Write up: Babylonstoren
Imagine a utopia of fresh produce, creativity and community. A place which totally embodies farm-to-table culture and surpasses all expectations when it comes to the effective, and creative, utilisation of natural produce in creating a luxury experience for the people who choose to venture in. A place where inclusivity, diversity and collaboration is the pinnacle of its culture and a catalyst for its ongoing success.
Babylonstoren, based just outside of Paarl in the Western Cape of South Africa, is renowned as one of the oldest Cape Dutch Farms. Having chosen to take part in one of the weekly guided tours, I found myself captivated by the passion, character and knowledge of our guide Kobus. Two weeks later I was back, but this time as a volunteer with the garden team, a team which welcomed me into their community with openness and authenticity.
This Journal Entry does not focus on what you might find beyond the walls (their website is great for that!), but instead hosts the voice of a fellow volunteer; a local to the area, whose adoration for Babylonstoren’s interconnected culture, and its potential to reconnect us to natures soul, enriched my time spent in the soil. Our conversations were meaningful and offered a perspective of Babylonstoren that reminded me of the importance of our personal connection to nature. I hope you enjoy her perspective as much as I did…
AN INSIDERS PERSPECTIVE
Storytelling is woven into every detail of the garden at Babylostoren. From the layout of the garden, which is based on the company gardens that fed the Dutch colony and sailing ships of the Dutch East India Company, to the use of indigenous plants which educate us about the foods and medicine of the native Koi San tribe. The space not only reminds us about our past, but calls us to a more sustainable future where humans and nature dance alongside one another in harmony and natural systems are used to produce food. Naturally this garden attracts thousands of people a year and yet, due to the creation of interwoven pathways and growing rooms, the garden provides you with intimate spaces to contemplate and reflect on one’s own story.
Growing up in Paarl, one of the neighbouring towns - I have been visiting Babylonstoren since its opening ten years ago. From the beginning the story of Babylonstoren has been very close to my heart. Being the daughter of a horticulturist I grew up surrounded by growing things. Naturally I was drawn to the concept of an organic vegetable garden, but the magic of the place kept me returning season after season, year after year.
Towards the end of 2018 my path intercepted this special place in a serendipitous and intimate way. I had reached a place in my career where I was burned out – physically, emotionally and spiritually. Forced to reassess my situation, I resigned from my job to embark on a six month sabbatical. My desire was to reconnect with people and nature, so decided to start volunteering at Babylonstoren twice a week and later joined the team on a part time basis to assist with the harvesting of their vegetables for the restaurants. The best word to describe this experience was ‘restorative’.
Gardens cannot be hurried. Plants grow at their own pace and when you work with them every day you are forced to slow down and get in step with nature’s rhythms. I learned to observe the changing seasons as seeds sprouted, bare trees bloomed and fruit started to develop and then ripen. Over time I realised that it was not just the plants that were growing. By returning to the simplicity of connecting with the soil, pulling up weeds, picking flowers and listening to the birds there were gentle but persistent changes that started to emerge within myself. Physically I started to become fitter and stronger, there was a calmness that began to reside in my soul and from the fog of stress and anxiety my mind become clearer.
This experience however, would not have been the same without the people. At the heart of this remarkable place is a very special team, one which is comprised of people as varied as the vast array of projects that are on the go in this space. Rather than withholding their information this dynamic team thrives on collaboration and education. Hosting regular workshops and creating volunteer and internship programs has made this an inclusive space which allows new ideas and fresh energy to flow through the garden. Every day presented the opportunity to connect with some amazing like-minded people and learn something new. Connecting with these people restored my confidence in the world and helped me to move on to the next chapter of my life.
Some chapters in our story have an obvious heading and the plot feels clear, some are left open-ended and only become clear with time. For me this chapter of my life was the latter. What felt like an in between season brought back into focus the things that are life sustaining – community, contemplative prayer, simple hard work, learning and connecting with nature. Moving forward I am deeply grateful for Babylonstoren and the stories that it tells and for the chapter of my story that played out there.
