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I returned this morning from a trip to the townships on the Cape Flats, where Rob Small, director of
Abalimi Bezekhaya, showed a small group of us around the community gardens his NGO funds, where men and women grow food for themselves and their communities, as well as for the burgeoning
Harvest of Hope, which delivers organic food boxes (CSA's) for pick-up in Cape Town every week.
At the Philippi Business Place we saw the boxes being packed. I bought one myself for R95, and was critically impressed by the high standard of the produce it contained: carrots, aubergines, baby heirloom tomatoes, butter lettuce, leeks, spring onions, potatoes and green peppers, onions, six eggs.
If you would like to receive a box of your own every week, email
harvestofhope(at)abalimi(dot)org(dot)za. They are distributed to schools in Cape Town, where you pick them up. If you organize a group of your neighbours to join, one member can pick up every week. To join you sign up and pay up in advance.
I can't stress enough what this does for the community that produces the food, or how good the vegetables themselves are, or that they need and warrant your support.
I am notoriously picky and came away with my mouth watering. There are other organizations doing similar work and Rob-the-activist explained that he refuses to compete: his interest is in a groundswell of support for this kind of locavore consciousness and the growth and support of the community. But: I, as a consumer, say, These are gorgeous vegetables. And not all of the others are. So.