Food Gardens and local produce
BBos is a
farming community and the village is nestled in a fertile valley, with rich
soil. For generations people here have been living off the land. Growing your
own food garden is the norm rather than the exception to the rule. Living in a
village with only one café supplying the basics, encourages one to invest time
in the garden.
Conversations
often revolve around what on earth to do with surplus veggies and recipes are
swapped for curried beans, tomato sauces, ideas for pickling and preserving. My
mom won’t let anyone leave her farm without at least 2 cucumbers under their
arms at the moment and I’m running out of ideas when it comes to finding interesting
things to do with pattipans.
Many people are making use of alternative energy and the barter
system is alive and well!
I love the fact that one can pick up meat from the butchery on the farm down the road and delicious
fresh bread can be ordered from Tannie Treida. Local fynbos honey is available as is olive oil and the area is fast gaining recognition for its superb wines. Die Werf has a lovely range of B'Bos wines.
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| Fred Miles and mom Angela with veggies fresh from the garden |
Schooling
The kids are picked up bright and early in the morning by the BBos school bus driven by our lady bus driver who is a gem of a person. It trundles out of sight, on its way to Gansbaai, making numerous stops collecting children on its way. The kids can go to school barefoot in true country fashion. Gansbaai has good primary and high schools. The closest English school is in Stanford.
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| Barefoot at the side of the road waiting for the bus | |
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| Morning light |
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| The school bus, bright and early |
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| off to school |
It is such
a privilege to be able to raise kids in this type of environment. “Just keep
your eyes open for snakes!” I shout as Asana charges off with her dog to
collect porcupine quills. She has a book on animal tracks and scatology and is
able to tell you exactly which buck have been around the house the night before.
Bottle feeding lambs, making sure that the chickens are locked up at night and collecting
their eggs in the morning are all part of daily life.
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| Asana with an array of creatures |
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| Fred and Asana building a nest out of hay. |
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| Fun at the dam |
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| It was love at first sight |
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| Feeding time |
