Leave the city’s noise behind and immerse yourself in these outdoor and farm-like experiences in and around Nelson Mandela Bay.
A short drive from either Port Elizabeth’s city centre or Uitenhage will bring you to Crossways Farm Kitchen where a cook and a farmer, Trevor and Mika, joined their passion for good food in December 2011. Initially suppliers did not even want to deliver so far away from town and a permaculture garden came about (which now serves as the source of their salads, herbs and veggies); later an artisan bakery was added and meat and other dairy products come from nearby farms. Crossways Country Kitchen is known for its hearty meals, but with the backdrop of the mountain as a breakfast view and numerous trails, Crossways is popular for those taking a weekend drive, whether it is in a car or on two wheels.
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Get a taste of yesteryear when you visit the Cuyler Manor Museum, a living farm museum with a rich history dating back to the 1800s. Here you’ll experience and learn about farming back in the day, how they used to make soap, the food they cooked, the clothes they wore, the windmill, the ox wagons and you can feed the ostrich and meet Valie and Boeboe, the two resident donkeys.
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Holmeleigh Farmyard is an animal touch farm located off the Kragga Kamma Road that has been synonymous with kids’ birthday parties since it was established in June 1991. It is an authentic and affordable outdoor experience where kids (and adults) will not only learn about certain farm animals, but it is also a place where kids can feed the farm animals, go on a tractor ride, grab a bite and play around.
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The Lady Slipper Farm Market started over 10 years ago and takes place every Saturday morning from 8 to 12 at the Van Stadens Dutch Reformed Church. Here you can support the Bay’s entrepreneurs and shop for farm fresh and locally produced fruit, vegetables, meat, dairy products, biltong and also preserves and homemade and homebaked goodies.
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The Apiarist Farm Shoppe in Colleen Glen, just a few kilometres South of Fairview Race Course, offers visitors the chance to get a whiff of peace and quiet with some honey added on top for extra sweetness. The Apiarist Farm Shoppe is a one-stop-shop for those interested in beekeeping with anything and everything from wax to suits, there’s locally roasted coffee from Mastertons and bee tours for school groups and families – a hands on learning experience for young and old – are also available.
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Rosedale Organic Farm is situated in Addo and produces citrus fruit for the overseas and local market. Everything from the cottage design to the finishing touches and services are eco-friendly. The hosts, Keith and Nondumiso, are passionate about minimising their impact on the environment; the farm uses renewable energy to run its accommodation facilities and they provide as much organic food as possible for their guests, from the coffee to the butter, sugar and the wheat flour used in their homemade bread. A one-hour walking tour is available if you want to learn more about their farming methods. And of course, Addo Elephant National Park is just a stone’s throw away.
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