Fig Picking at Hoogwater Farm

As anyone who joined our Fig and Peach Harvest Share this summer will know – the figs on Hoogwater Farm are plentiful, and they are delicious.

Some of you came along on a picnic to see the farm and sit amongst the peach orchards, but if you missed that and would like to visit the farm (near Wolseley) before fig season comes to a close, there is another opportunity to do so.

Hoogwater Farm will be running a ‘pick and eat’ event from now until mid April:

This week we have seen a great number of figs ripening in our orchard. right now ALL the cultivars are carrying fruit and would be a great opportunity for the public to taste the different varieties side by side in the orchard. We are not harvesting so the trees are laden with ripe figs!

We will be open to the public during the week as well as Saturday from 07:00 till 10:00, until the season ends in mid April.

Entry costs R40/person, eat as much as you like and take home 1kg figs per person (that equates to two Very full punnets). Thereafter R3/punnet. Children in primary school enter/eat free (although no takeaways).

Anyone interested should arrive at our farm office to make payment, collect punnets and directions.

When:

Late March – mid-April 2011.  Weekdays and Saturdays from 7am-10am.

Cost:

Entry costs R40/person, eat as much as you like and take home 1kg figs per person. Thereafter R3/punnet. Children in primary school enter/eat free (no takeaways).

Location:

Hoogwater Farm, Wolseley (Google Map).  Report to farm office before heading into the fig orchards.

Directions:

The drive takes about 1 hr 30 mins from central Cape Town, or about 15 mins longer if you travel via the more picturesque Bain’s Kloof pass on the R301. The farm is just off the R43, before you reach Wolseley.

Option 1: N1/R44/R301 Bain’s Kloof Pass (via Wellington)
If travelling via Bain’s Kloof, take the R44 turn-off from the N1 and travel via Wellington, over Bain’s Kloof on the R301, and then turning onto the R43.

Option 2: N1/R101/R43 (via Rawsonville)
If you don’t have a head for heights, you can travel along the N1 towards Worcester, turning off to go through Rawsonville on the R101 and then follow the signs to R43/Wolseley. You can also turn off onto the R43 just as you are coming into Worcester, if you miss the Rawsonville turn off.

The turn-off to Hoogwater farm from the R43 is about 4.5km north of the R43/R301 junction on the left. If you reach the Voortrekker Road turn-off that takes you into Wolsely, you have gone 2.5km too far! After turning off, follow the gravel road, as shown in the attached image. The GPS coordinates are 33’28’20,66″S 19’11’27,45″E.

Cherry picking

Klondyke Farm, near Ceres, offers visitors the opportunity to come and pick their own cherries for the duration of the summer season.

The farm is now open to day visitors for cherry picking, and they expect the season will run through till the New Year weekend. They are open every day of the week (except for Christmas Day), from 8.30am till 4.30pm.

The entry fee and price: R15.00 per person to come in, children under 6 years ‘free’.
Price for cherries you pick: R40.00 per kg (they will provide you with a PVC punnet to pick into but you may bring your own container which you get weighed before you start).

Visitors are welcome to spend the day there and picnic or braai under the trees.

For further information please phone 023.3121521 during office hours. – until New Year’s weekend. Website: www.cherryfarm.co.za