South Africa's French Legacy

Exploring the Cape one Saturday at a time, we couldn't skip Franschhoek, and thus on January 30th we drove to this beautiful French-established town via Sir Lowry's Pass, Grabouw and Vyeboom (places' names). Here follows everything we did. 

On the way, we stopped in Grabouw at the Elgin Apple Museum, apparently one of only two apple museums in the world. Unfortunately it is very old and not well kept, but its location is appropriate in the Elgin Valley, where 60% of South Africa's national apple crop is produced. It is also the largest single export fruit producing area in Southern Africa. 

Orchard upon orchard - we almost felt at home (after living in the fruit producing Kammanassie valley last year). 

In the Apple Museum. 

Theewaterskloof Dam.  

In 1688, 176 French Huguenot refugees (due to being persecuted in France for their religion) arrived in the Cape and were giving undeveloped farms in a mountain-surrounded area called 'Olifantshoek' (Elephant's Corner). Soon a town was established, and today it is called Franschhoek (French Corner), a beautiful little town surrounded by renowned wineries (the Frenchmen brought their winemaking skills and experience with them). Today one of the main attractions is the French Huguenot Museum and Monument, both of which are quite impressive and in good condition.

Descending down into Franschhoek on the Franschhoek Pass. Notice how the mountains are on both sides of the town. 

I couldn't take pictures inside the museum, but the buildings were 'worth a shot'. 

Lunch at a quaint little restaurant next to the museum. 

The Monument's Gardens. 

Smile! 

Seeking shade (it was a very hot day). 

We also stopped at the Franschhoek Motor Museum established by the Ruperts family. In contrast to the rather dilapidated Apple Museum, the Motor Museum was in another league. The atmosphere was very professional, and the buildings were built specially for the cars.

There were fast cars... 

LANKO Apple Warehouse/Factory

This post deals with a very interesting outing that me, my mom and brothers went on, to LANKO Apple Warehouse in Louterwater, the Langkloof.

Lanko's producers (the apple and pear farmers) bring the fruit in large wooden crates and the whole truck is weighed. After the crates are unloaded the truck is weighed again, and the total weight of apples is worked out. The crates of apples go through a chlorine treatment process and then the crates are packed directly into giant cooling rooms where they are cooled as quickly as possible to around 0° Celsius. 

Apples incoming.

Giant 'refrigerators'. 

The cooling rooms hold between 1,000 and 1,700 crates, and are sometimes stacked up to 10 crates high (special permission must be obtained for at OHSA (Occupational Health and Safety Act) for this though, as the law only allows up to 8 crates high). Depending on demand, the fruit is then either directly packaged, or can be stored in specially sealed cold rooms for months.  

Once a coldroom is filled up and the doors closed, the oxygen and carbon dioxide is pumped out while nitrogen is pumped in, causing the fruit to go into a state of dormancy. Probes inside the rooms monitor levels of oxygen, carbon dioxide, ammonia and ethylene (the hormone that apples/pears release as it ripens). 

Us with the manager who showed us around, in front of a sealed room.(notice the height of the door)

If there is enough demand for apples, a sealed room will be opened up, but only after 24 hours have past it will be safe to work in.  Once safe, the crates are removed with forklifts and are taken to the packaging 'factory'.

A large machine with arms pick up the crates and lower it in water while tipping over the crate. All the apples tumble out into the water and begin drifting down the 'canal'. Water is used to transport the apples because 1) apples float in water and 2) it's the softest way of transportation !

 At first sight.