Tabla de contenidos para Summer 2018|2019 en go! Platteland

Back in 2013, when we hit “send” on the last page of Platteland #1 to forward it to the printers, our small team looked at one another, overawed, and wondered out loud: How will we manage to gather enough stories to fill a magazine every three months? Well, it’s a concern that has diminished with every issue, up to this one, #21, because we’ve discovered there are umpteen stories to tell in this country of ours. Just go to a platteland market and chat to the people who sell their wares. The entrepreneurs you’ll meet are inventive people who come up with genius plans, and often make a living out of what they sell at the market. Fate put some of them in that position – South Africa has an…

Are you tired of being phubbed? “Phubbing” is the act of snubbing someone you’re talking to in order to respond to a message on your cellphone or descending into a social-media black hole. Most of us are guilty of doing it and all of us have been phubbed: by colleagues, friends, spouses and – if you’re a parent – your children, especially. Our “black mirrors” – a term for smartphones coined by the Netflix series Black Mirror – have become an integral part of daily urban lives, and the more apps you install on your phone, the deeper you are sucked into a digital black hole. Digital efficiency has come at a remarkable cost to our social and emotional wellbeing. I’ve been tracking digital addiction for the past four years…

Distance from the big city? Hazyview, the nearest town, is 55km away but, because the speed limit in the park is 50km/h, it takes 60 to 90 minutes to get there. White River is 100km away and Nelspruit 120km. Facilities There is a staff shop in the village and a tourist shop at the rest camp, but most residents do their monthly shopping in Hazyview. Skukuza does have two doctors, a gym, an ATM and a fuel station. Nearest hospital There are state clinics in Hazyview, and the nearest private hospital is in Nelspruit. Retirement homes There are several retirement homes in White River and Nelspruit. Schools Skukuza Primary has 250 learners. High-school learners go to boarding school in Sabie (100km away), White River and Nelspruit. Nearest Woolies Nelspruit (120km).…

Seven years ago, before Facebook surpassed word-of-mouth as an effective marketing tool, Lulu Edy-Roderick had to help inform the public about an introductory beekeeping workshop presented at Durban Botanic Gardens, where she works as an administrative assistant. No one knew if there would be any interest in this free information day on offer by bee farmer and artist Jenny Cullinan. But people from all over the province turned up in swarms – suited, veiled, gloved, ready. These days, Lulu, who was first in line, refers to Apis mellifera scutellata as “role models” and “teachers”, and to herself as “forever an apprentice” who regards her Lulubee range of products as a way of paying tribute to “these lovely, fascinating, mindful creatures that work to die”. When you listen to Lulu and…

On 29 December 2017, slap bang in the middle of his family’s annual summer holiday, Marius Brundyn turned on his computer. The stream of emails that downloaded contained one that sent shivers down his spine: it was from the international agricultural chemical company he was working for at the time, and the subject line included the word “retrenchments” (or any one of those politically correct terms that companies use when they are too ashamed to tell you to “hit the road, Jack”). Two months down the line, at the end of February, Marius was officially included in this country’s astronomically high unemployment figure – according to Statistics South Africa, the number had climbed to 27,5% by the end of the third quarter in 2018. It’s a sad state of affairs.…

The old folks used to call green beans string beans. It’s clear why, especially when you conjure up a memory of your mom in her kitchen, bowed over the large plastic bowl, with the sharp little knife in her hand… These days, supermarkets sell elegant thin French green beans that can be added to any dish right away, or simply lightly steamed and served with butter. But the old-fashioned string bean requires a little more prep to make the most of it. Apart from the hard stalks on either side that have to be removed, most recipes require you to score the beans. I like to preserve colour and crunch by plunging the beans into boiling water for two minutes, then immediately into cold water to stop the cooking process.…

Stuffed Peppadews These bites are great as starters or as a tapa. There’s no cooking involved, so you can prepare them the day before your gathering. Serves 6 Preparation time 20 minutes YOU NEED • 100g pine nuts• 300g soft goat’s-milk cheese (chevin)• zest and juice of 2 lemons• 2 tablespoons (30ml) fresh mint leaves, finely chopped• 400g Peppadews• savoury biscuits for serving THIS IS HOW Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan until golden brown – keep an eye on them and stir or shake the pan every few seconds to prevent the pine nuts from turning too dark in colour. Combine the goat’s-milk cheese, lemon zest and juice, mint leaves and pine nuts in a mixing bowl to form a smooth paste. Season to taste with sea…

Winning letter That’s a tit’s nest! Thank you very much for Platteland – I enjoy every season’s issue full of advice and tips. On page 67 in your article “Herbal healers of the Karoo” (Platteland #20, Spring 2018), Antoinette Pienaar refers to the nest of a cisticola, but according to all my bird books it is actually the nest of a Cape penduline tit. In Hopefield we host the Fynbos Show every year, and for the past 30 years we’ve shown guests this type of nest and told them the tit’s story the way Prof Christo Pienaar told it on his radio show back in the day. Over the years, we’ve received the most wonderful information from experts and ordinary folks alike, but I still use Prof Pienaar’s story as…

WESTERN CAPE Durbanville Plaasfees 9 March 2019 Experience all the joys, flavours and fun of farm life, including lots to eat and drink, entertainment, farm animals, tractors, birds-of-prey and snake demonstrations, stalls selling fresh produce and more, and kids’ play areas. WHERE? Diemersdal, Koeberg Road (M58), Durbanville TIME 09:00-17:00 COST R60 per adult and R20 for children 2-18 at Computicket CONTACT durbanvilleplaasfees.co.za Durbanville Plaasfees 082 417 5473 (Alida) COUNTRYWIDE National Rooibos Day 16 January 2019 There are countless ways to celebrate one of South Africa’s tastiest exports: invite friends, family or colleagues around for a cup of rooibos tea… or how about rooibos beer, gin or milk tart? CONTACT rooibosday.com Rooibos Day WESTERN CAPE Fragrance Fest, Garden Route 9 March 2019 Experience all the venues along the 40km Fragrance Route…

Veldskoen shoes – from left in Vilakazi (yellow), Uhambo (pink) and Pinotage (red) R890 a pair Veldskoen veldskoen.shoes Large hand-woven Makulu beach bag of recycled T-shirt cotton R850 Ashanti Design shop.ashantidesign.com 021 461 0367 Belvoir cordials in Honey, Lemon & Ginger and Raspberry & Lemon (500ml) R99 each Poetry poetrystores.co.za Handmade fans R695 each Ashanti Design shop.ashantidesign.com 021 461 0367 Vase in Rosemary (2?) R390 Le Creuset lecreuset.co.za 086 177 3321 Wonki Ware plate R99 Wonki Ware dipping bowl R60 Ceramic spoons R55 each Poetry poetrystores.co.za Mandala cloth doilies (32cm-40cm) R30-R40 each Streepsak streepsak.co.za Dried Fig Cake with Citrus Peel & Gin and Hanepoot Sherry & Spices (200g each) R120 each Liedjiesbos liedjiesbos.co.za (click on “Shop”) info@liedjiesbos.co.za Hand-printed cotton beach bag with plastic cover, waterproof lining, metal clasp and inside…

Kally Ubisi Game ranger Kally has lived and worked in the Kruger National Park for 23 years – half of his life. His father also works here – he’s been a driver since the Fifties – and Kally grew up in neighbouring towns. As a field guide and game ranger in the anti-poaching unit, Kally has moved all over the park, but in 2014 he moved to Skukuza. “To live here, you must have a love of, and a calling for, conservation; if you want to make the big bucks, you won’t last a month,” he says. Of course, poaching is a sensitive topic, made more difficult when people you know are involved. “Yes, we are combatting an enemy in our midst,” Kally says emphatically. He has many animal stories…

Hendrieka treated Platteland to this delectable cake, which is featured in Hendrieka’s Favourite Recipes. Serves 6-8 Preparation time 30 minutes Baking time 25-30 minutes YOU NEED • 4 firm, ripe pears (Bosch or Forelle)• 1¼ cup (310ml) sugar• 150g butter• 8 whole almonds, or more• 1½ cup (375ml) white bread flour• 1½ teaspoon (7,5ml) baking powder• ¾ teaspoon (3,75ml) ground cardamom• ¼ teaspoon (1,25ml) salt• 1 large egg• ¾ teaspoon (3,75ml) vanilla essence• ¾ cup (180ml) full cream milk THIS IS HOW Heat the oven to 170ºC. Peel the pears and halve them lengthwise, discarding the pips. Place half a cup (125ml) of the sugar on a plate and press the pear halves into the sugar, cut side down. Heat 60g of the butter in a cast-iron pan (or coat…

Christo Bezuidenhout had a sticky upbringing. Literally. Because although his father’s real job was with the railways, he always had a number of beehives on farms around Oudtshoorn. Today, Christo doesn’t keep his own bees but he does live out his love for these industrious insects through his enterprise, Blue Bee, which uses honey, among other ingredients, in handmade cocktail syrups he sells in repurposed gin bottles. (The “blue” part of the name refers to Christo’s favourite colour, and the motto of the business, “Eat Drink Smile”, expresses his goal of using fun and food to make the world a better place.) Watch him in action at a food and wine festival or the Hermanus Country Market, or at the Blaauwklippen Family Market outside Stellenbosch, where he plies his trade…

DATES? 15 – 25 March 2019; 14 – 24 July 2019 DURATION? 11 days, 10 nights COST? R15 750 per person (accommodation in tents) WHAT TO BRING A 4x4 (fuel and border fees are for your own account) Bedding and towels A camera Drinks and snacks Personal items THE RATE INCLUDES A tour leader and a professional photographer All accommodation All park fees Three meals a day Use of two-way radios But I’m an amateur…? Whether you have a large D-SLR or a point-and-shoot, these tours will improve your photography irrespective of your skills. BOOK NOW! To reserve 044 535 9033 or 082 724 0442 bookings@bhejane.com…

What made you start this Instagram account? Over weekends, I’m mostly in the forest looking for mushrooms, then I end up walking into a friend’s kitchen with a full basket and we cook something interesting. I share my hobbies on Instagram: my adventures while foraging for wild mushrooms, cooking with ingredients “harvested” from nature, and the healing powers of plants. During the week I work in the exciting world of crypto-currencies and on weekends I give free rein to my life-long love of nature. How did you become interested in mushrooms? In the winter of 1997, when I was 10 years old, my father took us to Tokai Forest in Cape Town’s Southern Suburbs to pick mushrooms. I knew nothing about these fungi, but earlier that week I’d borrowed a…

Many works by beloved US poet Emily Dickinson (1830–1886) were inspired by nature – think of poems such as “Nature, the gentlest mother” and “‘Nature’ is what we see”. Her love of plants started very early: as a 14-year-old schoolgirl, Emily collected plants in the Amherst area (in Massachusetts, where she grew up), dried them and, as a hobby, started a herbarium. This original 65-page book containing 424 flowers forms part of the Emily Dickinson collection in the Houghton Library at Harvard University. Because the book itself is so fragile and valuable, its contents have now been made available online and in full colour. The online herbarium also contains a comprehensive botanical catalogue and index, which makes it easy to look up specific plants. Here and there, the young Emily…

1 CENTELLA ASIATICA is known as pennywort, bubbles or little pig’sears, and elsewhere in the world it’s mostly called gotu kola. It makes skin appear firmer and more youthful because it promotes collagen production, microcirculation and repair. Research shows that it is also good for treating cellulite. 2 SYMPHYTUM OFFICINALE, known as comfrey, is regarded as a wonder herb that helps speed up the healing of wounds and skin irritations. It assists the skin in preserving moisture and helps to balance and normalise the production of skin cells, which means it’s often used for chronic conditions such as psoriasis. 3 ERIOCEPHALUS AFRICANUS, more widely known as wild rosemary or Cape snowbush, has powerful anti-inflammatory properties that soothe skin ailments. In addition, according to the late Margaret Roberts, this indigenous plant…

People who produce fake (and diluted) honey are getting more wily, which means laboratory tests are really the only way to be 100% sure you haven’t bought “funny honey”. The best option is to set up your own beehive or to buy your honey from a small-scale farmer you know and trust. The price is also a good indicator – the cheaper it is, the greater the chance you’re being deceived. All pure honey will crystallise at some point. To hasten the process (only for testing purposes!), place it in the fridge. Here are some other tests you can do at home, courtesy of the internet and Carte Blanche, that might set off the alarm bells: • The acid test Mix a little honey with water and add four to…

Pesto potato salad with green beans Mediterranean potatoes are really good to use in this salad, otherwise use red potatoes or any potato variety recommended for chips. This salad is also lovely served hot as a vegetable side with braaied chicken. Serves 6-8 Preparation time 20-25 minutes YOU NEED • 1kg potatoes, unpeeled• 250g green beans, trimmed and cut into 2cm lengths on the diagonal• ¼ cup (60ml) Ina Paarman’s Basil Pesto• 1 teaspoon (5ml) Ina Paarman’s Green Onion Seasoning• ¼ cup (60ml) finely sliced spring onions• 2 tablespoons (30ml) olive oil THIS IS HOW Steam the potatoes until tender and allow to cool. Steam the beans until just tender but still bright green, then toss with the Basil Pesto while still warm. Skin and cut the potatoes into small…

Foodies of South Africa: The Most Viral Recipes Ever! by Chantal Botha, Hayley Murison and Julie Brown Online phenomenon Foodies of South Africa is known for its epic, easy-to-follow recipe videos that inevitably go viral – from extra-cheesy delights to wicked combos and tempting sweet treats. This new book contains all its most popular proudly South African recipes watched hundreds of millions of times around the world, and is bound to become a much-loved, much-consulted kitchen companion. Do try the mouth-watering Croque Meneer made with cheese and biltong, the Chakalaka dippers made with good old maize meal, the Amarula rooibos latte or the famous Cheesy egg toasty, the most viral social-media video clip ever made in South Africa. It has been shared more than 660 000 times on Facebook alone…

• The face and the spirit Christo believes it’s important to entertain customers while you are introducing your product to them. Marni nods. “I don’t know anyone who loves people more, who always remains positive and who gets along with just about anyone.” • Creativity “Both you and your products must be different and creative. You must keep surprising your customers.” • Every bit of experience helps “Every single job I’ve done – even those I hated – either taught me a skill or helped me understand people better.” • Patience “I have always believed that slow-and-steady wins the race, and I’ve seen countless businesses fail because they wanted to grow too fast too soon and blew money on things they could have survived without for another year or two.…

lulubee.co.za BEESWAX WRAPS INGREDIENTS Durable organic cotton; unbleached local beeswax with antibacterial properties; slash pine resin (Pinus elliottii, a Category 2 invasive species in South Africa), which is naturally sticky and makes the wrap mouldable; and a carrier oil (mostly olive or coconut oil) to bind the ingredients. COLOURING It was Keith’s idea to dye the cotton wraps in the traditional way – by hand and with plant-based dyes. Turmeric is used for the yellow wraps, and a mix of brown and red onion skins create the brown shade of the bread wraps, which turns out a little different every time. ADVANTAGES It’s a centuries-old natural alternative to clingfilm – the antibacterial properties of beeswax ensure that food lasts longer. You can use it to wrap sandwiches, bread, cheese, fruit,…