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.

The Encounters Festival kicks off tomorrow evening in Cape Town, running every evening until the 26th of June.

As always, there’s a lot to choose from, a great selection of both local and international documentaries (view full lineup), but two films in particular caught my eye:

If a Tree Falls:  A Story of the Earth Liberation Front

What is the difference between an eco-warrior and an eco-terrorist? Marshall Curry’s film attempts to find out through the telling of Earth Liberation Front member Daniel McGowan’s story. In the process he reveals the complex moral and ethical issues of contemporary environmentalism, activism, and terrorism.

Cape Town shows: Tues 14 6.30pm | Wed 22 8.15pm | Sun 26 5.45pm  (more info here)

Our Daily Poison

Relentless journalist Marie-Monique Robin examines the story of chemicals in our food, undertaking an astonishing global investigation into exactly what is allowed, by who and why. The world pesticide market represents some R250 billion annually and in Europe alone, 139 million kilogrammes are spread on fields each year. Yet all data on toxicity is legally withheld from the World Health Organisation. Her film, by turn riveting, funny and dense, is one for the Aspergers among us, obsessed as it is with detail and finer point.

Cape Town shows: Mon 20 8.45pm | Thurs 23 8.15pm (plus Panel Discussion PD)

Event details:

What: The Encounters Festival
Where: Cape Town Nu Metro V&A
When: 9 – 26 June 2011. Various times.
Booking info: Tickets cost R40. Concessions may apply. 0861 246 362 • www.numetro.co.za • m.numetro.co.za

Get updates on their Facebook Page or via Twitter.

Launching this Friday is an unusual book.   Seed To Table is a cookbook that grew out of a relationship between three farmers of Abalimi Bezekhaya and three Rotary International Exchange Students who spent time with them.

Abalimi Bezekhaya – the farmers of home – is a voluntary organisation that works with individuals, groups and community-based organisations to achieve food security either through home or community gardens. Eleven micro-farmers, most of whom are women, are the backbone of Abalimi.

Referred to as the ‘field team’, these micro-farmers run their own plots either at home or in community gardens. The members were recruited to lead the development of the micro-farming movement in the townships. Each year, 3000 farmers receive support from Abalimi in the form of cheap bulk resources, education, training and skills development.

Anyone who’s ever been out to the township gardens created and supported by organisations like Abalimi and Soil For Life will know how incredible it is to see beautiful patches of food-producing land, and the wonderful, dedicated people tending to them.

Seed To Table isn’t just a book of recipes, though – it’s filled with the food, the stories and the inspiration of all involved – a story well worth the telling.

The book launches this Friday at Kalk Bay Books, so if you’re keen to hear about Abalimi first-hand, head on over there and pick up a copy (or two – I think they’d make fantastic gifts).  Plus, all proceeds from the sale of the book at the launch will be donated back to Abalimi Bezekhaya to help them continue their wonderful work

Event details:
When: Friday 10 December 2010.  6pm
Where: Kalk Bay Books, 124 Main Road, Kalk Bay.

Before I vanished off overseas for the incredible experience that was attending Terra Madre, in Italy (a gathering of Slow Food members and enthusiasts from around the world – also to be written about SOON), a friend and I got stuck in and started our first plantings for the spring season.  But, we could never have done it without the help of a wonderful guy called Tony – a man with considerable expertise in permaculture gardening, and great enthusiasm for the produce it can create.

Not only did Tony help us, but everyone else gardening alongside us (there are 5 allotments in total) – and the results are already beautiful to behold (photos soon!).  If you’re keen to learn some of these handy skills, you might be keen to come along to a course Tony and his wife Mildred will be holding this Saturday.

One of my fellow allotment holders, Matt Allison (www.imnojamieoliver.com), has organised the workshop, and wrote about it as follows:

“As you may know if you follow this blog, I’m a gardener. I started with a small salad garden and am now an allotment holder over at the Ariston Elemental Organic Garden.

One of my fellow gardening partners are duo, Mildred and Tony. They both have wealth of knowledge when it comes to gardening in all its facets and a particular love and interest for permaculture.

It has long been my hope to help them start a small business. I’ve been supporting them by buying weekly produce from their garden and employed Tony to work along side me in mine. I’m now helping them start up monthly workshops.

Mildred is the senior field worker for a great organisation called ‘Soil for life’, who already host a great series of weekend workshops. The idea is not to compete with their great work, but rather offer a single day course in organic gardening basics, which Mildred will lead.

It will be intensely practical and fun, teaching you how to start and grow your own vegetable garden covering soil preparation, composting, planning your garden, companion planting, seeds and seedlings.

It will be held at Ariston Elemental Organic Garden, which can be found on the Corner of Dunluce and Malone Avenues in Claremont.

The cost is R200.00 per person and will include a light tea and runs from 9am – 2pm, Saturday, November 20th, 2010.

Booking is essential and space is limited. To book your place please contact me on 083 324 1477, or e-mail me at matt@imnojamieoliver.com.

Come along and learn how to put fresh, pesticide free food on your table all year round.”

If you have a chance, and you’re keen to learn some simple tricks on growing your own food in our Cape environment – and growing it naturally (organically) – then get in contact with Matt… R200 is a bargain!

About a month ago, the friendly folk from Oded’s Kitchen asked me if I’d like to come along to one of their preserving courses at their shop in Woodstock (in the Biscuit Mill complex).  On the cards: a 4-hour hands-on workshop making 3 different types of preserves – marmalade (Brown Sugar 3-Citric), salsa (3-Tomato) and a pickle (Tannie Zelda’s).

Now, to say that I love pickles is a wild understatement, and as Oded’s pickles and preserves are amongst my very favourite (if not the favourite) on offer around Cape Town, I was uber keen to learn from the maestro himself.  So of course I jumped at the opportunity.

In case you haven’t yet encountered Oded’s Kitchen, here’s a little bit of background:

“Oded’s Kitchen is the culmination of many years of research and a deep love of ancient techniques. Cooking and food lore are used to produce innovative, vibrant and individual flavours that are designed to add an instant gourmet touch to any meal.

Oded’s Kitchen is much more than a condiment provider – it is an organically growing and creative environment which will teach, amuse and entertain with cooking classes, gastronomic experiences, tours and a range of Jewish style speciality foods…

As a company we fully promote the philosophies of the slow food movement; whenever possible we use organically produced, local ingredients and environmentally friendly packaging materials. No artificial preservatives are added and we strive to use the best ingredients around.”

Oded Schwartz is a master preserver who has written several books on the topic, including the definite ‘Preserving‘.  His knowledge is vast, and his enthusiasm contagious – he’ll try just about anything, once.

The course was great fun.  We were a small group (they take a maximum of 8 people) and so we all got to get stuck in, chopping and slicing, dicing and squeezing, as Oded guided us through the three different recipes (for the recipes visit Add To Taste).  We made a beautiful orange marmalade (with coriander in it, yum!), an awesome simple vegetable pickle, and a delicious (spicy!) tomato salsa – one of each of which we got to take home and enjoy later on.

What I loved was that even a complete preserving newbie like myself could follow the instructions, and end up with something delicious (okay, I didn’t really do that much on my own, but it all made sense to me, and I think I could probably replicate most of it now that I understand how it’s supposed to work).  Oded is friendly and ever-so-knowledgeable, and loves answering whatever questions you might have.

I didn’t pay for my workshop this time around, but I would gladly have done so, and will definitely be doing some more in future.  The R400 for the course includes 3 big jars of delicious self-made preserves to take home, and a lovely lunch of home-made pates and whatever else they’ve created for the occasion.

And if you’re not into getting hands-on, you can find Oded’s Kitchen’s wares at various markets around Cape Town, as well as in an increasing number of outlets.  Highly recommended, and there’s always something new on the go (Oded is somewhat experimental!).

Workshop details:

Oded’s Kitchen will be running all kinds of workshops in the months ahead.  Coming up this weekend is the Traditional Jewish Cooking Class on Sunday the 29th of August 2010.

Location:

Oded’s Kitchen is located at The Old Biscuit Mill, 373 Albert Rd, Salt River, Cape Town.   Visit odeds-kitchen.blogspot.com for more information or contact Lewis via email (Lewis@odeds-kitchen.co.za) or phone 021 447 0400.

Back to the pecha-kucha format with 5 minute punchy presentations alerting you to some of the extraordinary work being done by a selection of enterprising individuals and organizations.

Hotelstuff | Greenstuff
Lorraine Jenks launched Greenstuff in 2007. In three years, hits have grown from 3,500 to 190,000 a month – 22,000 page views. Her mission is to educate, change mindsets and encourage hotels and home owners to think before they buy. Greenstuff tries to identify a “greener” alternative to everything a hotel or private individual uses every day and to encourage manufacturers to implement responsible environmental standards. We are not-for-gain and we don’t sell anything or take commission. Our revenue is from subscriptions to the website and a small consulting fee. www.hotelstuff.co.za

BACKSBERG
Simon Back ,Clairë Warren and Courtney Ellis. BACKSBERG has become the first wine producer in South Africa and one of only three in the world to gain Carbon Neutral status by sequestrating its carbon emissions. They will say a few words on their various environmental initiatives www.backsberg.co.za

MARINE STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL
Mike Marriot returned to SA recently after 10 years of work and travel abroad, to work for the Marine Stewardship Council, which is a global non-profit that promotes sustainable fishing practices through a certification and eco-labelling scheme.  In SA recognition of this label is low and I’ll be talking about what it represents and why we want consumers to start looking for it on fish packaging next time they’re out shopping. www.msc.org

ProNature
Bernhard Lembeck Paints will talk about the process of producing plant-oil based wall paints, stone and wood finishes. The ProNature range is derived purely from natural ingredients. www.pronature.co.za

Green Drinks, if you haven’t yet been, is a laid-back way of getting to know more about inspiring and interesting projects on the go in Cape Town and around the country – and of meeting the people who’re making things happen.  It’s part of a global initiative to bring ‘green’ folks together in an informal setting.

The event is free – just bring cash for drinks (wine and beer are usually on offer).

Hope to see you there!

EVENT INFO:

Date & Time: Monday 19 July 2010, from 6.30pm (talks start at 7.30pm)
Location: Josephine Mill, 13 Boundary Road, Newlands (map)

This weekend (10-11 July 2010), Robina McCurdy will be hosting a workshop on ‘Local Food Reliance‘:

This dynamic workshop is an in-depth sharing of Robina’s participatory tools for creating sustainable community food systems, applied to Cape Town and surrounds.  Robina will also share a range of successful international models of local food production and distribution.

The intended outcome of the workshop is that participants leave with a sound integrated strategy for community scale food self reliance, with immediate action steps toward achieving this individually and collectively, starting at their own back doors, within their own neighbourhoods and building on existing networks.

More about Robina McCurdy:

Robina is a co-founder of Tui Land Trust & Community in Aotearoa, New Zealand, and founder/trustee of the Institute for Earthcare Education Aotearoa.  She is also the pioneer-developer of the international programme, S.E.E.D. Schools Environmental Education & Development, and of PLANET Organic in New Zealand (vocational training in bio-regional & community-scale sustainable landuse design, management and facilitation.

Dates: 10, 11 July 2010.

Venue: WESSA Barn in Kirstenhof, Cape Town.

Cost: R475-R950 for weekend | R300 – R600 for Saturday only  (cost is on income-based sliding scale)

For more details, and to register, contact Inna Alex: earthcarenz@gmail.com

An important topic, to be sure, and the line-up looks interesting, as always.

Environmental Monitoring Group (EMG)
Jessica Wilson explains how access to water and sanitation in Cape Town is a tale of two cities. How do we use the characteristics inherent in water – cohesion, flow, adaptability – to understand and help improve water service provision in our divided city? Thoughts on this question will be presented using water and climate change work that EMG has been engaged with over the past few years.
www.emg.org.za

Greenhouse
Justin Friedman introduces the For Love of Water (FLOW) Campaign that aims to to instil a deep appreciation, understanding and respect for water. Raising awareness of water quality and quantity challenges on both a local and national level, while providing practical solutions to ensure that all are provided with clean safe fresh water.
www.flow.org.za

aQuadesign
Jerome Davis talks on aqua-solutions that include natural swimming pools, grey water recycling, energy optimisation and total water management. Ponds, mountain pools and wetlands are re-created using biological innovation, authentic bio-mimicry, high aesthetics, obsession with detail and design creativity.
www.naturalswimmingpools.co.za

SAB
Josiah Mpofu shares his perspective on the positive steps that SAB is taking to conserve water and reduce demand. In particular a relationship with WWF in the catchment, the exploration of the recycling of waste water (here and in Ibhayi), the reduction of consumption in the production process and the acknowledgement of water in the Newlands – the springs in particular.

Thomas Cousins and co-adventurers share their plan to paddle from Muizenberg to Milnerton via the waterways of the Cape Flats on May 23. This has never been done before (in terms of the modern city’s built infrastructure). The aim is to highlight the importance of healthy rivers in the life of the city by drawing attention to the human and ecological dimensions of the rivers and canals that we will travel along. They will interview residents, community groups, environmental activists, city officials and ecologists; conduct water quality tests and audits of sections of the rivers; and, by having the media at various points, contribute to public debate on how we would like to re-vison the river as a feature of city life.
thomas.cousins@jhu.edu

.

Monday 17 May 2010.  From 6.30pm.   Map and further details: http://www.josephinemill.co.za/greendrinks.html

I’m a little late in posting this, as I think bookings might already have closed for the event, but I thought it was worth highlighting nonetheless.

SA’s first Food Bloggers Conference will be taking place this coming Sunday (21 March 2010) at the Giggling Gourmet Cooks’ Playground (opposite the new Cape Quarter).

The conference will include talks by guest speakers such as: award-winning blogger Jeanne Horak-Druiff, the talented food styler Nina Timm, Editor-in-chief of Women24, Food24 and Parent24 Sam Wilson and professional book editor and author of the blog Scrumptious SA Jane-Anne Hobbs.

It’s a jam-packed day, with what I feel is quite a good variety of topics, and I’m looking forward to meeting fellow food bloggers!

Food Bloggers Conference Agenda:

• 09.30 – 10.00:  Registration and Champagne/Orange Juice
• 10.00 – 10.15: Welcome & Introduction by Giggling Gourmet Jenny Morris
• 10.15 – 11.15: WRITING – ‘Finding your Blog Voice’ by Jeanne Horak-Druiff and ‘Effective Recipe Writing & Editorial Techniques’ by Jane-Anne Hobbs
• 11.15 – 11.45:  ‘Getting to know your camera’ by Nina Timm
• 11.45 – 12.00:  Short Coffee Break
• 12.00 – 12.45: ‘How to be a better Blogger’ by Jeanne Horak-Druiff
• 12.45 – 13.30:  Lunch Break
• 13.30 – 14.15: ‘Social Networking – Getting Connected’ by Sam Wilson
• 14.15 – 15.00: ‘Food Styling’ by Nina Timm
• 15.00 – 15.15:  Short Tea/Coffee Break
• 15.15 – 16.00: ‘The Legalities & Ethics of Blogging’ by Jeanne Horak-Druiff
• 16.00 – 16.30: ‘Monetizing Your Blog – how to make money from blogging’ by Nina Timm
• 16.30 – 17.00:  Questions & Answers with all the speakers

Tickets to the conference are R430 per person.  The event website is a little difficult to navigate, so check out the details here and, if you want to go straight to the source, email collywolly50@yahoo.co.uk.  Like I say, I’m not too sure if bookings are still open, but maybe you’ll be lucky and they’ll have one or two spots left.

Green Drinks Newlands, as you probably already know, is a monthly gathering of greenies and interested parties at the lovely Josephine Mill.  The event is on tonight (15 March 2010) from 6.30pm.

This year, the gatherings are broadly themed and the topic for March is Energy:

ASPO South Africa

Roger Diamond will speak about the work and current thinking of the South African Branch of The Association for the Study of Peak Oil and Gas, a Global group monitoring our decent from oil dependency and the implications resulting from the turning point of cheap oil.
www.aspo.org.za

The Institute for Zero Waste

Muna Lakhani will give a brief “state of the nation” update on the politics and intrigues of the Nuclear lobby and the role of nuclear in the future energy mix in South Africa.
www.izwa.org.za

Retosolar

Reinhold Viljoen will give a perspective on the state of play of the alternative energy market in South Africa: – Eskom, Nersa, feed in tariffs and the state of applications for the roll-out of wind, concentrating solar and other alternative energy technologies.
www.retosolar.co.za

Alt-e Technologies

Tendai Shumbayaonda of Alt-e technologies, a commercial supplier of alternative energy and sustainable energy technology will give some real, current and practical information on what’s available, where to get it or how to get it done…Want a solar thermal hot water system, PV lighting or advice on how to uncouple your life from Eskom?
www.alt-e.co.za

Map and further details: http://www.josephinemill.co.za/greendrinks.html

Green Drinks Newlands, as so many of you know, is a monthly gathering of greenies and interested parties at the lovely Josephine Mill.  This year, the gatherings are broadly themed into the elements, and February’s theme is Earth:Food.

Food being one of my very favourite enthusiasms, of course I couldn’t resist getting involved and had the privilege of helping to organise this month’s event.  It’s on tonight from 6.30pm, and I think the lineup will appeal not just to greenies, but to anyone interested in finding out more about food provenance – getting to the source of the food you eat.

Here are the details:

GREENDRINKSCAPETOWN – February 2010

Dear Friends
Here we go again with the first of ten gatherings this year…This one celebrates and questions our connection with nature through food – where and what is the progeny and purpose of our nourishment. An awareness of food from its biological to political… we are back on the PechaKucha format – short presentations from some interesting do-ers, be-ers and activists

Slow Food Mother City
Slow Food Mother City is a local convivium (chapter) of the international Slow Food movement.
Celebrating good food in Cape Town is what SFMC is all about. Sharing their passion for local produce, food artisans and seasonal eating, the new convivium is organising a series of relaxed foodie events throughout 2010. Hear about what’s planned, and find out more about projects supported by SFMC, such as the Cape Town CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) and a soon-to-be-launched open seed network.
www.slowfoodmothercity.co.za

Wild Organics
In addition to operating a city-wide organic box scheme, Wild Organics also offers foodies an old style organic shopping experience in the heart of Woodstock’s heritage area. In addition to fresh organic fruit and vegetables, Wild sells free range meat, cheeses and pickles, and serves meals on selected days of the week.
http://www.wildorganics.co.za/

Heart Global – Food Tents
Millions of South African children go hungry every day. In response to this ever increasing crisis, Foodtents offer a sustainable, cost-effective, low maintenance solution to provide those most in need with fresh vegetables on an ongoing basis.  Find out how Heart Global’s revolutionary, make-shift greenhouses are helping communities source and secure supplies of nutritious food.
http://heartglobal.org/

KwaLapa
Kwalapa is an organic wholefoods store in Newlands, sheltered under a very large tree. It’s a place for people to meet, share ideas, experience delicious organic foods and dip in / become part of a fantastic way of life.  Kwalapa is telling the story of food, from farm to table, reconnecting conscious eaters with where, when and how their food was created.
http://www.kwalapa.com/

If you too would like to share your dreams or what you do, please let us know (greendrinks@josephinemill.co.za). Make a presentation in the future…. and become a part of a growing, conscious–living community. Share knowledge, wisdom, skills, hope, and enthusiasm.

Map and further details: http://www.josephinemill.co.za/greendrinks.html

I’ve been watching, with some interest, the steps that the retailer has been taking towards making themselves ‘greener’ and more eco-conscious.  They are definitely making big changes, and whatever the motives behind it may be (’tis the nature of business, after all, to make a profit), I’m impressed with the extent to which they are bringing in more and more earth-friendly options.

So, whilst I may not have time to attend this talk, I do think it will be an interesting one.  And, a perfect opportunity for the skeptics to voice their concerns and open up the floor for debate.

More about Green Drinks:
Greendrinks is a free forum, open to anyone who wants to share green experiences, discuss ideas for more conscious living, network, listen to new developments and have a good time. (www.greendrinks.org).

Event Location: Cafe Restaurant La Vie, on 205 Main Road, Sea Point
Event dates and times: 10th February 2010 from 18h30

For more info,contact seaboardgreendrinks@gmail.com.