Spring is on it’s way

We are starting to get lovely warm days, warm enough to wear a t-shirt and work in the garden. All of a sudden one starts to be aware that Spring is coming and that we need to be prepared for her. On Rustfontein that means hauling out the many packets of seeds we have stashed away and putting them into our boxes we built last year (wooden with clear pvc lids) to protect the new seedlings from the inevitable frost that can carry on until mid September, here on the river floodplain. It is the potential of every seed that is so exciting–seeing the orange butternuts, green beans, red tomatoes and purple aubergines laden in baskets waiting to be eaten and knowing they are healthy, organic veggies grown with love.

Through Winter we have put all our horse manure to good use and packed it about 10cm deep under all the fruit and nut  trees and as a mulch in all the herb and veggie beds. It has been slowly breaking down nourishing the soil ready for those seedlings.

We are planning a bigger vegetable patch on the Rustfontein side of the farm, Herman and Regan were out there this past weekend sowing carrots and beetroot seeds and setting up an irrigation system. As for me, I started to get a bit uptight about the state of my rather large flowerbeds in paradise so I have been diving in with my pruning shears, cutting away all the dead branches and pruning back ready for the spring growth (and not to mention pulling out weeds that seem to have crept in over Winter.)

In between all that pruning I managed to have a walk through the nut and fruit orchard. To stand and gaze at the bare trees covered with pink and white blossoms. It really is a sight to see and very, very pretty. Every blossom is a picture and is just perfect!

Poor Shadow has got Billary (tick bite fever) so he has ben put off all riding and exercise for 6 weeks plus I need to inject him every second day for a few days–not something I am looking forward to. He looks so sorry for himself, standing with his head down. I am giving him loads of attention and making him feel loved and cared for, the femine touch to faster healing!?

What I haven’t mentioned is the stunning Orange Marmalade I made this Winter. This is the first time making Marmalade –the Royale of jams!!! I never realised it was NOT jam with bits in. When my sister was here we made an even better one using our Ruby Grapefruit—perfect for that morning slice of toast!

Herman went off and did a course in making salami’s, coppa and italian sausage so I am sure that is the next thing that is going to hanging somewhere cool to cure!  Most proberly in the wine cellar–where, by the way, something very magic is happening in those vats.

Old Farmhouse Renovated

The house sleeps a total of 18 people, this includes a small outer cottage with it’s own bathroom. Anyone renting the house will have acess to the river which allows for kayaking , swimming and excellent bird watching. Acess to nature walks on the 640 hectare rehabilitated fynbos farm with kloofs, springs, caves and wildlife.

There will also be opportunities to buy any organic, home grown or made produce that would be available eg. meat, eggs, jams, honey, marmalade, fruit, veggies, wine and whatever is taking the fancy for that moment.

Catch up and first guests.

I am sure everyone is thinking that this blog is no longer active as I haven’t written for two months. In my defence a lot has been happening–we went on a fantastic trip to the Botswana side of the Kalahari and I turned 40 with a pride of 15 lions through our campsite twice, I then had my gorgeous sister here from Australia——

who was my right and left hand in helping me finish Emily’s (our renovated self-catering old farmhouse) and invited a whole group of our slick city friends  to stay there for a week-end to test it out for us. Nobody wanted to leave and it turned into a rather long weekend of catch up with a lot of red wine–so satisfied customers?

This past weekend we had our first paying customers, a group of people who had organised a kayaking, hiking, cycling competition ending on the farm.

It was really lovely to see the farmhouse being used and everybody having such a good time.

I thought for the next post I am going to pile on the photos and give you all a feel of what the guesthouse looks like and what we have been doing with all that paint and second hand furniture.