The Ashburton Aloe Festival will be held in the Lower Mpushini Valley Conservancy over the weekend of the 2nd and 3rd July and coincides with the blooming of the wild Aloe Candelabra. This beautiful bushveld area near Ashburton, ten kilometres east of Pietermaritzburg, was declared the first Protected Environment in KZN in 2011. It is home to a large number of wildlife and birds. This year, six venues will be open to the public between 9am and 4pm.
At Venue 1, ‘Galago Farm’, relax in the peace and tranquillity of this beautiful setting next to the Mpushini River and enjoy a cup of tea and cake or pancakes in the tea garden hosted by the Ashburton Pony Club and a delicious bowl of their luncheon soup. Join Pandora Long for an interpretive trail along iPithi’s trail at 11h30 – 13h00 on Saturday 2nd. Bring the children to have fun and pony rides. This venue will also host a produce exchange, arts & craft activities, a book stall and indigenous plant sales with Avis Nel of Cycad Centre. At 15h30 on Saturday 2nd Ben Hoffman will share his passion and knowledge of Raptors with visitors and there will be a campfire from 16h00 till 18h00 with a programme called ‘Earth Songs’ – poetry and readings from Ian McCallum’s “Ecological Intelligence”,Cormac Cullinan’s “Wild Law” amongst others. On Sunday 3rd, at this venue, there will be a ‘campfire’ with ‘Stories of Wild Africa’ between 15h00 and 16h00.
At Venue 2, Nick and Nicole’s TopRock Farm, the Top Rock Museum Shop will open especially for this weekend where there will be plenty of beautiful Minerals and Gems for sale. In addition members of the Natal Mineral & Gem Clubs will be displaying and selling all sorts of stones for this weekend. The Toprock Farm Restaurant and Bar will be open for light food and beverage. There will also be an Anti-Poaching display by the Ezemvelo KZNWildlife Honoury Officers (PMB), on view at this venue including Rhino horn and giant skulls! There will also be live music. On Sunday 3rd at 14h00 Professor Neil Crouch will give an insightful talk on “Aloe Discovery and Description in SA – the 1930’s”
At Venue 3, Keith and Kathy Brown’s Impala Bend, enjoy light lunches (and cash bar) amongst the wildlife at ‘The Waterhole’, browse the African craft stalls, take a self-guided Aloe trail or just relax and enjoy the beautiful view of wild candelabra aloes in full flower. On Saturday 2nd at 14h00, snake and wildlife expert, Garth Carpenter will give an entertaining talk on snakes.
At Venue 4, Peter and Heather Poulsen’s Rocky Wonder Aloe Nursery, Peter and his knowledgeable team will be on hand to help visitors with an amazing array of aloe and succulent sales. Heather will be on hand with refreshments and to encourage you to take a self-guided birding trail around this beautiful farm. Expert talks at this venue include “The Importance of Owls” by Tammy Caine at 10h00 on Saturday 2nd and “Pollinators, Weird and Wonderful” by Dr Timo van Niet on Sunday 3rd at 10h00.
At Venue 5, Louise and Allen Spencer’s ‘Spencers Place’ there is a self-guided birding trail open from 6am. There are pony rides for the children and everyone is encouraged to visit the Gun dog demonstration with David Padbury on Sunday 3rd at 11h30.
Don’t miss Venue 6, Rick and Femma’s “Hackland Aloe Garden” in Bishopstowe, just 12km from Venue 5. Planted just over three years ago by Femma Hackland, with plants bought primarily from Rocky Wonder Aloe Nursery and out of her sisters Northcoast garden, this garden is an inspiration and a “must see” for anyone thinking of transforming their ‘English country garden’ to a low maintenance, waterwise garden that is also a breathtakingly beautiful ‘African paradise’.
The programme of specialist talks and activities for the weekend of the 2nd & 3rd July is as follows:
• Sat 2nd JULY 10h00 – 11h00 ROCKY WONDER - ‘The Importance of Owls’ by Tammy Caine
• Sat 2nd JULY 11h30 – 13h00 GALAGO - ‘Interpretive Trail’ with Pandora Long
• Sat 2nd JULY 14h00 – 15h00 IMPALA BEND - ‘Snakes!’ by Garth Carpenter
• Sat 2nd JULY 15h30 – 16h30 GALAGO - ‘Raptors’ by Ben Hoffman
• Sat 2nd JULY 16h30 – 18h00 GALAGO - Campfire ‘Earth Songs’ readings from Ian McCallum’s “Ecological Intelligence” & Cormac Cullinan’s “Wild Law”
• Sun 3rd JULY 10h00 – 11h00 ROCKY WONDER - ‘Pollinators Weird & Wonderful’ by Dr Timo van Niet
• Sun 3rd JULY 11h30 – 12h30 SPENCERS PLACE - ‘Gun Dog Display’ with David Padbury
• Sun 3rd JULY 14h00 – 15h00 TOPROCK - ‘Aloe Discovery & Description in SA – the 1930’s by Prof Neil Crouch
• Sun 3rd JULY 15H00 – 16H00 GALAGO - ‘Campfire “Stories of Wild Africa”
Entrance is R30 per person, children under 12 are free. To get to Venues 1 – 5 from the N3 North or Southbound, take the Ashburton Exit 69 off N3, turn right towards Ashburton East, travel 4km and follow signs. From Ashburton Pick n Pay, turn into Pope Ellis Drive from the R103, proceed over the N3 Bridge, travel 5km and follow signs. To get to Venue 6, the ‘Hackland Aloe Garden’ continue 12 km from Venue 5 along D389, turn right at the intersection to Bishopstowe, turn right again at next intersection and follow the signs. From Pietermaritzburg take Ortmann Road and turn right at the robot to Table Mountain. Go past Glenwood and then towards Bishopstowe for 2km and turn left and then right through the sugar cane along the Palm Tree avenue following the Aloe Festival venue 6 signs. For more information please phone Darlene Bond on 082 933 5036.
News supplied.
