What’s on in June?
May 26th, 2025
Winter wise
We’ve loved every minute of this year’s slow, golden autumn but now we’re ready for Mother Nature to replenish the land. A farmer’s heart swells along with the dam levels. Besides, there’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes. So step into your wellies, grab an umbrella and come explore the nuanced beauties of our winter garden – from the bare espaliered branches of summer-bearing fruit trees to the bright red indigenous num-num (Carissa macrocarpa) that is now in season.
Citrus season is a special time on the farm. We grow more than 30 different cultivars, starting with delicious Nules, oranges and grapefruit. In the coming months, Babylonstoren’s abundance boxes will be filled with Valencia and bitter Seville oranges, citrons, kumquats, limes, blood oranges and more. Get those glass jars emptied and ready for winter’s bounty.
Soap on a rope … but make it French!
We’re not joking. This Father’s Day, treat dad to luxurious Marseilles soap from revered French soap house, Marius Fabre, exclusive to Babylonstoren in South Africa. If your dad prefers the simple things in life, it’s worth noting that we take great pride in doing the basics beautifully. Treat him to old favourites like our house blend coffee, handcrafted wines, biltong and farm-style rusks, or take it up a notch with a leather knife roll bag or specialised braai equipment.
Dad & me & the shave horse
Hop on a shave horse (skaafperd) for an unforgettable father-and-child bonding experience: a carpentry workshop that requires no woodworking skills. It is presented by the Workshop at Soetmelksvlei – a scenic working farmyard set in the late 1800s. Tickets include a shuttle from Babylonstoren, entry to Soetmelksvlei, the workshop, refreshments, as well as a generous farm-style lunch at the Old Stables Restaurant. Plus, bragging rights to a beautifully crafted wooden milk stool. This is one for the books!
Ah! I’ve always wanted to …
Stop yearning and start learning. For yourself or a loved one, the gift of an experience can be life-changing, or at the very least life-enhancing. Winter is the perfect time to absorb, reflect and grow at one’s own pace. Babylonstoren and Soetmelksvlei offer hands-on workshops facilitated by experts who love to share their skill and knowledge. Always wanted to make your own all-natural soap, or master the art of biltong-making? Now is the time. Our workshop schedule has something for everyone.
Sense of Earth
Babylonstoren Wine Club members will soon be the lucky recipients of our small-batch handcrafted Sement Steen 2024. Hand-harvested chenin blanc grapes fermented in Nomblot cement eggs (no oak) deliver a superior fruit-driven wine with full-bodied mouthfeel, sublime structure and lingering complexity. (Psst! The Wine Club subscription is a great gift for any fine wine loving father.)
June also marks the release of the 2023 Nebukadnesar, our flagship Bordeaux blend. Velvety and smooth with sappy freshness, this opulent wine is also totally dad-worthy. Pair it with quality time spent with Dad on the farm. Book a cellar tour to the underground tasting room, followed by a table at Babel Restaurant – a day fit for a king.
Book Now https://babylonstoren.com/tasting-cellar
Burberry x The Newt in Somerset
As if one needed another reason to visit The Newt in Somerset – and what a reason it is! This summer, Hadspen House gets a Burberry makeover. A bespoke Burberry check in our sister estate’s signature green will be popping up on everything from blankets and water bottles to deck chairs. Check in for two nights or more from June to August to experience all the best bits of a Newt stay, with a smile-inducing Burberry spin.
A Night On Us
Take your cue from the slow winter sun and snuggle up under the covers for longer. There’s no better place to do so than in our luxurious Farm Hotel, with its cosy nooks and dreamy baths.
Book a four-night stay before the end of August and only pay for three.
While you’re here …
- Step into the Old Bakery for dinner and an evening of food theatre: jolly, abundant and utterly delicious.
- Enjoy a private picnic in the pristine environment of our Bergpoel. Cold plunge if you dare!
- Walk, cycle, stretch, soak, paddle, fish. Or just be in perfect harmony.
Winter times at Babylonstoren
With the sun setting earlier, Babylonstoren’s opening times have shifted to suit the season. For winter, the farm gates open at 09h00 and close 17h00 daily.
TAKE NOTE: Babel Restaurant times are as follows for the month of June:
Mondays – Babel closed; Italian Night in the Old Bakery
Tuesdays – Babel Restaurant open
Wednesdays – Babel closed; Carnivore Night in the Old Bakery
Thursdays – Babel Restaurant open
Fridays – Babel closed; Italian Night in the Old Bakery
Saturdays – Babel Restaurant open
Sundays – Babel closed; Carnivore Night in the Old Bakery
Workshops in June
Babylonstoren
3 June – Break bread with our master baker
4 June – Winter gems: citrus in the garden
10 June – Inside scoop: water buffalo mozzarella and gelato
11 June – Craft your own homemade soap
17 June – Garden with indigenous trees
18 June – Compost 101: Let’s get down and dirty
25 June – Indoor gardening: bringing succulents into your home
26 June – All about eggs: from coop to table
Soetmelksvlei
5 June – Master meat: all about venison & biltong
6 June – Bake your own: butter & buttermilk scones
13 June – Bake with citrus & spice
19 June – Hey Brew! Fruit & flower cordials & bush teas
20 June – Chocolate & cake: bake your own treats
27 June – Hands-on kids: bake & ice farm animal biscuits
