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August 25th, 2026
“This is what you shall do: love the earth and sun and the animals.”
Walt Whitman
Spring is not wasting time this year. Clivias are already lighting up the Puff Adder walkway, the House of Shadows and the riverbank, while peach, plum and almond trees are veiled in clouds of white and pink blossom. As farmers, we know that every season has its role in nature’s reproductive cycle. When conditions veer from the norm, we adapt our farming practices accordingly.
“A warmer-than-usual winter and low rainfall have brought the season forward, with trees budding earlier, irrigation starting sooner and fertilisation getting underway ahead of schedule. On the other hand, if colder, wetter weather arrives later in the season, it could affect pollination by limiting bee activity and increasing the risk of fungal diseases,” says Ian de Villiers, head of agriculture.
Our succulents are not complaining. The Welwitschia Garden and surrounding rockeries are thriving in the drier conditions, where brightly coloured vygies (mesembs) weave a patchwork of colour between the rocks.
The bees have had little downtime, continuing to gather pollen with almost no additional winter feeding, as would normally be the case. It is not only the garden insects responding to the abundant sunshine. The fish in our dams are more active than usual, while in the new tortoise enclosure beside the garden restrooms, Cape mountain tortoises bask in the sun as little rooipensies (angulates) scuttle about at decidedly un-tortoiselike speeds.
As we all know, everything tastes better with sunshine. Across the farm, blueberries, strawberries, fava beans, asparagus, artichokes, avocados and citrus are in season. In the tunnels, peas, turmeric, broccoli and heirloom tomatoes continue to thrive, while strawberries flourish in the conservatory at the Greenhouse Restaurant.
Spring is one of the loveliest times to visit the farm, with three special offers to make the most of the season. To celebrate our Condé Nast Traveller Triple Crown award, stay three nights and pay for only two until 30 September. We’ll also treat each adult guest to a two-course dinner at Babel and a complimentary 30-minute spa treatment.
If a shorter escape is on the cards for you, stay two nights and enjoy a two-course dinner at Babel per guest. This offer is available until the end of September.
Our Garden in Bloom Escape, available until 30 November, includes daily breakfast at Babel, a two-course dinner, a private guided seasonal garden tour and late checkout, subject to availability.
After a wild and stormy winter, the whales are back in the bay – just in time for the start of sunrise season. Settle into the sand with a cup of coffee and watch whales loll about beneath a spectacular sky.
BLOU in Keurbooms is exclusively available to guests who have stayed at Babylonstoren Farm Hotel or The Newt in Somerset. Treat the kids to a coastal escape this holiday or give them the best of both worlds with our Berg to Beach promotion: two nights at Babylonstoren followed by three nights at BLOU. Five days of natural splendour, farm animals and whales and dolphins frolicking in the waves.
Heritage Day at Soetmelksvlei celebrates much-loved farm animals and the delicious heritage dishes our mothers and grandmothers used to make. Meet ginger cats and rough-coated collies, chickens, miniature donkeys, towering Chianina oxen and hardworking mules. Then explore the farmyard at a different pace, with rides spanning the centuries – from ox wagon and mule cart to tractor.
Join us on 26 September for our Spring Harvest Table – an intimate celebration of the season’s finest produce, served in a secret location on the farm. As the sun sets, gather around a beautiful tablescape for an evening of exceptional food paired with Babylonstoren wines. This is Babylonstoren at its most intimate and generous – a seasonal experience that invites you to savour the moment and lose track of time. Come dressed in the colours of spring.
Hyde Park Corner’s annual clivia exhibit will have an added dimension this year. A smaller version of our Puff Adder walkway will house a selection of Babylonstoren pantry, scented and homewarefavourites, bringing the hues, scents and beauty of the farm to Johannesburg from 1 to 14 September.
In the latest episode of BabylonSTORIES, cellar master Klaas Stoffberg takes us behind the scenes for a cellar walkthrough and private tasting. He shares the stories behind our wines, introduces small-batch releases crafted exclusively for our Wine Club and uncorks the origin story of our much-loved Babel red blend. New episodes are released mid-month on the Babylonstoren app and blog, Spotify, YouTube and Apple Podcasts.
At Kleinbosch, learning reaches far beyond the classroom. Set on a farm in Dal Josafat outside Paarl, learners are encouraged to explore, ask questions and dream big through hands-on experiences, meaningful encounters with nature and exposure to cutting-edge technology. It is a place where curiosity grows alongside confidence.
During the September school holidays, the Meetkunde Meester programme (28 September – 1 October) offers Afrikaans learners extra support with geometry in an inspiring environment. Get in touchto find out how your school can visit Kleinbosch by joining an existing programme or planning one of your own.
From cyder apples in Somerset to sangiovese in Chianti, our sister estates are picking the fruits of their labour. Join them for long lunches, harvest celebrations, generous tastings and unhurried afternoons in the gardens, orchards and vineyards. Visit The Newt in Somerset and Vignamaggio for more details on harvest dinners, celebratory pours, workshops, talks and walks.
Our little sister in the Duivendrechtse polder outside Amsterdam, Over-Amstel Boerderij, may not have the land mass of her larger siblings but, in typically industrious Dutch fashion, the output is exceptional. Throughout autumn, chef Herb van Drongelen’s themed dinners celebrate the season’s finest ingredients. If you’d love a taste of Babylonstoren in the Netherlands, arrive by boat (or bicycle) for Over-Amstel’s culinary tribute to its big sister, Groeten uit Babylonstoren – homegrown goodness with a healthy dash of South African inspiration, served with Babylonstoren’s award-winning wines.
From baking with blueberries and bookbinding to the fascinating worlds of fynbos, indigenous trees and bees, or the absorbing satisfaction of crafting your own milking stool or pigtail braai fork, September’s workshop programme offers something for every dab hand and curious mind.
BABYLONSTOREN
1 September – Craft your own homemade soaps
2 September – Discover & grow cycads
3 September – Forage for indigenous veld foods
8 September – Grow your own spring vegetables
9 September – Spring decor from the garden
15 September – Farm brew: bean to cup coffee experience
16 September – Encounter the beautiful world of fynbos
17 September – Taste of spring: asparagus & artichokes
22 September – Naturally sweet: baking with honey
23 September – Craft your own homemade soaps
29 September – The secret life of bees
30 September – The wonders of indigenous trees
SOETMELKSVLEI
3 September – Perfectly pumpkin: seasonal baking
4 September – Make butter, soft cheese & yoghurt
5 September – Blacksmithing: make a pigtail braai fork
10 September – Make butter & buttermilk scones
11 September – Master meat: make salami & charcuterie
12 September – Craft a 3-legged milking stool
12 September – Berry feast: bake a frangipane tart
17 September – Floral cake decoration
18 September – Bake with blueberries
19 September – The art of bookbinding
19 September – Carpentry: craft a herb box
25 September – Traditional handcrafts: colour crocheting
26 September – Leathercraft: make a dog collar & leash