So where do we start? Our story.....

Welcome to our new blog and you may ask why the blog is called 'The pickled Fence"?

Well, I pondered over the photo I had chosen for this blog, (which I had taken of the fence at the 'De Bos' rock climbing facility just a few hundred metres from our home,) and remembered my childhood dream to one day have a quaint home with a little 'picket fence' , and it all started there...!

Hubby is on mission to grow our own organic/heirloom seed crops, but also to pot, preserve and pickle the produce, so that we can truly be a self-sustained family unit.  I considered variations on the 'Fence' theme such as the 'Preserved Fence', the 'Potted Fence', but somehow they just don't have the right 'ring' about them? Anyhow, I finally chose the name "The Pickled Fence" with great fanfare.....!

I have started this blog with a little trepidation, as I dont really feel qualified enough to put our self-sustainable living and organic life thoughts and aspirations to 'computer-pen'. But I suppose it is best to start something which is not 'perfect' rather than do nothing at all and never progress and learn!
The aim of the blog is to journal our journey of learning and growth, so here goes:

Well, hubby and I and our two children, aged 12 and 10, have lived in Wellington New Zealand for over two years. Thanks to the worldwide recession, we have found ourselves back on African soil! Nevertheless,  our New Zealand experience inspired us to work towards a more 'organic' life-style. While in New Zealand, we endeavoured to start an organic-style and self-sustainable eco-village training facility which would teach all the necessary skills and trades required to make such a venture successful, and even formed a facebook group to start it. We hope to pick up where we left off....

Although we had initially left South Africa via Johannesburg, we now find ourselves in the very quaint Cape Klein-Karoo  village of Montagu,  which lies in the Breede River Valley on Route 62 - the Klein Karoo alternative to the Garden Route that stretches from Worcester to Oudtshoorn. Montagu received an award for the South African village of the year 2002-2004, so it is a real blessing to live here! It is indeed virtually impossible to look in any direction without a breathtaking view on these mountains.

You Enter Montagu through the spectacular rock formations of Cogman's Kloof and enjoy the little town with its well-preserved Cape Dutch architecture surrounded by orchards and vineyards against the backdrop of the Langeberg Mountain range.

The town is said to produce South Africa's best muscadel and boasts natural, healing hot springs.



The British Fort above Cogmanskloof entrance to Montagu- Anglo Boer war

  Among rock climbers, Montagu is known as the Cape's ‘mountain mecca' with its challenging cliff faces and is also famous for some of the most strenuous rock climbs available anywhere else in the world. Other adrenalin boosting activities on offer are 'kloofing', abseiling, mountain biking and paragliding or choose more relaxed tractor rides up the mountains or boat trips up the Breede River.

The town of Montagu is surrounded by the majestic Langeberg mountains.
Scenic walking trails are the now famous lover's walk, through the gorge leading from town, through the mountains to the hot water springs; up the Bloupunt mountain; through Cogmanskloof and the Aasvoëlkrans hiking trail.

The guesthouses and B&B's comply with world class standards.

Upmarket restaurants make it worth while staying for a couple of nights in order to experience gourmet cuisine. Wine cellars, museums, nature and herb gardens, art cellars, craft shops, historical buildings and sport facilities make Montagu one of the most interesting places to visit.

We now live on a reasonably sized property with enough land for planting vegetables, but not too big to handle! The Montagu area is abundant with wildlife and you can find guinea-fowl, herons, Ibis, Hadeda, field-mice, Spotted Eagle-owls, tortoises, Harrier hawks, baboons, lizards, and of course dozens of snake species!

Well, now that you have an idea of where we are situated, and what the aim of this blog is, lets start the journey together, and hopefully this blog will serve as a learning tool or at least a just a little bit of inspiration and joy!