Indigenous Nursery News Blog

A Book, Plant and Food Fair at Random Harvest Indigenous Nursery.

Join us on Saturday the 17th of October 2015. It's going to be a veritable feast for the mind, body and soul and we'd love you to spend the day with us - starts at 9:00am and ends at 4:00pm.

This day is a moment that is part of a larger story - October 2015 is our 25th Birthday month at the indigenous plant nursery. My life and that of Random Harvest are inextricably intertwined, and so in celebrating 25 years of this remarkable Farm and Nursery, I share three of my first loves with you - indigenous plants, books and good food.

Proceeds from the Day will be going to my nominated charity, South African Riding for the Disabled. What an amazing group of people and "equine therapists" (horses and ponies) that work together to bring healing, hope and joy to the lives of so many.

The Books

My obsession with books of an environmental and botanical nature is second only to the indigenous plants that I love so much! So it seemed fitting to include books in our quarter century celebrations.

• Elsa Pooley will be joining us for a whole week (see our news item on this) before this special day, and she gives two talks on the day - A walk and talk on some of her favourite indigenous trees in landscaping gardens, and another on identifying trees using the key in the book "Pooleys Trees of Southern Africa". Elsa will also be representing the Flora Publications Trust with some of their books.
• Jane Griffiths is going to be joining us, and will be promoting her latest book Janes Delicious Urban Garden"", due to be released this month. It's all about sustainable city living.
• Bruce Stead (Creative Indigenous Garden Design) and Kevin Gill (Wild flowers of the Magaliesburg) will also be present to buy books from, ask questions and sign books.
• Two publishing houses, Briza Publications and the specialist publisher, Umdaus Press will be present.
• Menzo will be selling their children's card games, which are both educational and a lot of fun.

The Plants

Apart from the plants in our own indigenous plant nursery, we will be joined by WOSA (Wild Orchids of Southern Africa), the Bulb Society and the Succulent Society, who will be exhibiting their plants. WOSA will not be selling plants, but will be available to speak to about the amazing work that they do in documenting and protecting our South African wild orchids.

The Food

A sustainable way of living needs to reach further than our own homes for me. That is why I have selected food (and a wine) merchants for our day that produce delicious, high quality, responsibly grown, harvested or prepared foods.

Wine: Neil Patterson has this to say about his wines: "We believe that the good things in life are simple and straightforward, and that family is one of them. Wine is another. Wine that is good for you and for the environment."They offer a range of premium truly sulphur free wines.

Breyers Deli: David Brown, owner of the business, produces mouth-watering food, prepared in traditional ways, without using colourants or preservatives. For the past two years (2013 / 2014) they have been nominated for the Eat Out Food Awards for their pork Sausages and Duck Liver Pate. Apart from their deli products, Breyers Deli will be selling delicious gourmet hamburgers.

The Wishbone sells a range of high quality, farm-fresh poultry products. I can vouch for their chicken - absolutely delicious!

Lucania Cheeses: Giovanni Scarello is a locally based (Muldersdrift), self-taught cheese maker who produces a wide variety of cheeses, including different varieties of pecorino, fontina, Grana Padano and robiola. His gorgonzola is served in top restaurants in the city.

Bev Dutton offers beautiful preserves and jams over and above her non-food products (such as her earthworm compost)

Rosemary Sneid will sell and be available to talk to about her wide range of culinary and medicinal herbs and their uses.