We’ve always loved how Autumn’s gentle approach seems to encourage everyone and everything to slow down and appreciate the changing season.
The air feels a little crisper, the light a little softer, and, of course, Kurland explodes in a warm palette of honey, cinnamon and bronze.
Also – a lesser-known secret that us locals like to keep close to our hearts – is the fact that this is one of the Garden Route’s most magical seasons. The temperatures remain mild (usually between 15°C and 25°C), with low rainfall and far fewer crowds drifting through Plettenberg Bay and the Crags than in high summer.
Autumn is a season defined by slow walks across the estate; lazy al fresco lunches; and unhurried afternoons spent in a spot of sunshine with a good book.
One of our favourite walks at this time of the year begins along the farm road past the stables, winds up towards the Pavillion, and twists around the quiet polo fields before looping back alongside the dam.
It’s the perfect amble to stir up our appetites for some hearty comfort food straight from the kitchen garden. We’re squeezing fresh orange juice and adding the last of the seasonal berries to morning granola, cooking up a huge pot of Puy lentils with spinach and pancetta (recipe below), opening a good bottle of wine from a neighbouring vineyard, and enjoying sides of colourful, sweet, roasted vegetables, lovingly simmered for hours in warming spices and fresh herbs.
This is the season for journalling in a notebook, writing a few pages before being distracted by the sheep grazing in the distance. Or wearing a light sweater for exploring the kitchen garden, the many courtyards and corners of the Homestead or past the horses in the paddocks. The only sounds percolating in the background being a crackling fireplace, the crunch of leaves underfoot or the distinctive whistled notes of a fiery necked nightjar.
“Autumn dresses up in gold; the richest season of the soul.” – Angie Weiland-Crosby
If an Autumn adventure is calling you, take a page from our book and gather the family, or a group of girlfriends, for a country escape free of screens and busy schedules. It’s the perfect slow living escape to break the middle of year, and to make your stay even more effortless, our wonderful team can cater your stay to help create afternoon picnics, home-cooked Homestead dinners, and country-style teas to feed your souls and complete the experience.
Puy Lentils with Spinach and Pancetta
Reprinted from The Farm Table by Julius Roberts
Serves 6
1 large brown onion
1 leek
2 carrots
3 celery sticks
4 tbsp olive oil
150g diced pancetta (optional)
A generous glass of white wine
500g Puy lentils
5 bay leaves
A few sprigs of fresh thyme
1 litre chicken stock, veg stock or water
500g spinach
1 heaped tbsp Dijon mustard
A big handful fresh parsley
Finely dice the onion, leek, carrots and celery. Heath the olive oil in a large pan, then add the veg and the pancetta, if using. Season well and cook gently for 15-20 minutes, until soft and sweet.
Add the wine and cook off the alcohol, then rinse the lentils in a sieve and add to the pan, giving them a good stir. Follow with the bay leaves, thyme and stock, adding just enough to barely cover the lentils. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for around 30 minutes, until the lentils are tender and beginning to open but still have a nice bit of bite to them.
When ready, add the spinach and cook until barely wilted, then take off the heat, add the mustard and the finely chopped parsley. Give it a good stir and taste to check your seasoning – it’ll need a hefty pinch of salt and pepper, and often some mustard, so adjust as necessary. This keeps in the fridge for a good few days – just make sure to reheat it properly.