“After years of hard work and preparation, it is wonderful to share all the knowledge we’ve acquired with like-minded people who appreciate handwork and craftsmanship,” says Adele Johnson, Head of Soetmelksvlei. Adele, alongside her team, are thrilled to welcome guests to the farm.

What to expect

Soetmelksvlei is an interactive farmyard set up like a small village in the late 19th century to honour the legacy of artisanry, all constructed and curated by Babylonstoren’s team of master builders and historians.

Museologist Elsa Vogts, who oversaw the curation of this multi-sensory, immersive journey through time, is fascinated by the culture of self-reliance that was required by farm life in 1897. “It was a self-contained ecosystem where everything was handmade and repaired on site, with a surprising level of sophistication,” she says. 

The Farmhouse and Garden

Visitors can interact with master craftspeople as they go about their daily chores on the farm. Through immaculately recreated interiors, the Farmhouse honours what home life looked like in the 19th century. Here, you can enjoy a freshly brewed cup of moerkoffie at the rustic kitchen table, along with a rusk or still-warm bread and home-churned butter, while observing the kitchen methods of the 19th century cook.

Outside the kitchen, gardeners are at work to teach you about heritage fruit and vegetable varieties in Soetmelksvlei’s kitchen garden. Just around the corner, the Gardener’s Cottage boasts a display of dried medicinal herbs.  

Eat, Drink and Shop

The Old Cellar is a wonder room in the true 19th century sense of the word, being part exhibition space, part playhouse and part reading room. 

Wholesome refreshments are available at the Old Stables Restaurant, which offers outdoor seating and a view of the outdoor children’s play area.

After lunch, browse the Jonkershuis Farm Shop for old-world treats and keepsakes, including traditional favourites like rusks, pickles, preserves, hand-knitted and crocheted blankets, mittens, slippers and children’s jerseys. Soetmelksvlei’s blacksmith also creates beautifully crafted, durable cast-iron pans, oven dishes and braai tools, available at the Farm Shop.

Daily Activities

Daily activities, like milking cows, cream separation, butter churning and wheat milling, are carried out at specific times throughout the day at Soetmelksvlei for guests to observe and interact.

Soetmelksvlei hosts a variety of workshops where a new craft can be acquired or an existing skill honed. These include cooking, woodwork, distillation and more. Culinary workshops are hosted in the Meat Room or Creamery, while the blacksmiths, carpenters and leathercrafters ply their trade in the Workshop. Additionally, Soetmelksvlei’s distillation master teaches guests how make their own mampoer. Workshop dates are fixed and must be pre-booked online. 

Animals

As animals are an integral part of any farmyard, Soetmelksvlei is home to a lot of them. The fowl house houses chickens and ducks, with a separate enclosure for doves. The kraal area has a dedicated cow shed and horse stables, with smaller enclosures for sheep and Soetmelksvlei’s miniature donkeys, Faf and Tjokkie. Despite his beautiful mane, Faf is the timid one, whereas Tjokkie will give a friendly nip or nudge to keep the attention coming. Here, visitors can observe and participate in the feeding and care of all animals. 

Learn More

To visit Soetmelksvlei, meet at the Babylonstoren Ticket Office at the appointed time and hop on a shuttle. The shuttle departs Babylonstoren at 30-minute intervals from 08h30 to 13h00, and returns to Babylonstoren at 11h00 and every hour, on the hour, until 16h00.  

During winter, Soetmelksvlei is open to the public from Thursday to Sunday, 09h00 to 16h00. During summer, Soetmelksvlei is open to the public every day from 09h00 to 17h00. 

R300 entrance fee per adult (includes an annual Babylonstoren membership valued at R100). R200 entrance fee per adult with valid Babylonstoren membership. R100 entrance fee per child aged 4–17. Free entry for children aged 3 and younger, provided they sit on an adult’s lap for the shuttle ride from Babylonstoren to Soetmelksvlei. 

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The Story of Wine, as it’s aptly called, is a celebration of man’s ingenuity, the earth’s generosity, and the cultural events that have shaped our collective winemaking and drinking heritage.

Like any good wine, The Story of Wine doesn’t reveal all its subtle nuances at once. Upon entry, visitors journey through one of the most vital elements in viticulture – terroir. A giant sculptured structure of twisted vines and vine roots doubles as the entryway into an interactive, two-storey space. This oerwortel concept (meaning primaeval root), was one of the most challenging to create, says The Story of Wine designer Etienne Hanekom.

“The inspiration behind this elaborate structure was to create a sense of the origin of wine, within its deepest roots and genesis. We hoped that visitors would feel like one of the organisms within the soil, weaving its way through the terroir. Working with architect Jürgen Kieslich helped put the conceptual ideas into a tangible and relatable artwork,” says Etienne.

Once inside, the old and new are combined in an artistic and authentic way, creating a relevant documentary to tread through. From an antique collection of corkscrews that will excite many a helixophile, to a breakdown of the different soils that give wines of the world their distinct characteristics, the space is both playful and informative.

“There’s something for all audiences,” says Babylonstoren museologist Elsa Vogts. “There is something to delight novices who just want to stroll through, as well as oenophiles eager to learn something new about wine. The audio guide can be used intuitively to learn more about the various installations and exhibits throughout the museum.”

In line with the international allure of wine, the museum also caters for global citizens. Poems about wine can be experienced by visitors in seven languages. Simply pull a halved wine barrel over your head and immerse yourself in the lyrical words inspired by wine.

Authentic touches, such as a bottle of Constantia dessert wine made in 1821, can also be seen on display in the museum. In fact, the only dust you’ll find in this museum will be on such bottles of well-aged wine. Legend has it that this particular wine was a favourite of Napoleon Bonaparte. While exiled on the island of St Helena, Napoleon had a standing order of 30 bottles delivered from the Cape every month – averaging about a bottle a day.

Modern technology in the form of immersive virtual reality headsets and multi-sensory experiences (trying to guess the flavour profile of your favourite wine through tactile objects), succeed in educating any audience without lecture or instruction. “Our ‘cinematic vat’, a screening room made in the shape and design of a wine barrel, is sure to be another hit,” adds Etienne. “It features a music video made from wine glass music and the resonance of water and glass.”

Call +27 21 863 3852 or visit Babylonstoren online for more information.

@babylonstoren

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#1: Bring the children

SPIER: The Elemental Garden, a new outdoor play area at Spier, is perfect for children. Conceptualised by landscape architect Ed Brooks and local landscape architect Danielle Croly, it comprises mostly indigenous plants. The garden is divided into quadrants representing the elements water, air, fire and earth, and intersecting all four is a spiralling waterway that symbolises the Fibonacci Sequence. Its features include a slide landscaped into earth mounds, a tunnel to crawl through, a Charl Conradie wind sculpture and a swing bridge. The water in the water quadrant has been treated and is safe to splash about in, making it perfect for autumn days. The Elemental Garden is open daily until sunset and entry is free.

BOSCHENDAL: Youngsters enjoy an authentic outdoor farm experience filled with acorn hideouts, slides, walkways, platforms, mushroom pods and pyramids, all of which are open to the young guests. All the necessary precautions have been taken to ensure this outdoor play area is safe, as it is not supervised by the Tree House team. However, parents should understand their children are their own responsibility and that they permit them to play here at their own risk.

TWO OCEANS AQUARIUM: Situated in Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront, this world-class aquarium provides a home for aquatic creatures of all kinds and offers youngsters a chance to meet them. Children can spend time finding many colourful Nemos (or clownfish), watching African penguins or marvelling at sleek sharks as they weave their way among other fascinating marine creatures. Interactive activities have been set up that will keep the kids occupied for hours in this safe and family-friendly environment. More than 8 000 marine animals in the aquarium are cared for by employees and volunteers who not only keep the wheels turning, but also promote research, conservation and environmental education programmes.

#2: Wine with a view

BARTINNEY: On the slopes of Botmaskop alongside the Helshoogte Pass and overlooking the picturesque Banhoek Valley, you’ll find Bartinney that was established in 1912 and has been in the Jordaan family since 1953. The family’s credo is that all aspects of the farm must work in harmony: agriculture with nature, people with animals, sustainability with excellence. This is no better illustrated than by renowned sculptor Dylan Lewis’ magnificent sculpture Elevage, which resides in the farm’s fynbos garden and resembles the winged figure of the Bartinney logo.

DELHEIM: High on the slopes of the Simonsberg lies Delheim, where the Sperling family has been making respected wines for many decades. Providing breathtaking views, the continuity of ownership ensures that visitors feel welcomed. This extends into a holistic approach to community and land, to winemaking and to good business practices. The family’s aim has always been to nurture a strong culture of sustainable development on the farm and within the community that grows up and works together on the Delheim estate.

HIDDEN VALLEY WINES: A gem to be discovered, situated on the northern slope of the Helderberg, where its vineyards are planted in ancient soils of decomposed granite. The farm itself has a rich history and today, as a proud WWF Conservation Champion, is committed to working with nature. With breathtaking views, a world-class restaurant and delicious wines, what’s not to love?

#3: Rupert Museum

At the bottom end of Dorp Street you’ll find the Rupert Museum, home to a superb collection of South African and international art collected by the late Dr Anton Rupert and his wife Huberte between 1940 and 2006. On the last Saturday of every month, visitors can look forward to a full programme of activities. Each month’s line-up will include talks by artists, walkabouts, art workshops and wine pairings, as well as live music and a special menu at the café. Each Saturday’s programme is posted on the Rupert Museum’s website and social media platforms two weeks before the event. Certain items on the programme have limited space and booking is essential. 

#4: Special treats

PINK VALLEY: A Dom Pedro koeksister is a must on your next visit to Pink Valley. A milkshake for adults, it’s handmade from koeksister ice cream, rooibos butterscotch sauce and Amarula and is topped with a soetkoekie and caramel popcorn.

KLEIN JOOSTENBERG: Café Au Lait is the Klein Joostenberg team’s rendition of the old-fashioned French breakfast coffee bowl, specially designed to allow the easy dunking of a croissant. Finally, a cup of coffee that’s big enough!

MAN’OUSHE: Lindt chocolate or rose (think Turkish delight) cappuccino anyone? Then head to Man’oushe in Andringa Street. For something a little stronger, its Arabic coffee is definitely worth a try.

#5: Explore underwater with Tintswalo

The waters of False Bay are rich with marine life and Tintswalo Boulders’ Marine Exploration Experience offers guests a chance to explore this fascinating world during a three-day adventure. The package includes a range of activities and a two-night luxury stay with breakfast. Sea activities will take place in the marine protected area of the Table Mountain National Park. Snorkellers will glide through the mystical kelp forests to encounter reefs, fish and other marine creatures. A two-hour kayaking excursion will include gentle paddling in the clear, turquoise sea to watch the antics of the endangered African penguins and other seabirds.

The cost for South African residents is R5,250 per person sharing, which covers accommodation, coffees and teas, daily breakfast, one brunch, one lunch, one dinner and two water-based activities, as well as afternoon snacks on day one and canapés and a cocktail at sunset on day two. The offer is valid until 31 March 2021.

Want to feature in our curated list of THINGS TO DO? Send an email to digital@stellenboschvisio.co.za.

ALSO READ: Tintswalo Lapalala launches conservation participation experience

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