We are excited to share our latest project at the hotel—a transformation of our large bird aviary into a thriving herb and vegetable nursery. The birds were donated to a larger facility in Gauteng, where they will have far more space in which to thrive.
This initiative aims to explore the feasibility of growing our own fresh produce on-site, aligning with our commitment to sustainability and ultimately enhancing the culinary experience for our guests.
The Vision Behind the Nursery
The nursery serves as a pilot project to determine the suitability of cultivating fresh herbs, fruits, and vegetables within the hotel grounds. While it may not completely replace the need to source produce for our busy kitchen, it holds great potential to supplement our culinary offerings with homegrown ingredients. Additionally, we envision this project expanding to a larger scale, utilising areas such as our old and disused tennis court, and potentially employing a full-time staff member to manage the facility in the future.
Re-purposing Materials and Resources
The transformation of the aviary into a nursery was accomplished with sustainability in mind. We have repurposed a variety of materials, including:
- Old pavers and gravel for pathways
- Sawdust and wooden planks for planters
- Steel gates and bird cages as trellises
- Pots and other up-cycled items to create the growing space
The area is bird- and monkey-proof, making it an ideal environment for nurturing delicate plants and protecting them from local wildlife.
Learning and Growing
This adventure is a continuous learning process. With each season, we hope to gain insights into what grows best in our climate and conditions, allowing us to refine our selections and focus on produce that benefits our hotel’s food offerings. We also aspire to involve our self-catering guests by inviting them to pick fresh herbs for their braais, roasts, or pasta dishes during their stay in our chalets.
What We’re Growing
Our current experiments include a diverse array of herbs, vegetables, and edible flowers. Some plants have been grown from seeds sourced directly from our kitchen, others from local nurseries, and a few from wild propagation. Here is a list of what we are currently cultivating:
Herbs: Chocolate mint, apple mint, wild mint (propagated from the field behind the manager’s house), parsley, coriander, basil, fennel (transplanted from the manager’s house), sage bush, dill, lemongrass, rosemary, curry tree, and bay leaf tree.
Leafy Greens: Kale, baby spinach, cos lettuce
Vegetables: Cucumber, butternut, green pepper, artichoke
Chillies: Cayenne, jalapeño, lemon habanero, red habanero
Fruits: Thai lime tree, lemon
Edible Flowers: Nasturtiums
Tomatoes: Little Wonder and Moneymaker varieties
Looking Ahead
Our nursery is more than just a space to grow food; it’s a step toward greater sustainability, a learning opportunity, and a way to offer our guests something truly special. Over time, we hope to expand this initiative, increase our yield, and further integrate fresh, locally grown produce into our menu and guest experiences.
We invite you to stay tuned for updates as our nursery continues to grow and evolve. Who knows? The next time you visit, you might find yourself picking fresh mint for your tea or basil for your pasta right here at the hotel!
