Grabouw
Encyclopedia
Grabouw is a mid-sized town located in the Western Cape
province of South Africa
some 65 km south-east of Cape Town
along the N2
highway. It is located over Sir Lowry's Pass
from Somerset West in the Elgin Valley, which is sandwiched between the Hottentots-Holland
, Kogelberg
and Groenland Mountains, with the valley floor still being substantially hilly.
Grabouw is the commercial centre for the Elgin Valley
, the largest single export fruit producing area in Southern Africa.
The town's population at last census stands at 15,993.
where he was born.
Later, the Molteno family began to buy land in the area - principally two brothers
who eventually turned the surrounding region
into Southern Africa's largest single export fruit producing area. They were influential in developing the town, for example donating the land for the town's railway station.
Another influential resident Edmond Lombardi created an apple-juice drink he called "Appletiser
", on his nearby farm Applethwaite, and introduced it to the market in 1966.
Valley being intensively used for viticulture
and the cultivation of apples, pear
s, plums and other deciduous
fruit.
The Elgin Valley produces 65% of South Africa's apple exports. One of the biggest factories in Grabouw is Appletiser which provides the popular Appletiser
soft drinks. Altogether, this has earned it the reputation worldwide as the "valley of apples".
Tourism is also of importance to the economy. The N2
highway through the valley is extremely busy during the holiday season.
There is also the annual Elgin Festival, which takes place on the last week-end in October and boasts a wide range of flower displays, fruit, wines and a great variety of local products.
Within the town, the Elgin Apple Museum is one of the oldest remaining buildings in Grabouw. It is situated on the banks of the Palmiet River. The Museum depicts the history of the fruit industry in the region. The nearby Grabouw Country Club has scenic views overlooking the Eikenhof dam and pine covered mountains.
Applethwaite Farm and Church, was built in the early 1960s by Edmond Lombardi, the founder of Appletiser. The church was built for the use of the farming community and is interesting because of the Italian marbles and wood carvings of the Stations of the Cross.
, more moderate than most other Western Cape
locales, with abundant rainfall, mostly in the winter months, although strong summer south-easterly winds can sometimes bring squalls. This wind is known as the "Black South-Easter" for its gusting winds and showers.
Western Cape
The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. The capital is Cape Town. Prior to 1994, the region that now forms the Western Cape was part of the much larger Cape Province...
province of South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
some 65 km south-east of Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
along the N2
N2 (South Africa)
The N2 is a National Route in South Africa; it is the main highway along the Indian Ocean coast of the country. The N2 starts in Cape Town in the Western Cape and runs through the cities of Port Elizabeth and East London in the Eastern Cape and Durban in KwaZulu-Natal to end at Ermelo in...
highway. It is located over Sir Lowry's Pass
Sir Lowry's Pass
Sir Lowry's Pass is a mountain pass on the N2 national road in the Western Cape province of South Africa. It crosses the Hottentots-Holland mountain range between Somerset West and Grabouw on the main national road between Cape Town and the Garden Route...
from Somerset West in the Elgin Valley, which is sandwiched between the Hottentots-Holland
Hottentots-Holland
The Hottentots Holland mountain range is part of the Cape Fold Belt in the Western Cape, South Africa. The range forms a barrier between the Cape Town metropolitan area and the southern Overberg coast. The range is primarily composed of Table Mountain Sandstone and forms an impressive range to the...
, Kogelberg
Kogelberg
The Kogelberg is a range of mountains along the False Bay coast in the Western Cape of South Africa. They form part of the Cape Fold Belt and start south of Grabouw and form a steep coastal range to Kleinmond. The Kogelberg area has the steepest and highest drop directly into the ocean of any...
and Groenland Mountains, with the valley floor still being substantially hilly.
Grabouw is the commercial centre for the Elgin Valley
Elgin, Western Cape
Elgin, situated in the Overberg region of South Africa, is an apple-growing area near Grabouw and is about 70 km southeast of Cape Town. A group of apple farms called Glen Elgin - owned by the Molteno family - gave the place its name...
, the largest single export fruit producing area in Southern Africa.
The town's population at last census stands at 15,993.
History
The town was created on the farm "Grietjiesgat", owned by a man called Willem Langschmidt, who started the community around his wife's little trading store. Langschmidt named the village after the German town GrabowGrabow
Grabow is a town in the Ludwigslust-Parchim district, in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany. It is situated on the river Elde, 7 km southeast of Ludwigslust, and 34 km northwest of Wittenberge.-History:...
where he was born.
Later, the Molteno family began to buy land in the area - principally two brothers
The Molteno Brothers
The Molteno Brothers, Edward and Harry Molteno, were sons of Cape Prime Minister John Molteno by his third wife Sobella Maria...
who eventually turned the surrounding region
Elgin, Western Cape
Elgin, situated in the Overberg region of South Africa, is an apple-growing area near Grabouw and is about 70 km southeast of Cape Town. A group of apple farms called Glen Elgin - owned by the Molteno family - gave the place its name...
into Southern Africa's largest single export fruit producing area. They were influential in developing the town, for example donating the land for the town's railway station.
Another influential resident Edmond Lombardi created an apple-juice drink he called "Appletiser
Appletiser
Appletiser is a sparkling soft drink originating in East Anglia, the brand is owned by SAB Miller. Appletiser’s head office is in Johannesburg, South Africa. It is manufactured and distributed by Coca-Cola in other places like the UK.-History:...
", on his nearby farm Applethwaite, and introduced it to the market in 1966.
Economy
The town's economy is based on servicing the surrounding agricultural industry, with the ElginElgin, Western Cape
Elgin, situated in the Overberg region of South Africa, is an apple-growing area near Grabouw and is about 70 km southeast of Cape Town. A group of apple farms called Glen Elgin - owned by the Molteno family - gave the place its name...
Valley being intensively used for viticulture
Viticulture
Viticulture is the science, production and study of grapes which deals with the series of events that occur in the vineyard. When the grapes are used for winemaking, it is also known as viniculture...
and the cultivation of apples, pear
Pear
The pear is any of several tree species of genus Pyrus and also the name of the pomaceous fruit of these trees. Several species of pear are valued by humans for their edible fruit, but the fruit of other species is small, hard, and astringent....
s, plums and other deciduous
Deciduous
Deciduous means "falling off at maturity" or "tending to fall off", and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally, and to the shedding of other plant structures such as petals after flowering or fruit when ripe...
fruit.
The Elgin Valley produces 65% of South Africa's apple exports. One of the biggest factories in Grabouw is Appletiser which provides the popular Appletiser
Appletiser
Appletiser is a sparkling soft drink originating in East Anglia, the brand is owned by SAB Miller. Appletiser’s head office is in Johannesburg, South Africa. It is manufactured and distributed by Coca-Cola in other places like the UK.-History:...
soft drinks. Altogether, this has earned it the reputation worldwide as the "valley of apples".
Tourism is also of importance to the economy. The N2
N2 (South Africa)
The N2 is a National Route in South Africa; it is the main highway along the Indian Ocean coast of the country. The N2 starts in Cape Town in the Western Cape and runs through the cities of Port Elizabeth and East London in the Eastern Cape and Durban in KwaZulu-Natal to end at Ermelo in...
highway through the valley is extremely busy during the holiday season.
Attractions
Situated by the Palmiet river in the fertile Elgin valley, Grabouw is surrounded by the Hottentots Holland mountains to the north and the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve to the south. There is wine and cider tasting on the surrounding farms and several routes for exploring the surrounding mountains begin from the town.There is also the annual Elgin Festival, which takes place on the last week-end in October and boasts a wide range of flower displays, fruit, wines and a great variety of local products.
Within the town, the Elgin Apple Museum is one of the oldest remaining buildings in Grabouw. It is situated on the banks of the Palmiet River. The Museum depicts the history of the fruit industry in the region. The nearby Grabouw Country Club has scenic views overlooking the Eikenhof dam and pine covered mountains.
Applethwaite Farm and Church, was built in the early 1960s by Edmond Lombardi, the founder of Appletiser. The church was built for the use of the farming community and is interesting because of the Italian marbles and wood carvings of the Stations of the Cross.
Climate
The town experiences a very mild Mediterranean climateMediterranean climate
A Mediterranean climate is the climate typical of most of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, and is a particular variety of subtropical climate...
, more moderate than most other Western Cape
Western Cape
The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. The capital is Cape Town. Prior to 1994, the region that now forms the Western Cape was part of the much larger Cape Province...
locales, with abundant rainfall, mostly in the winter months, although strong summer south-easterly winds can sometimes bring squalls. This wind is known as the "Black South-Easter" for its gusting winds and showers.