Leeks, lettuce, lemon juice, lamb, loaves of bread and lovingly made mozzarella. The Dargle Valley is home to many small producers of good food. Most homesteads have a vegetable garden to supply their kitchens and often share the surplus with neighbours.

Dargle Local Living is an initiative aimed at building a better future for our community, starting by listing as much of the food which is locally produced in a small, sustainable way as possible.

At the market held beside ilPostinoResturant, you will find handmade cheese, mixed greens, pickles, jams, quiches, gooseberries, tomato plants, compost, farm yard eggs (duck, quail and chicken), pumpkins, homemade muesli and natural yoghurt too!

The latest eat in magazine is now on the shelf and worth laying your hands on to drool over the winning foods that include Earthshine's range of Kale Chips (innovation award), Croft Chickens (best organic or free-range producer), Oude Bank Bakkery (best small producer: Bakery) and Boon Hill Salad Leaves (best small producer: Earth).

This edition is labelled the ultimate green shopping guide and lists farmers' markets, organic vegetables, sustainable seafood and free-range beef etc.

It also has a section on shopping ethically in SA, where urban sprout makes it to the list of websites to visit to stay in the green! (good to know we're still well regarded out there)

Get your copy at a stockist near you.

Climate-smart agriculture must target the short-term needs of the smallholder farmer to be effective in combating climate change.

Encouraging climate-smart agriculture can lead to climate change adaptation practices in a partnership where the farmer’s needs are addressed.

“Climate-smart agriculture has the potential to increase sustainable productivity, increase the resilience of farming systems to climate impacts and mitigate climate change through greenhouse gas emission reductions and carbon sequestration,” says Henry Neufeldt the lead expert on climate change at the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF).

Agroforestry and its benefits

Agroforestry – the growing of trees on farms – is one such climate-smart agricultural practice, and it has tremendous potential for both

fresh organic veg on sale
Despite the recent freaky weather, spring is most definitely in the air and the time is perfect for markets, of which Cape Town has many. One of the most fabulous is the new Gaia food market in the leafy suburb of Constantia. Gaia is another name for ‘mother earth’, and so echoes the natural ethos of the market: natural, organic, healthy, yum and fun!

Perfect for those with gourmet taste-buds and a tendency to sup on nought but vegetables, as well as a great day out for those new to the ‘organic-and-natural’ food scene, this Sunday event is a must for all Cape Townians and tourists alike.

The perfect opportunity to purchase cutting-edge literature

First Book Fair
This Guy Fawkes marked the first anarchist book fair in Africa, a trend that has taken off all around the world. These events are a great opportunity for existing anarchists to come together and the common public to learn more about anarchism.

Located at Observatory’s quirky café Ganesh, the anarchist book fair on the 5th November had a revolutionary atmosphere, and you could almost feel the genius as it bred in small groups, big ideas swished around by foreigners and locals alike.

‘There were more anarchists at the book fair than we expected,’ says Stef, one of the fair's organisers. ‘I realise now how many are actually living in Cape Town. We sold loads of books and distributed tons of pamplets.’

The Green Faire in Hout Bay last Saturday

A refreshing perspective on the local green-scene, the Hout Bay Green Faire is the perfect opportunity to network with like-minded people as well as support businesses that have their ethical heads on straight.

For people like me, who relish the idea of a zero-waste, creatively-inspired society living close to and in harmony with nature, this was a piece of paradise. Overwhelming even, to have so much of what you normally have to hunt for in the same place for one day. Almost makes those high ideals feel within reach.

As to be expected, Green Peace were busy sharing their message and the Talent Exchange guys could be spotted too. A cluster of trees standing near the centre represented the presence of Food and Trees For Africa, and many seedlings were on sale at

Hout Bay Green Faire - Sat 29 Oct 10am

One of our favourite events on the green calendar. The Hout Bay Green Faire 2011 has something for everyone. You'll be able to find information and products for greening your lifestyle and lowering your ecological footprint, gifts and entertainment for the kids and yummy local and organic food, plus a whole lot more. An authentic green exhibition in the open air! (remember sunscreen, depending on weather).

There is a REALLY COOL line up of talks on the day, view the Hout Bay Green Faire Programme here.

Some highlights include:
Sue Visser showing you how to make and use probiotics for garden and human health.

Andy Le May on sustainability as the new norm the "realisation that what each of us does is essential in forging the world we want our kids to live in.”

Anthea Torr providing insight into living in peace and harmony to heal ourselves and the planet.

Rod Tritton uncovering some mind-expanding mysteries in his new book Exploring Mystery, Changing History, Taking Responsibility

Tony Budden on the process

I am a fan of the Earth Fair Market. It's location in Tokai makes it a really easy 'pop in and grab' place to stock up on fresh, organic and local food on a Wednesday evening and Saturday morning.

And now, the indoor market is getting an outdoor equivalent in the city bowl, St George's Mall, just opposite the cathedral (what a setting).

when
Every Thursday from 12.30 pm to 6.30 pm

where
Upper St Georges Mall, off Wale Street

Jacci Simpson, the market's organiser is very excited. As she says, it's been eight months of getting approval and permits and it is the closest we will have in this country to a European style street market.

Rosemary Hill Farm Market has been around for two years. They're trying something slightly new as of this weekend, with a focus on family and food. They're also moving the market to Friday evenings in order to accommodate this.

Rosemary Hill is just that, a hill on a stretch of gorgeous organic farmland only 10 minutes outside Pretoria, or 45 minutes from Sandton (considering it takes at least that to get across Jo'burg, it isn't far).

The farm has been organic since 1978 and grows African potato, sutherlandia, rosemary, lavender, artemisia, lippia, spearmint, eucalyptus and other plants from which they distill essential oils. They have a herd of Nguni cattle and grow other crops like pecan nuts, as well as vegetables. Next door to them is the Max Stibbe Waldorf School.