Farms to table // Part 1 :: Babylonstoren

I always been inspired by places where growing food is the center of the activities. Where food is taken very seriously. 


Call it "The simple life". 
Add it a nice environment and  bit of design and you get my full attention ! 
Homegrown and in style. 


The first time I read about Babylonstoren it was few years ago in one of those gorgeous travel magazine. Few weeks ago I came across an article in  IDEAT magazine. 
Since my new design on tea towels will be about growing your own food and live sustainably, I decided to do some research about places in the world who choose to make a difference with style and integrity.

Today I want to share about Babylonstoren.

"Babylonstoren is one of the best preserved werfs (farm yards) in the Cape Dutch tradition. Not only the manor house from 1777, but pioneer structures all the way back to the founding of the farm in 1690. The Koornhuis (for storing wheat and hay) and the old cellar are exceptionally fine. An ornate fowl house, pigeon loft, leaning bell tower and 
historic gates embellish a traditional courtyard surrounded by a low, whitewashed wall".


There is an extensive post with more gorgeous photos over here and over there.

www.babylonstoren.com

My ETSY shop is now RE-OPEN !

and I am having a -30% discount with the coupon code :: SUMMERDAYS !

Hay fever

This week end as the sun was playing hide and seek, we challenged ourselves with building our veggie garden "permaculture" way. 

And that involve lots of hay.

Hay means several trip to a local horse back riding place.

I wish we transport it the old fashion way like in this picture below. In reality  our car has been smelling like horse stable for 2 days now, mostly because one of our trip was for horse manure. Ah ! the things we do for homegrown veggies...

After reading many books (see list below) we decide to "take the plunge" (there is really no real risks involved besides failing). I did find some Permaculture classes around here but the amount of money asked seemed a bit "excessive" and it seemed wiser to invest on some materials instead.

We shall see if something grows out of our pile of hay.

We have some more "Hay Projects" that should take place during the summer... It will also involved a little more building and fencing...

Any tips and pearls of wisdom are welcome!

Books we read and enjoyed ::

*Jardiner autrement by Margit Rush

*Le jardin naturel de Jean-Marie Lespinasse

*Sepp Holzer's Permaculture: A Practical Guide to Small-Scale

*Introduction to permaculture by Bill Mollison

* The one straw revolution

Videos we enjoyed learning from :

this one  (french)

and this one (english) 

These days...

We have been busy around here ! With help of a dear friend we are slowly - but surely- transforming  a former "cave" (French word for storing area and wine cellar)  into a guest quarter and a formal shed into a painting studio. All the pieces of wood that have been removed,  are recycled for making a tree house for the girls (Peter's summer project!).
The girls are thrilled with their new "activities" (chicken tending, horse back riding, swimming, dancing).


I can't wait to finish organizing the painting studio and the big upper studio ( yes :: two creative spaces... better get busy "making" things soon !).




We are waiting to have nice and warmer weather to start our first attempt at Permaculture veggie garden. So far we have simply outline the space where it will be and read many books and watch a bunch of video on Youtube especially this one !
If you have experience and piece of advice please email me directly !

bringing in light and a window...

interesting exhibit at the Alimentarium Museum in Vevey

Happy Chicken 

coming together :: the painting studio &  greenhouse aka "The shed"

Namaste.