The Schaapkraal Diaries: 17 March Strawberry fields forever

الرحمن الرحیم بسم الله

In the name of Allah most Gracious, most Merciful.

17 March 2014.

Every time friends visit wanting to bring a gift I’d say: “bring a fruit tree”. This is a place of learning and so for the benefit of all the students; the people who eat or seek shade; the many insects and birds who feast upon it, will be a benefit for the one who gifts a tree. Not just now but as long as it lives, Allah SWT will reward you even posthumously. And what do you know? We received trees from friends all around and places far. The apricot and two almond trees, the white fig and pomegranate, the reed thin quince stand proudly and firmly against the winds. A member of my family brought me a lemon from a tree in their yard in Johannesburg and I have 14 new lemon treelets. Through the grace of the Almighty Allah, soon the lattices will be up and black berries and blue berry canes will be planted against it.

In fact, we invited a neighbour for lunch one Sunday. “What can I bring?” By now my entire family are onto my fruit tree initiative. A chorus of “bring a fruit tree!” followed. The next day there stood our guest. He had cut out a frame in the shape of a tree, painted it with blackboard paint, stuck a piece of bark to the bottom and painted Fruit for thoughts in white paint, “Will this do?”. I am still deciding where to place it with short insightful fruits for thought.

We started a strawberry patch with three mother plants at the end of 2012. When we arrived in Schaapkraal in December we transplanted 35 new plants. Every day until February we harvested the juiciest, sweetest, sun kissed strawberries twice a day. And when the fruiting had run its course the plants started running. We prepared big plastic trays that bread are delivered in with thick black builders plastic, punched some holes in the bottoms and filled it with good soil. We allowed the runners in the patch to jump into the soil and gently pinned them down. We also extended the patch and Alhamdulilaah it now boasts more than 2oo plants.

I learnt this neat breakfast snack from my sister: French toast topped with fresh strawberries

·         Whip some eggs, a dash of milk, a pinch of salt in a bowl
·         Dip some slices of bread white or brown or Panini or ciabatta in the egg mixture
·         In the meantime heat up a non-stick skillet or roti pan
·         Bake for few minutes on one side and toss onto the other side until golden brown
·         When the French toast has cooled down, sprinkle lavishly with icing sugar.
·         While you are busy with the French toast have your spouse, friend or family member chop up strawberries, rinse and add some castor sugar and a dash of lemon.
·         Pile strawbs on top of toast and serve.

A few weeks ago we cleared out the final rubble on the smallholding. We dug out the bushes of thorns and the heaps of tar. My husband sketched a plan for the vegetable and flower gardens. So far we are totally on track with the drawing, ha, ha.

We seeded a number of vegetables as we cleared out the section of land and placed them in a wendy house to germinate and protect from the wind. We dug up the grasses and weeds and found the topsoil not too deficit, if there are dandelions at least soil is receiving some nutrients. But a large section had to be cleaned from heaps of tar. We dug in loads of compost, manures and bone meal and watered the patches profusely. The weeds immediately made a re- appearance indicating that the soil was ready for planting.

Then we started to plant poles for the shade cloth. Everyone warns that the winds will damage everything unless we create protection, that the winter is vicious. So we created shaded areas. We made the first beds – long beds that are a metre wide so we would work in them effortlessly and planted tomatoes, beet root, peppers, brinjals, peas and beans, soups greens such as turnips and leeks and celery and parsley in good companion relations. In between we planted Chinese cabbage as our sacrificial plants that bugs could chew on and made wigwams for peas and beans to trail on. Butternut seedlings are now ready to be planted.

To create green manure in the open spaces we planted beans and mustard seeds. The braai area is canopied so ideal space to pack all the cuttings and seedlings that need to be hardened off. Already handfuls of cherry tomatoes finds its way into the pan with herbs and olive oil. The basil and rocket crop has been ground finely with toasted almond nuts, olive oil and garlic into pesto and stored in containers. Mint leaves are generously chopped up and added to sugar then sprinkled over slices of pineapple the ultimate sensation to clean the pallet after a spicy meal.

As the price of everything reaches crazy proportions we opt for ice teas such as rooibos, treacle sugar, lemon and mint. Maybe some tea with mashed ripe peaches and lemon grass. To keep away the sniffles we add honey and slices of green ginger.

As things are coming together, the weather is playing its part all we have to do is allocate a space to establish some bee hives. With the vegetable garden we have put in seeds of marigolds and lavender to lure the bees to pollinate the blossoms. InshaAllah, it is only through Allah SWT’s blessings that we make progress with the gardens and live a healthy sustainable life where all of creation can benefit. A huge shukran to all who are supportive with plants, trees, manure, benches, wooden beams and seeds or just coming to walk around and share a cup of tea. May Allah be pleased with us all. Remember there is no such thing as not having “green fingers”. Successful planting is about getting the soil right, good drainage, planting at the right time and watering well the rest is tawakkul. So make a solid niyyah, start today with a few plants and a few seeds and the rest Allah will make easy for you.

Don’t forget to plant food and fruit trees.

Yasmine.

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Mother plants and new runners end 2012