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.
My bagful.
Beautiful veggies, and lovely idea.
ReplyDeleteCan I print these pictures to show the uncaring defectives at Woolworths?
ReplyDeleteIt's only 0620 and I'm slavering(in cloudburst rain) at those leaks!
Yes, of course I'd like to order some, but distance...(Did you know that this country imports garlic from China.Madness, I tell you!)
Viva organic Locavores Viva! You might like to check out Soil For Life too. Would love to be attending your talk.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos, Marie, and I'm so happy you are posting once more. Veggie boxes ... how wonderful and very familiar! Our friend owns the organic farm and free-range chicken ranch across the road from our house. We get weekly veggies and eggs, too. In fact, just today we got curly kale, cabbage, carrots, potatoes, leeks, rutabagas and freshly laid eggs. Leek and potato soup, braised kale and perhaps a stew will be on the week's menu ...
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the rest of your vacation!
Keli'i
Hi Marie,
ReplyDeleteThanks for beautiful photo's & text of Abalimi & Harvest of Hope. We subscribe to the Harvest of Hope box scheme ourselves which Rob brings home every week and it was a real pleasure to see it so gorgeously presented on your blog. Love the rest of your blog too. Really inspiring!
Nina (as you may have guessed, Rob's MY main man!)
QC - you may have a local version in DC?
ReplyDeleteMIT - now....which Woolworths is that? Is it our SAfrican Woolworths? Ours has very good looking produce, very over-packaged, but is beginning to support Local. Or the ancient terrible one? Very curious.
Keli'i - hi! Yum, how wonderful for you: jealous.
Hi Nina - how nice to meet you in cyberspace. Your Main Man is very impressive. Maybe Abalimi and the Harvest might be inspired to launch their own blogs??
Apparently, Australian Woolworths is not related to either the London(UK) one or Woolworths Capetown.
ReplyDeleteSome things are good, but they do some terrible things to greenstuffs!
And they are still importing citrus from USA while local growers are bulldozing orchards.On the plus side, they now have free range chicken(from Victoria)and at least 3 lines of organic free range eggs.Sadly, the lower prices are still on the "junk items."