Farms in the Western Cape

History of Farms in the Western Cape

The first Dutch commander of the VOC (Dutch East-India Company) at the Cape of good hope, now Cape Town, was Jan van Riebeeck whose landing signalled the beginning of European settlement in South Africa on 6 April 1652.

Tasked with providing fresh food for ships on their way from Europe to the East, van Riebeeck and his compatriots soon started to raise livestock and to cultivate the fertile lands of the Cape.In 1688 a group of French Huguenots arrived at the Cape fleeing religious persecution in their native country. Finding the climate suited to the growing of vines, they soon started growing grapes and making wine in the Stellenbosch and Franchhoek areas.

As the colony grew, European farmers gained access to a variety of areas suited to the growing of a number of crops and the raising of various animals.

Regions in the Western Cape

The Cape Winelands, situated in the interior near Cape Town, with its supreme natural beauty, fertile soil, and soothing climate, is home to a large number of top wine farms producing some of the world's best wines.

The Overberg, stretched out along the coast south of Cape Town toward the Southern most point of Africa, at Cape Agulhas, has a predominantly Mediterranean climate. Wheat and grapes are farmed with in some parts, while the area around the town of Elgin is particularly famous for its apples.

The Swartland region, roughly located in the interior toward the north of Cape Town has been referred to as the breadbasket of the Western Cape due to the miles and miles of wheat crops. The fertile plains are however also used for the cultivation of vegetables and grapes.

The Karoo is a large area in the interior of the Western Cape stretching toward the north. The Great Karoo is a semi-desert, while the Klein (small) Karoo is a more hospitable area toward the south. The town of Oudtshoorn is particularly well known for its ostrich farms.

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