Jonkmanshof: Simply meant to be

Jonkmanshof ....................

Simply meant to be

TEXT Izolda van der Merwe

Citrus

You know it is meant to be when a possible weekend retreat becomes the place where you put down your roots.

This is the adventurous tale of Hein and Jacques, and how their love of plants, food and age-old objects redirected their lives away from the rush of corporate life and travel, and to digging in the earth and creating beautiful bounty all around them.

Hein seemed to be living on the road between Johannesburg and Cape Town, thanks to his corporate job, while Jacques, owner and chef at the well-known Hemelhuijs restaurant in Waterkant Street, was giving his life to his menu. The dream was to find a quiet retreat for weekends where the couple could escape the bustle of city

life, and Montagu was the ideal destination as it is situated 2 hours from the Mother City, nestled in the foothills of the Langeberg mountain range. This quaint dorpie is filled with history and was the perfect place to refill their cups.

Hein and Jacques made their move and bought ‘The Olive House’ , an 1854 Cape Dutch-style home, and renovated it. With that, Jonkmanshof rose from the soil – a contemporary, artistically designed guest house with an old world charm. To fit the climate of Montagu, where winters can be exceptionally cold and summers blazing hot, the rear garden was transformed into a Tuscan dream, filled with a series of orange trees planted in terracotta pots, where the baked bare earth crunches underfoot as you walk between the rows and soak up the sun. Over 130 different citrus cultivars are proudly displayed here, including Buddha’s hand and finger lime. The finger lime is less sour than regular limes, and the vesicles, when popped, release a burst of flavour that tickle the tastebuds, which is why they are often referred to as ‘citrus caviar’ .

With the success of Jonkmanshof, Hein and Jacques invested in another property just 80m down the road, which they simply call 30 Bath Street. The house was built in 1856 and, as with Jonkmanshof, a garden in line with

Above: Fresh lemons picked from the orchard bring the colour of sunshine indoors. Left: The abundance of oranges is preserved, marmalade being one of the favourites to make.

De Nagmaal

the history of the house was created. The garden is cocooned by white walls and sunken from the veranda. The longest wall displays young espaliered citrus trees, with aromatic lavender interplanted between the trees. Two rows of diamond-shaped garden beds run parallel to this wall, creating a link between a raised bed at the far end and a raised pool at the other. The pool area has a relaxed style of planting, bulbine spilling onto the pathway and fragrant pelargoniums and roses anchoring the space, inviting guests to submerge themselves in the pool in the heat of summer. The pool, which resembles a leiwater dam, is another historical mirror of the Little Karoo area, where furrows lead water to vineyards and plantations.

The planting of these diamond-shaped beds is seasonal, with never-ending white-flowering rosemary creating low borders to each. Potted citrus trees dot and accentuate the landscape of this intimate garden. The abundant harvest, as well as the overflow from the

citrus garden, was an opportunity to share the produce with locals and visitors. The idea of a country-side store took shape, and De Nagmaal was founded. Derived from the symbolism of communion and celebrations, sharing in the feast of preserves and local craft, De Nagmaal sells fresh produce and flowers as well as pickled and preserved treats. Organic seed is also on sale, tempting the gardener in us all to try them out. Jacques’s love of creating, and not just in the kitchen, is evident in his pressed botanicals, also available at De Nagmaal. The love of textures and play on colour is evident all around the house, and Hein is quick to say that he is merely the

Hemelhuijs allotment

curator of all the beautiful works and gardens surrounding them.

The sense of nurture runs deep through this family. Jacques’s sister, Corlia, has a profound love of nature and gardening, as well as of seeing the fruits of her labour being enjoyed by others. After acquiring an old apricot orchard in the main street of Montagu, brother and sister set about transforming the place into an organic veggie and flower garden. Great care is taken in growing the best seasonal vegetables and herbs from seed and in a sustainable manner, which then make their way to Hemelhuijs in Cape Town. Flowers grown in the garden adorn the interiors of Jonkmanshof and 30 Bath Street as well as a local florist shop.

Corlia’s take on growing veggies is to start with reliable, strong seed. By germinating the seed, she is in control of the harvest from the start, only picking the best seedlings to transfer into the main veggie beds. Understanding that strong plants are less susceptible to disease and pests, she regularly inspects her crops. Like a nurturing mother, she is in tune with her garden.

Together they have created an oasis for travellers where you can see the seasons unfold, and where even just a little time will refresh your senses.

Far left: A unique array of lettuce is grown for Hemelhuijs on this allotment. Left: Rows of ranunculus and sweet peas grow between the veggies. Middle: Corlia’s hens and turkeys form part of the organic approach to growing vegetables – nothing goes to waste. Below left: Neat pathways are mulched with straw to suppress weeds. Where necessary, frames are made to support leafy growth from damage.

Changing society, one garden at a time.

According to the United Nations World Food Program (UNWFP), hunger kills more people in Africa than Aids, malaria and TB combined.

That’s a terrifying statistic, and one that strikes close to home, particularly after the recent riots when all of us were forced to take a harder look at food security. We were also able, if only for a moment, to put ourselves into the shoes of those less fortunate than ourselves, who don’t know where their next meal is coming from, or when. Poverty, hunger and unemployment are a devastating trio of social challenges that need to be overcome.

Aquacraft, one of South Africa’s leading manufacturers of gardening equipment, has taken up the challenge, committing to play its part in helping where it can. As a start, Aquacraft has partnered with Johannesburg-based NGO Siyakhana on the development of an organic vegetable garden that supplies a range of fresh fruit, vegetables and herbs to vulnerable communities in the city.

“If we want these problems facing our society to change, we need to take action, ” says Aquacraft’s marketing manager, Candice Knipe-Tlhotlhalemajoe.

This garden is a wonderful, practical model that can be sustainably built on, and so a portion of all Aquacraft sales will go towards the expansion of urban vegetable gardens across the country, which will increase access to fresh food source and create a level of food security for impoverished communities.

“Aquacraft is deeply committed to facilitating economic development and sees food garden initiatives such as Siyakhana playing a crucial role in providing both work and food in impoverished communities. ”

“We’re encouraging community groups across the country to explore the establishment of their own food gardens, with our support where possible. ”

“We’re also encouraging enthusiastic gardeners and communities alike to see open spaces as an opportunity to plant organic vegetables, fruits and herbs, be it in their back yards, in planter boxes on their balconies or alongside pathways.

“Through this initiative, we’re giving consumers an opportunity to use their purchasing power to support social change. No impact is too small. ”