From Bowling Green to Bowl of Greens

Saturday was a beautiful winter’s day, and I walked up the hill to meet a friend at the morning market in the park next to the Oranjezicht City Farm. I’d been hearing so much about this urban farm, but was totally blown away by my visit.

Believe it or not, it wasn’t long ago this this beautifully laid-out food garden in the middle of a residential suburb was a weedy, poop-ridden bowling green. But long before that, it had been part of the original Oranje Zicht homestead, occupied by the van Breda family for 7 generations, from 1709. It was also a very productive farm.

The original farmhouse was demolished in the 1950s, and the bowling green appeared. But in the last few years, a group of determined locals came up with the idea of restoring the garden, and through volunteer action and donations, have created the most exciting thing I’ve seen for ages.

Now the garden is beautifully laid out, all the seeds are planted, locals are saving their food scraps to feed the giant worm farm, and it all just makes me feel glad from my mandibles to my metatarsals.

If you want to donate money to the upkeep and development, as well as the educational aspect, there’s a Thundafund crowdsourcing option, and you can also sign up for the volunteer programme.

But if food shopping is more your game, then visit the gorgeous little market in Heritage Park on a Saturday morning from 9am-2pm. The food is amazing, there are swings and a drawing table for kids and a very good cup of coffee to be had there too.