Barrydale Online

Due to lack of funds and lack of Municipal support the successful monitoring programme recently set up by Cape CROW could cease this month.

Cape CROW is hopeful that the programme can be held together but, although their hope is that the Municipality will do what is required of them, they are asking for donations from residents to keep the programme going until it is properly funded.

Nola Frazer writes:

" Owing to the lack of funds needed to pay the salaries of the monitors, diesel and airtime costs the programme may have to end.

No assistance i.r.o. funding is forthcoming from Swellendam Municipality (not even the supply of the radios --- hence the airtime costs), nor, as yet, Cape Nature, and unfortunately, not enough from the Barrydale residents – when we initiated the project, we requested R60.00 per person for 3 months, i.e. R20.00 per month per person. Most of the residents, (excluding a few who have made greater contributions) have supported the programme with R60.00 per household. Some have not made any contribution. Almost all the residents feel the responsibility of the funding required for such a programme should be by the Municipality, not the residents themselves.

We feel the programme has been successful ....

May is the month of ideallic weather, nights not too cold, an autumnal nip in the early morning air, and golden sunlit afternoons.  It is a good month for birding as there is still much singing and calling by the smaller species, and the sunbirds and sugarbirds will be starting to nest soon.

The Tradouw Pass is locally the best birding route at this time of year.  The white  Protea repens  are starting to flower now and are a favoured source of nectar for the Cape Sugarbirds.  One is also bound to encounter the Greater double-collared Sunbird with their broad red chestbands, and the handsome male Orange-breasted Sunbirds, neither of which are commonly seen in the village itself....

Barrydale will be poorer, having recently lost Massimo Cecconi. Although Massimo sadly passed away at 61 years of age, he packed more than one normal lifetime into those years.

Born in Italy, Massimo spent two years in the Naval Acadamy and then went on to study political science, after which he worked in the Research Institute for Classical Antiquities. It was Massimo's hobby, photography, which was ulitmately to change the course of his life. Taking the advice of his brother, a photographer, Massimo purchased a camera and started taking photographs.  He submitted some photographs to one of Milano's most important magazines, Fotographo. His work was so admired that his photographs immediately landed on the cover and his career took wings.  Almost by accident Massimo and his wife, Elvira, relocated to Johannesburg  (they were at a party in Milano when someone suggested "why not go to South Africa?") South Africa loved Massimo's work and soon he was "the" photographer in South African fashion and advertising. Massimo also photographed for many glossy interior design books and magazines.

Itchy feet brought Massimo and Elvira to Cape Town in the early '90's. Continuing with his career in photography, with Elvira helping constantly at his side, Massimo also started painting, mostly in oils. Massimo spent the last seven years of his life in Barrydale. He published the "Barrydale Post", a local newspaper, enjoyed cooking, friends and good wine (his constant battle was to teach South Africans how to cook Italian food correctly!) He gave swordfighting lessons and also gave art lessons to locals together with Nigel Hewett.  Massimo was able to bring out the artist in his students and they will miss him, as will his dogs Marta and Peppi and Elvira, his wife and friend for over 30 years.

Atma should be known to anyone interested in improving their health and wellbeing and the village is fortunate to have someone of her abilities helping us to better health through yoga.

Atma started Hatha Yoga in her 20's.  Twelve years ago she was privileged to spend time with Yogi Bhajan, master of Kundalini Yoga.  Kundalini yoga became her personal practice and she started the Mountain Yoga Studio in Fresnaye, Cape Town, establishing Kundalini Yoga in Cape Town. Over the past 30 years Atma has worked as a yoga teacher, dancer, group facilitator and counsellor. Her teaching style has a broad base of experience and comes with a good helping of warmth, maturity and wisdom. In spite of her busy schedule Atma still manages to travel to New Mexico in the USA to teach Kundalini and Hatha Yoga....

The new look for the Swellendam Tourist Organisation (STO) Information Centre in Barrydale includes Heather Swart (left) and  Chrisma Ruiters. Chrisma and Heather are now running the office which is manned from 08h00 to 18h00. Visitors to the centre have increased dramatically; in March 2009 only 6 visitors passed through the centre whereas in March this year 164 visitors signed the visitors book.

Heather lives in Suurbraak and was previously the Chief of Ambulance Service in the Swellendam area. Chrisma lives on a farm outside Barrydale and was previously a receptionist at the Grand Hotel, part of the Grand West Casino complex in Cape Town. Both Heather and Chrisma are happy to be working in Barrydale and look forward to meeting locals.  Part of the service at the centre includes selling locally made handicraft.

If you have uncapped ADSL (!) here is a link to CNN video clip on Barrydale baboons:

edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/africa/04/26/baboons.south.africa/

A much needed lift has been given to the Barrydale Tourism Information Centre. Mr Brian Strang, Chairman of  Swellendam Tourist Organisation (STO), officially re-opened the Centre on April 15. In his opening speech he introduced guests to the new staff and said that the STO is committed to making tourism work in the greater Swellendam area which includes Barrydale. He also commented that the organisation needs members in order to have the finances to promote the area. Mr Strang stressed that the STO is run by volunteers,  is non-profit and is working for the benefit of all.

Jan Jansen, Mayor of Swellendam,  gave a short speech to welcome guests and Carel Melis, in charge of membership and publicity, stressed that there is a new drive in Barrydale to boost tourism and that the STO wants to provide benefits for members and develop products which are beneficial for the village. 

Riaan Marais, winemaker and CEO at Barrydale Cellar has a lot to smile about. The Cellar has been winning coveted awards over recent years under Riaan's management with the help of brandy production manager Ferdi Smit. Riaan is modest when asked about the international awards which include "Best Brandy in the World" at London's International Wine and Spirit Competition for the Joseph Barry Cape Pot Still Brandy Ten as well as a gold together with Best in Class for the Barry & Nepheps Muscat and Silver for the Joseph Barry Five.

“The Jospeh Barry Ten is twice-distilled in a traditional Woudberg copper pot, then matured in French oak for years as our other brandies, this Joseph Barry pot still started off as the quintessential maverick: a loner, non-conformist – a rebel, even,” says Riaan.    

He explains: “Through the years there was always this one batch that fell outside the Joseph Barry norm, which had us baffled. With all other things being equal, how could this particular  batch turn out to be so distinctly different from the rest of the family? Eventually this is the brandy that revealed itself as the one with the makings of a ten year old. The outsider simply needed time to reveal its true character.”

“This is what is so fascinating about brandy making, which has little to do with the chemistry of what happens in the vat, and all about the magic”, added Ferdi.

Riaan was appointed CEO of the Barrydale Cellar and moved to Barrydale with his family from Zanddrift Vineyards, Paarl, in 1999. Ferdi has been with Barrydale Cellar for 20 years but lives on his farm in Buffeljagsrivier, 45km from Barrydale, and commutes daily.

Cellar contact information

Willem van der Merwe writes:

"I am planning to make a weekly trip from Bellville to Barrydale on Wednesdays. If anyone needs anything from Cape Town and surrounds, please let me know and I will deliver to your door. I use the industry standard way of calculating volume and weight for parcels.

Length X Height X Depth (cm) / 6000

eg ; 50cm X 40cm X 30 cm /6000 = 10kg

50cm X 50cm X 50cm /6000 = 20kg (+/-)

If parcels are delivered to my house in Bellville I will deliver a 10kg Parcel for R50. (20kg for R100)

The minimum price for any parcel is R50.