What’s on in February?
January 30th, 2026
It’s summertime in the Boland and the season has gotten off to a blistering start. So too, has parstyd – the Afrikaans term for grape harvesting season in the winelands. Like a fast-paced tango, our teams head into the vineyards at the crack of dawn to pick the grapes before rushing them off to the cellar where the berries will be transformed into the 2025 vintages.
The peak of the season also means we’re harvesting almonds, prickly pears and fresh figs – that fleeting summer romance. Our nursery tunnels are also heavy with seasonal treats like heirloom tomatoes, exotic watermelons, snacking cucumbers and sweet peppers. In the garden, summer herbs like lettuce leaf basil thrives in the sun, providing flavourful foliage to adorn the plates in our farm-to-fork restaurants.
Our gardeners are patiently nurturing their annual crop of pumpkins in the Moestuin, and have planted more sunflowers to dial their sunny heads towards the sunshine in the historic garden.
Harness the harvest energy
February is the ideal time to experience the thrill of the harvest first-hand. Book a cellar tour to see the winemaking process up close, from the vineyards to the working cellar and culminating in a master tasting of our finest wines, paired with farm-grown delicacies.
Over at Soetmelksvlei, visitors can – literally – step into a traditional winemaking experience as it was practised before the turn of the 19th century. In this hands-on activity, you get to feel the grapes between your fingers before stomping on the bunches in traditional barrels to extract the juice. Tickets for Stomp the Harvest include a full-day visit to Soetmelksvlei as well as a traditional harvest snack.
That’s amore
Let yourself be wooed by the flavours of Italy this Valentine’s Day. Think plump heirloom tomatoes in a fresh caprese salad, cold-pressed olive oil drizzled generously over fresh bowls of pasta and glasses filled to the brim with the finest vino from Babylonstoren and our sister estate, Vignamaggio. There’ll be something sweet, too, so keep your eyes peeled for our limited-edition Valentine’s treats.
If your love language is quality time, why not make a date for a leisurely Stretch & Indulge session on the farm? Every weekday at 08h00 you can join our resident yogi for a session of mindful stretching, followed by a nourishing breakfast at the Greenhouse Restaurant.
Bookings are essential. https://babylonstoren.com/events
Soak up the Sunshine
Fancy a mid-week escape to the Winelands or a romantic weekend away for two? Make the most of the high season and receive 20% off when you book a two-night stay at the Farm Hotel until 1 April. Included is a harvest-style breakfast at Babel and your choice of activities reserved exclusively for hotel guests – from sundowners on Simonsberg to meeting our herd of friendly water buffalo at Rietvlei.
Great to gather
Whether you’re hosting an intimate get-together for your nearest and dearest or celebrating a milestone that deserves the special treatment, make it an occasion to kick back and linger. The Greenhouse Restaurant, Spice House and Old Bakery Restaurant offer intimate spaces for groups between 13 and 25 guests. The menus are guided by the seasons and made to be shared, and no detail is spared to make your occasion both elevated and effortless.
Coming up pumpkins
As the crop matures in the Moestuin kitchen garden, we’re already getting into gear for our annual Pumpkin Day festivities taking place on Sunday, 1 March. Join us for pumpkin-themed fun, from pumpkin carving and pumpkin tenpin bowling to a loofah spa and much more. Bring the whole family and get your pumpkin passport stamped!
Workshops in February
Babylonstoren
4 February – Compost 101: Let’s get down and dirty
10 February – Follow the aroma of fragrant garden roses
11 February – Discover & grow cycads
17 February – Join us for healing herbal tea
18 February – Inside scoop: the secrets to buffalo mozzarella and gelato
24 February – Taste of summer: fabulous figs
25 February – Discover the secret life of bees
27 February – Pampoenpret (in Afrikaans)
28 February – Pumpkin fun (in English)
Soetmelksvlei
5 February – Pulp fiction: creative papermaking
6 February – Bake your own: teatime treats with choux pastries & almonds
7 February – Learn the art of bookbinding
7 February – Blacksmithing workshop: Make your own braai fork
13 February – Say it with chocolate & cake: bake your own Valentine’s Day treats
14 February – Make a wooden milk stool
19 February – Master meringues and macarons
20 February – Fig feast: bake a fig tart
21 February – Craft a wooden spoon and an iron ladle
26 February – Cape cookery: traditional melktert, melkkos & koesisters
27 February – Traditional needlework: the basics of colourful quilting
28 February – Advanced leathercraft: make a leather handbag
