about ‘green’ practices in the industry.  Each tour will be a bit different, with plans made for whatever weather comes along on the day.  And the advantage of going with a tour like this, is that the farms know you’re coming, and the owners or managers make a special effort to come and answer your questions about all their eco-initiatives.

Eco Wine Tour Details:
This tour is inclusive of all tasting, transport, guide and activities. The tour departs from Cape Town at 9am and will return by no later than 5pm. Book your spot on the scheduled Wednesday tour or alternatively book any other day (min 4 guests – Subject to availability). The eco tour is offered at R695 per person. A special lunch package has been negotiated to compliment the eco friendly theme and is available at R75 (Excluding drinks and service fee)
Contact info:
Charles Lourens, Bottle Plate Pillow: Tel 082 375 2884 www.bottleplatepillow.co.za
Pieter Geldenhuys, PG Tops:  Tel 083 288 4944. www.pgtops.com

Ariston Elemental Organic Garden is a surprising green oasis in the middle of Claremont’s busy CBD.  The garden’s creator and caretaker is Brigid Jackson, who leased the land from the municipality some time back, and has been coaxing it into abundance.

If you haven’t yet seen the garden (usually viewable by appointment only), next weekend might be the time to do so.  On Saturday the 25th of September, in celebration of Spring’s arrival, the garden will be hosting a Spring Market Day.  Brigid will be selling a variety of organic plants, seedlings, vegetables, flowers and more, and I’m certain one can also have a bit of a wander around the grounds.

It’s wonderful to see what can be achieved in an urban environment – and it’s definitely worth a visit!

Ariston Garden is located at the corners of Dunluce and Malone Avenues, Claremont.  The Spring Market Day will take place from 10am to 2.30pm on Saturday 25 September 2010.

For more info, email aristonorganic@gmail.com.