The Dal Times – Issue #1 – July 2020
The Dal Times – Issue #2 – August 2020
August 1, 2020
The Dal Times
A road less travelled to Tesselaarsdal…
Issue #1 – July 2020
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Editor: Lindsay Madden Email: lmadden@mweb.co.za Cell: 082-650-9697
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Editorial Policy
Not much happens in the countryside – so what? After 6 years in the area, the Editor can fairly say that some country bumpkins are only too happy to get away with doing nothing and looking busy. Perhaps they are more focused on quality of life than quantity of life? Sometimes, it is good to slow down and smell the fynbos or chew the fat, as sooner or later, the latter will kill you – the former, probably not. So much for a policy statement. Enjoy this virtual ride into the Overberg…
A First and Last Mention of Covid-19
When did you last hear a mention of Brexit? It is not that it has gone away, it is just that we have adapted, moved on and learned to live with it. Similarly, Covid has produced a whole new range of “content free expressions” and The New Normal is probably the one that will stick with us. Have we have just had too much time to sit and think? Never have so many Webinars been held about such small topics. Standup comedians seem to have re-invented themselves and benefited the most, as they don’t have to hire a venue and can even sit down. So, sometimes, I also just sits. Will this be a Covid-free publication – like The Spectator is Brexit-free?
The Wheels of Progress
According to a framed contract on the wall of De Poskantoor Café, (https://www.facebook.com/DePostkantoor/) in 1909 Mr Tier was awarded the contract to collect the post from Caledon once a week and deliver it by horse to the Bovenplaats Post Office in Tesselaarsdal. Things have moved on a bit since the Post Office closed in the 1960’s and now it is accessible by both bicycle and car. Is that progress? Maybe not, but there is a great cup of coffee and a power breakfast, waiting just around that corner.
Going since 1891, when the post came by horse Now – accessible by bicycle and car…
To MTB or not to MTB? – Is that actually a question?
Scenic gravel roads with traffic counts of less than 1 car per hour, make for peace of mind and lots of head space in The Dal. Apart from the quiet public roads, there are also 3 MTB routes on offer – 11, 24 and 31km which all start and finish at De Postkantoor Café. Day permits cost R20 per rider – or you can just walk them. If you have got surplus energy or a weight problem, give them a go!
1 rider, 1 road… 2 riders, 2 tracks… Or group madness!
Care for a tipple?
When the Editor arrived in Tesselaarsdal, his neighbour Dan Swart of Zandvliet insisted on taking him on a cultural visit, via the back route towards Stanford. The gravel road between Tesselaarsdal and Van Brakelstoor(http://vanbrakelstoor.co.za/) could probably be called the Moonshine Run, as it is an area which has a long-standing tradition of “Witblits” (White Lightning). On the one side of the road is the Licensed King of legal Witblits – Lammert Hendrick Fick Badenhorst – distiller of Lahefiba. On the other, you needed to bring your own container for the No Name Spirit and keep your head down. Either way, your head would be very sore in the morning.
Today, things are safer and more genteel. You can visit the SteamPunk Distillery (https://www.facebook.com/Steampunkdistillery/) at Goedgegewe which is home to Overberg Single Malt Barley Spirit –Tesselaarsdal’s own version of what others might call whisky. In an area where tradition has been all too important, botanist Pietersarel de Bruin and his partner, chemical engineer Matthias Esterhuysen are blazing a new trail, growing their own barley and stoking up a storm in the Spirit World. They also distill rare aromatic oils for cosmetics and soaps. So, you can either come up Clean and Green or fall Down and Dirty!
Middle East meets Western Cape
With climate change, anything can happen. At Lekkerdroom (Sweet Dreams)(https://farmstaylekkerdroomfarm.wordpress.com/), our neighbour Lucas Robertson has a variety of tame and wild animals – ranging from camels, llamas and donkeys to zebra and springbuck. It’s certainly worth a look and you can get a close-up view from the public road. He also breeds rare parrots and macaws for export.
A Camel Train in the Overberg Care for a Nibble?
Here traditional wood stoves still rule
Electricity only reached Tesselaarsdal in 1992, so some of the old skills are still in good use. Here you can learn to cook the old-fashioned way and keep warm at the same time. Seen at left, Dan Swart’s Welcome Dover stove on the farm Sandvliet. Here he was literally cooking the Editor’s goose.
Even in winter, Dan (right) is rarely out of short pants and he is known to his neighbours as Kaptein Konfyt, on account of his uncanny ability to turn any surplus fruit and vegetablesinto delicious jams – all on his old wood-fired stove.
Small is Beautiful
Maybe we don’t have the Big Five but we certainly have some indigenous wildlife that does not always run away from you. Ranging from the shy klipspringer to tiny tortoises, they are all here if you know where to look. Especially plentiful are the porcupines, so keep your eyes peeled on the road at night.
A Tiny Tortoise A Pair of Porcupines Leaping Tortoise
Cape Grey Mongoose Lesser Spotted Genet
Water may be scarce but…
When it rains in the mountains, the runoff can be spectacular, as gentle streams turn into raging torrents. Here the Elandskloof River (a tributary of the Klein River) is flowing over the gabions which were installed to restore the pristine wetland and prevent further erosion.
Fresh vegetables on your doorstep
The Dal has a long history of subsistence farming. Some locals have ancestors who were slaves and then survived as farmers without state support. With water, they can grow anything. Here, the Gardening Professor must surely be Wilkie Stewart who farms in the heart of the village. He is a firm teacher but is always willing to share his knowledge and experience with newcomers. Barter seems to be the order of the day and even though some of the vegetables look extraterrestrial, they all seem to find a place in our stomachs.
Wilkie and Jessie with sweet potatoes Delivery service Ripening up at home
The Overberg in July
The fields are planted. The cold fronts are moving through. The seeds have sprouted and turned green. The first canola is turning yellow. Everything is cold and wet but the earth is filled with promise. It’s time for bracing winter walks and evenings around warm log fires. Some locals are enjoying the scarce rays of sunshine.
Blue-headed Agama Lizard in winter sunshine Cape Griffon Vulture visiting from de Hoop
A blooming marvelous place to stay
At Heilfontein (Holy Fountain) (www.heilfontein.co.za), the Editor farms proteas and fynbos on both sides of the Elandskloof River. Situated around an indigenous wetland, there is always something colourful in bloom. On the pet-friendly farm, you can hike the Twin Peaks Trail with your dogs, through the indigenous fynbos and the flower plantations.
Just before Lockdown we made an Agritourism video of the farm – not realizing that we would not be permitted to host guests for the foreseeable future. So, even if you cannot come and stay with us now, you can still visit us virtually via the joys of YouTube. Here is the link:
Click on it and be transported instantly to Heilfontein!
On offer after Lockdown will be farm-stay accommodation in the luxurious Lodge, the cozy Log Cabin and the romantic Hermitage. They make a great base from which to explore the wine and cheese delights of the region and to return to comfort and peace of a farm at night. There are 20 wineries and 2 cheeseries within 30 minutes of us and that includes Hermanus. A pity that you cannot visit us now but we are thinking of you. We hope to see you soon!
The Lodge The Log Cabin The Hermitage
Please send any comments, suggestions or criticisms to:
lmadden@mweb.co.za
