The Apple Of The Overberg's Eye

Villiersdorp lies among orchards at the foot of Blokkop peak – a town of farmers and artists whomingle in an unlikely fusion of tradition and creativity. Come and find peace in the oak-lined streets.

- Kyra Tarr

To all the world, Villiersdorp might appear to be just another sleepy albeit picturesque farming town in the Overberg. As I drive over the wall of Theewaterskloof Dam one morning in late October, it occurs to me that this is exactly what its residents want the world to think. Paradise found is paradise lost, after all, and in the madness of today’s world, peace and quiet are certainly worth protecting.

If you drew an oval linking Franschhoek, Grabouw, Caledon and Worcester, Villiersdorp would be roughly in the middle. The massive Theewaterskloof Dam, completed in 1979, has given the town a uniquely cool micro-climate similar to that of the Elgin Valley (which is closer to the sea), making it ideal for growing fruit. You realise this immediately if you enter town from the south, past huge warehouses belonging to producers and packers like Betko, Arbeidsvreugd, and Ideafruit.

During the summer months, when it’s time to harvest, the town is a hive of activity: Men in blue overalls pick apples and pears, tractors chug down the main road and dust-covered bakkies roar from one place to another. In winter, the town is quiet and pretty. The cold is kept at bay by fireplaces that stay lit around the clock, and if you look outside your window, the surrounding mountains might be dusted with snow.

I pull over at Country Classics, a tea garden in the backyard of Cheryl Castelein’s home. She brings me a slice of black forest cake to accompany my Americano and we begin to chat.