Experiments with watermelons
We were a little surprised to come across this odd object in our garden, but all was revealed by the art director of Visi Magazine, who told us the following:
The Japanese started to cultivate square watermelons and I wanted to see if we can do it too. I have also done letterwork on the inside of the box to see if we can “emboss” the logo on the watermelon.
We can’t wait to see how it turns out, but we’ll have to be patient. in the meantime, you can read more about square watermelons right here.
Bean season!
January is bean-harvesting month! We have five types of beans growing in our garden, and hope that after reading this blog post, you’ll be able to spot them all when next you visit Babylonstoren.
In the photo above from left to right, we have: Green Climbing bean; Yellow bush bean; Dragon Tongue bush bean; Purple Podded pole, and the Green Feast bush bean.
Below, a Green Climbing Bean in the experimental block of our garden, and below that is a Yellow Bush Bean too.
Groete,
Lara Zietsman
Opening barrels
Yesterday, we emptied the Chardonnay that we’ve had in barrels for just over 11 months, which was the moment we’ve been anticipating all that time. Over the 11 months, we’ve been monitoring progress through monthly tastings, and our most recent taste confirmed the good news that it was time to open the barrels.
We will now stabilize the wine and plan the bottling. It will still be some time before we release the Babylonstoren Chardonnay, because our planning includes taking out our Shiraz in the second half of 2012, and we’re looking forward to launching both at once.
But after we’ve finished bottling maybe, just maybe… when you come on a cellar tour we might decide to open an unlabelled bottle for a sneak preview!
Echoes of the past
The original food garden in Cape Town is, of course, the Company’s Garden that runs down from Orange Street to Wale Street in the Cape Town city centre. Our garden layout here at Babylonstoren carries the influence of this historic garden, as can be seen by comparing this sketch of the Company’s Gardens from 1791, and the layout of our gardens.
The Company's Gardens, from 1791
The gardens at Babylonstoren
Read more about the history of the Company’s Gardens in this article that appeared on the 14th January in Die Beeldt and Die Burger newspapers, and find out more about the concept, design and purpose of the Babylonstoren Garden here.
Cheers! To an auspicious date
Last year on 11 January 2011, we celebrated the first day of harvesting in the current history of Babylonstoren, when we harvested Chardonnay to make base wine for our MCC. Ripening of grapes is entirely dependent on weather circumstances, so one can never predict the exact harvest date.
Well, one year later, on 11 January 2012, the same block of Chardonnay was ready to be harvested again, which meant that on one day we were able to celebrate the one year anniversary of winemaking in the cellar, as well as the beginning of our 2012 harvest!
Most thrilling of all was that, while last year we had to go out to buy wine and sparkling wine to toast the beginning of the harvest, this year we were able to do it with our very own wines. Cheers!
Cabbages we know & love
Do you have a favourite cabbage? We’re completely spoiled for choice here in our garden, with the Savoy Cabbage, Garden Cabbage, and Cavelo Nero all growing marvellously this season.
Ons Erdwurmaanleg
Ons het ‘n hele klomp nuwe handlangers op die plaas: ontmoet asseblief die Babylonstoren erdwurm span!
Ons wurmpies is ‘n uitheemse erdwurm genaamd Eisenia Fetida, wat doeltreffend kombuisafval of plantmateriaal tot baie ryk kompos kan afbreek. Die erdwurms gaan eers vermeerder word in die bande om ‘n goeie populasie op te bou vir die kompostering van ons kombuisafval wat in windrye gepak gaan word. Ons het ‘n eksperimentele windry area gebou soos op die foto te sien.
Die wurms is spesifiek tot wat hul benut en daar is tans twee dromme by die kantien, restaurant, glashuisarea en broodarea geplaas waarin kombuisafval gegooi gaan word vir die algemene komposhoop en dan die erdwurmkomposhoop.
Pattypans & pumpkins
During summertime, pumpkins and squashes like grow in just about any available space, and they do particularly well between our rows of fruit trees. Here is a glimpse of the beginning of our harvest, which includes baby marrows, French pattypans, Turks Turbin, and good old Pumpkins too.
