Pottery in the farm
Kingfisher Farm, owned by Julia Farmers, and located in Notwane is a beautiful haven for all those who love farming. The ideal place to learn and explore one of the best organic farms in the country, it is such a thrill to drive through the blue gates of the farm and breath a new different type of air. The occasion was none other than the annual Winter Open Farm and Pottery Event. Every year, the farm and the pottery workshop run by Rika von Schwerin-Franken who owns Terra Cotta Pottery, jointly have two events, one in winter, and the other one in Spring. The event was initially pencilled to take place on Saturday but was postponed to Sunday due to concerns over rain.
However, people still turned up on Saturday, and even finished the cake that was made for sale. On Sunday, Farmer hosted another group of farming enthusiasts. In an interview, Farmer explains that her farm flourishes in winter, and she wanted family and friends to come through and experience organic farming at its best. “We had fun activities for children as well as hot food and drinks on sale. Not to mention the freshest and healthiest veggies and herbs,” she explains, adding that she is very passionate about seeing kids learn and experience how food is produced.
Two of Farmers' eager guests included 4 year-old Karabo and his sister, Resego aged 2 years old. The two had a blast, walking through the farm and going into the Duck/Chicken Shed where they interacted with the ducks and chickens. They also had a chance to see how a fresh coloured butter lettuce is picked. Their highlight of the day included rock painting, courtesy of Debra Thomson. Using recycled rocks from the river, the children had so much fun bringing their fantasy to life, and just getting down and dirty with the numerous paints that they could use. So thrilled they were that they are eager to return to Notwane to enjoy the farm life, and make friends with the ducks and chickens.
For Thomson, she is eager to explore this rock painting art, and teach it to other children. Karabo, followed by two other girls was her first student, and she wants to share the passion with other children, and plans to take this activity to other Farmers Markets Events. “He is my first young customer, and I have never done this before,” she said excitedly. Besides the rock paintings, and the leisure educative walks around the farm, guests had an opportunity to buy the sweetest orange Sweet potatoes (which are not only orange outside but inside as well), as well as buy an array of herbs such as mint, garlic chives, coriander, plain and wild rocket and vegetables that include coloured spinach, green wave spinach, radish, green mustard spinach, black palm kale and spring onions.
Besides the herbs and vegetables, they could also taste and pick their choice of delicious preserves that come in flavours such as Tropical jam, spicy paw paw chutney, spicy pineapple chutney, coriander pesto, cardamom plum jam, and the famous tomato chilli relish which is a hit. Other highlights of the day included learning and seeing a variety of vegetables and herbs that are not easily available locally. Guests also had time to see how they harvest and produce their own seeds in the farm, and at their green house, where one can find a long list of seeds in different colours and sizes.