"Self-sufficiency does not mean 'going back' to the acceptance of a lower standard of living. On the contrary, it is the striving for a higher standard of living, for food that is organically grown and good, for the good life in pleasant surroundings... and for the satisfaction that comes from doing difficult and intricate jobs well and successfully." John Seymour ~ Self Sufficiency 2003

Saturday, 25 August 2012

Mellow yellow

We love in an area which grows a lot of canola - for it's oil, not for it's bio fuel properties.

 The town closest to us, Swellendam, has a canola oil processing facility and, as a way of celebrating the revenue generated for the locals by this important crop, they hold an annual Canola Fair at the beginning of August.  Everyone who has a business in the town enters into the spirit of the occasion.

 Trees, bare of leaves in the heart of town get a colourful face lift via empty coca cola bottles which have been recycled and filled with yellow paint, and shop fronts are draped with yellow ribbons.
Recycled coke bottles adorn a grove of trees in
the town centre
The views driving to and from the town are a sight to behold.  Yellow canola fields interspersed with both green wheat and uncultivated fields.
Canola fields along the N2 highway
I found the following sight a contradiction.  Water-wise aloes, normally found in the Karoo, or on remote hilltops, majestically standing guard over the canola crop.
Aloes and canola flowers - to magnificent to behold
The bright yellow colour of the canola flower is very uplifting - especially in the middle of winter :)

 Between the locally produced persimmons, naartjies (mandarins), honey, wheat and the canola oil, not to mention the sheep and cows for those that eat meant - the local farmers amply provide for the grateful local inhabitants :)  Yay - low food mile produce just on our doorstep.
Posted by Dani at 15:36:00
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14 comments:

  1. Mr. H.25 August 2012 at 17:45

    The fields are indeed beautiful and those aloe plants are amazing, I have never seen anything like them before.

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    1. Dani26 August 2012 at 08:05

      Mr H - S'funny. When I was much younger I thought that aloes were such ugly plants compared to those grown in my country of birth (England). Now that I'm older and wiser I can see the beauty in all of nature :)

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  2. Jane @ Hard Work Homestead25 August 2012 at 20:25

    Wow that is beautiful.

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    1. Dani26 August 2012 at 08:07

      Jane - I wish my camera took pics true to nature (colour-wise). In real life the contrasts are amazing!

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  3. Linda25 August 2012 at 23:06

    Our kids love it when the canola blooms. How nice that the town has a celebration like that. Towns that hold events for fun really strengthen their communities. You are lucky to live nearby!

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    1. Dani26 August 2012 at 08:08

      Linda - Yes - close enough to enjoy the benefits, but far enough out to appreciate the peace and quiet :)

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  4. 1st Man26 August 2012 at 19:04

    I love that! Wow, I've used Canola oil for years but never thought about what it looked like 'before' it was oil. That's fascinating! I think it's so great that the whole town goes yellow to celebrate that. When I was young, we had a town nearby that had a strawberry festival celebration every year because they grew so many, and everything, everywhere, was red. It was so cool.

    Thanks for sharing!!

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    1. Dani27 August 2012 at 09:18

      1st Man - It seems fitting that those who benefit from the earths bounty should acknowledge and celebrate. Can imagine the strawberry fair must've been brilliant :)

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  5. Energiser Bunny27 August 2012 at 13:27

    Its looking gorgeous! And so nice to have a flavour and character to what's grown locally. how's the garage coming along?

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    1. Dani27 August 2012 at 14:59

      Sandy - Best way to travel the world LOL Garage - yeah, it's in it's final stages, but those last niggley bits have to be finished before I'm moving over...

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  6. DFW27 August 2012 at 15:57

    Those fields are just lovely. Kind of reminds me of the mustard fields, in bloom, in and around Napa Valley, CA.

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    1. Dani29 August 2012 at 07:40

      DFW - Would love to see a pic of those :)

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  7. Leigh27 August 2012 at 18:53

    I've never seen canola fields, gorgeous! So nice that there is a strong agricultural component to your local economy.

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    1. Dani29 August 2012 at 07:41

      Leigh - They are even more colourful, amazing and breath-taking in reality. Yeah - I agree, local produce and support is addictive :)

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