This month's edition of The Month is jam-packed with what I feel is some of the best reading available in any paper anywhere. I was asked recently how we come up with the things we write or write about and the answer is, quite simply, that we’re blessed to have a paper that focuses on the people and events of one of the most concentrated areas of creative energy in the world. The Franschhoek Valley is home to creative people like authors (of books, magazine articles, short stories and news analysis), editors, TV-show producers, artists (whose mediums include food, wine, music, drama, gardens, paint, etc.), business leaders, successful entrepreneurs and academics. Add to that the splendour of the surroundings and the enjoyment that the creative people give us as they share their creations and producing every copy of The Month is as satisfying to produce as it is to read. That’s the angle that I think many of our advertisers value and it is why The Month has continued to go from strength-to-strength each month. Read the Publisher’s Last Writes on page 31 for a little more insight into the business of being a paper and the marketing value this particular one brings to the valley.
On the next page we’ve offered a short write-up about the fires that swept through the Southern end of the valley in mid-February. While the destruction wrought by the fires cannot be ignored, my first-hand experience was one of tremendous support from the whole valley for those who were affected. In a sense the fire did more good for us than bad, which reflects the value of life in a close-knit community.
We interviewed Monique Ethelston (page 4), the marketing manager of red espresso, and discovered that living in the Franschhoek Valley makes perfect sense when dealing with the demands of managing the growing reputation and demand for the Rooibos tea-drink. Similarly Robert Jørgensen, the winefarm owner who bombards his maturing wines with music, made it clear that giving up life in the valley – which he’d toyed with doing – was just not an option. On page 27 he explains how his passion for the Valley has added a new string to his bow and birthed the only Norwegean wine school, which is surprising given that the Norwegeans are known to be fond of wine.
We also had the distinct pleasure of joining the Vodacom Stormers at a wine-blending afternoon held at Haut Espoir and organised by David Wibberley of borde{aux}room. Save for the fact that the event was gatecrashed by local contributor, Jim Waite, it was an afternoon of fun that left me chanting “Province” as I did at school – with the same looks of disdain and confusion. In those days because I was growing up in the Lowveld; and today, because I should be shouting ‘Stormers!’ See the pics on page 24, while Jim puts his foot in it on page 7.
On page 6 'Not Too Far From Here' visits the fabulous Banghoek Basin - which is literally a stone’s throw from Franschhoek proper but as experiences go, is world’s apart. Our regular restaurant and wine or winery reviews on are to be found on page 8; we have some good advice from local specialists Dr Shelly Hellig and psychologist Andrea Seidel on page 25 and one of our last hiking pages submitted by (now legendary) Ed Flitters of Cape Hiking on page 26. We’re re-introducing the Recipe of The Month (page 9) and will soon feature a Wine of The Month column to accompany it.
As always, there's a decent property pull-out lead by an interesting piece on the new team heading Fine and Country. I’m careful not to make any jokes here, as while he’s a nice enough guy, Tony Neves is quite a bit bigger than me! We wish them every success in an ever-strengthening Franschhoek property market.
There's more good advice, this time of a finance/investment nature on pages 21, 28 and 29. If you have any money to spend, consider tickets to the Franschhoek Oesfees on the 27th of March at Solms-Delta wine estate (read about it on page 10) or the famous Franschhoek Literary Festival in May.
Finally, our lead article this month was stripped of some of the pathos I felt, standing beneath the statue of Nelson Mandela on the cold morning of the 10th, to make it a little more event-driven than emotional. But I must confess that I did feel very emotional on the day. I was humbled that we’ve been privileged to live through one of the most important political and social revolutions of all time. The reality of the revolution was evident in the closeness of the very mixed group of people at the 20th anniversary celebration of the release of Mandela from prison. But I was also extremely frustrated that so few of the valley’s inhabitants were there to share in the celebration. That we have an opportunity to celebrate the anniversary of such a momentous event each year, right on our doorstep is surely worth a festival the likes of which only the people of the Franschhoek Valley can throw! Roll on February 2011.