Berry varieties:

BLACKBERRIES: Youngberries and Boysenberries are American hybrid varieties. Three kinds of English blackberry or brambleberry are also available, each with its distinctive flavour and texture.

TAYBERRIES: A hybrid variety developed in Scotland by crossing a Scottish raspberry with an American blackberry. The result is an unusually perfumed, juicy berry. Sadly the season is very short.

RASPBERRIES: Several varieties have been brought in from Europe and America. They are almost too beautiful to eat.

BLUEBERRIES: The American varieties are best adapted to local conditions. Succulent, full flavoured berries.

Blackcurrants, Redcurrants and English gooseberries (Stachelbeere) are also being grown experimentally on the farm.

The Origins of Thelema:

The tale of Thelema comes from the collection of stories by Rebelais (one of 16th century France’s most colourful writers). In the book of Gargantua, he tells of a great battle between Gargantua and Pichrocole, in which the former ‘utterly defeated’ the latter. After the battle, Gargantua divided the spoils and finally only had to provide for one monk. Gargantua offered him many lofty titles, complete with bountiful lands, but the monk refused them all. The monk explained that he did not wish to rule over other monks – instead he suggested Gargantua could reward him with leave to found an Abbey after his own ‘minde and fancie’. This intrigued Gargantua, who offered him all the land of Thelema by the river Loire. Here, with Gargantua’s blessing, grew a unique religious order.

The Abbey of Thelema was not walled, time was not circumscribed by clocks or sundials, men and women were allowed to live freely with each other, and people were dressed in the finest satin and cloths. Rebelais entered into some details about who would qualify as a devotee of Thelema…

“Therefore it was ordained, that into this religious order should be no woman that were not faire, well featur’d and of sweet disposition; nor men that were not comely, personable and well conditioned.”

In contrast to the three vows of chastity, poverty and obedience taken by conventional religious men and women, the followers of Thelema were allowed to be honourably married, become rich and live at liberty. One law governed the Thelemites, a simple and beautiful one: “Do what thou wilt”. It has been greatly abused and much misunderstood, for the rule is not an open invitation to chaos, but a call for true self-examination.

The history of Thelema:

In 1983, Gyles Webb and his wife’s family bought a run-down fruit farm situated about 6km outside Stellenbosch on the slopes of the Simonsberg. There were no vines on the property at the time of purchase so the slow process of turning the property into a wine farm began, with the removal of the old plum and pear orchards and the clearing of virgin mountainside land. Meticulous attention to detail in the vineyards has paid off, as Thelema was, for three years, adjudged to have the best vineyards in the Stellenbosch region and remains a benchmark for viticulture excellence in South Africa.

Since then, 50ha of vineyards have been planted. In 1987, a winery was built to handle the fruit from the property, and the first wines were produced in 1988. From the early days, the farm has enjoyed considerable success. Gyles Webb won the Diners Club Winemaker of the Year award in 1994 and 1996. For three years in a row, Thelema Chardonnay was voted best white wine at the prestigious South African Airways wine selections, and for two years in a row Thelema red wines were voted the top red wine. The Wine Spectator has twice listed Thelema in the Top 100 Wines of the World.

Less than an hours drive from Cape Town, nestled at the foot of the Groot Drakenstein Mountains, stands Boschendal, whose proud French heritage dates back to 1685.

This historic manor house stands as a monument to this rich cultural tradition. The vineyards that stretch high on the cool eastern slopes of the mountains are planted with noble varieties, which produce highly prized wines characterised by their elegance and complexity. The Cape, well known for its superb hospitality is reflected in the facilities on offer to visitors to Boschendal.

The world-renown Boschendal Restaurant (extensive buffet lunches), Le Pique-Nique (pre-packed picnic hampers), Le Café (teas, coffees and light lunches), Waenhuiswinkel (gift shop), Taphuis (tasting centre, vineyard and cellar tours) and magnificent gardens – there is enough here to make a day of it!

Boschendal staff were and still are housed at Lanquedoc – a historical collection of houses built by architect Sir Herbert Baker

Le Pique-Nique:

For those who prefer a more simple meal in the open air, there is Boschendal’s Le Pique-Nique. As the name suggests, the style is very French. Burgundy umbrellas are jauntily set above tables covered with cloths of green and burgundy. From hand-woven picnic baskets lined with cheerful cloths, emerge freshly baked baguettes and a tempting collation of home-made pâtés, cold meats, salads, cheeses and biscuits. A dessert creation and hot filter coffee is served from the gazebo.

Boschendal Restaurant:

Situated in the original cellar of the Boschendal Manor House, this restaurant serves delectable Cape-French buffet luncheons every day of the week. Guests are welcomed in the reception area with a glass of sherry or grape juice and a magnificent display of fresh proteas – all picked on the farm. The restaurant is slightly elevated from the reception area and is air-conditioned in summer and warmed in winter.

The yellow-wood tables groan under the weight of eye-catching, mouth watering dishes, which are expertly prepared by the kitchen brigade. The tantalising treats are perfectly complimented by Boschendal’s finest wines. Included in the wine list are descriptions of more than twenty local cheeses presented on the cheese table. Complimented with fresh and dried fruit and preserves, we suggest visitors try the ‘French way’ and enjoy your cheese before moving on to the sinful desserts.

Beautifully restored and well-appointed, this is the idea place to build a lasting memory of Cape Culture – unspoilt surroundings, sumptuous food, fine wine and timelessness.

Le Café:

Nestled in the original slave quarters of the Boschendal Manor House, Le Café has the ideal setting in the balmy summer months to enjoy anything from the best home-made scones in the valley to garden-fresh salads and baguettes topped with adventurous fillings. In winter, the menu changes its focus so that patrons can tuck into wholesome casseroles and warm traditional dishes. With a glass of Boschendal’s finest sparkling wine in the dappled shade of the ancient oak tree; or near a cosy log fire with a cup of steamy hot chocolate – any season is a pleasure at Le Café.

Waenhuiswinkel:

A visit to Boschendal is always enjoyable and memorable. A wide variety of gifts are available from the Waenhuiswinkel (which means ‘coach house shop’) as reminders of a pleasurable experience. It is a veritable cornucopia spilling over with things old and new – glassware, pottery, locally made beeswax candles, brass- and copperware, original watercolours, home-made confectionery, needlework and much more.

The Taphuis:

Here visitors to Boschendal are able to taste and purchase wines in the pleasant surrounds of the Taphuis – situated close to the Manor House and a short distance from the winery. Visitors may sit inside or outside under the shade of the giant oak tree to savour their Boschendal wines. Experienced and knowledgeable assistants are in attendance to answer any wine-related questions. Conducted tours of the vineyards and wine cellars take place twice daily at 10:30 and 11:30 during the summer months.

The history of Boschendal:

The farm Boschendal (which means ‘wood and dale’) was granted to French Huguenot Jean Le Long in 1685 by Governor Simon van der Stel. A fellow Huguenot, Abraham de Villiers, bought it in 1715 together with adjacent land belonging to Nicolas de Lanoy – both farms were 60 morgen (51ha) each.

The de Villiers family proved to be successful farmers, acquiring several farms in the area. Abraham’s line of the family died out, leaving the farm Boschendal in the hands of his brother Jacques (who bought the farm from him in 1717). Jacques and his decedents are responsible for the existing buildings at Boschendal – Jean de Villiers (Jacques’s son) for the wine cellar and coach house, and his youngest son, Paul, for the homestead as it now stands.

Boschendal was eventually sold by Jan Jacobus de Villiers to become one of the Rhodes Fruit Farms. By 1911, it was evident that Rhodes Fruit Farms was decidedly the largest and most profitable deciduous fruit grower in South Africa. De Beers became the largest shareholder of Rhodes Fruit Farms when Alfred Beit died in 1906. In 1937, when De Beers relinquished its interests in Rhodes Fruit Farms, and old associate of Rhodes, Sir Abe Bailey bought the company. A syndicate of businessmen bought Rhodes Fruit Farms from Bailey’s estate in 1941.

Frank Robb (a later edition to the syndicate) interested Anglo-American Corporation (formed by Sir Ernest Oppenheimer in 1917 to become one of the largest trans-national conglomerates in the world), De Beers and Rand Selection Corporation Ltd in becoming majority shareholders in Rhodes Fruit Farms in 1969.

Under the chairmanship of WJ Héfer, the board decided to restore Boschendal. The architect, Gawie Fagan, restored the homestead and outbuildings, converting the wine-cellar into a restaurant and laid out an old rose garden. The complex was opened to the public in 1976. The manor house is authentic in every detail and contains many treasures – including an important collection of Ming porcelain.

OpenAfrica.org

]]>

Brandt and Williams – Tour guides:

Mr Brandt and Ms Williams are two qualified tour guides in Kylemore. They have decided to combine their efforts as guides to provide the visitor with a more complete experience of Kylemore. Together, they say, they can tell a better story of Kylemore and show the visitor how residents of Kylemore live and work in harmony.

The Imbali Visual Literacy Project:

The Imbali Visual Literacy Project was created in 1988, as a project of the Women For Peace, when it became clear from the results of a national children’s art competition that children with little or no access to art at school showed extremely poor perceptual skills.

Imbali was formed with the following mission:

To make art and art education accessible to all;

To enable teachers to develop and communicate visual literacy skills; and

To promote awareness of our cultural heritage.

Imbali has run courses and workshop programmes to train teachers in art education, and is also involved in crafts training.