.: Cluver Family Harvest Day in Elgin

A Harvest festival of different sort, Paul Cluver organised a train to take families from Cape Town to and from the farm last Saturday for the fun day out, held in the Amphitheatre. We arrived under our own steam (pun intended) just as the train arrived and a very jolly day was had by all

The train has just arrived and the passengers are "degorged" into apple boxes on wheels, pulled by John Deere tractors

There were 200 tickets sold for this trip

The ticket booth on arrival

Two mountain bikers arrive on the trail. One had had a fall and was looking for a medic

It is Apple (and pear) harvest time and they were on offer everywhere, you could help yourself

The children were given cute gingham travel packs with an apple, a sandwich and an apple juice

Awaiting the deluge of children from the train

The event was held in the Paul Cluver Amphitheatre which is surrounded by a magnificent grove of tall pines and gum trees

The seating being explored by a new crawler

The Amphitheatre with the Magic radio stand on the stage. They provided music, fun and competitions during the day

Food stands so you could buy your lunch

We enjoyed a pulled Pork sandwich from the Smoke lads

The tractors arrive with the train passengers

When she said "John Deere", I thought she meant me!

And the apple box carts

There was a pizza stand

### lose and use the one below . Quiches from the Peregrine stand ...

... and wicked pecan and other sweet tarts at R20 each

Apple crumbles - of course!

Square pizza going into the oven

Paul Cluver winemaker Andries Burger and his pretty daughter, Aninke. Andries has been with the farm for 20 years; he is married to Inge, Paul Cluver's daughter

Another new member of the Paul Cluver family, Max, the son of Paul Cluver IV. So serious, so interested

Magic Radio announcer Guy MacDonald with Andries

And another broadcaster, John Meinking of Hashtag Radio, with Linda Potgieter

Our lunch, the pulled pork sandwich and a bottle of the crisp and satisfying Sauvignon Blanc bought at the wine counter. We were all given five tasting vouchers (and a good wine glass) which could be redeemed at this counter for a taste of the Paul Cluver wines

If you could identify Guy MacDonald you received a gift hamper as a prize from Paul Cluver

Just chilling and dancing to the music!

Tables were set in amongst the trees

A puff ball sky above the tall trees

The view from our table, which some kind people let us share with them

We love Labradors

Another wine and cider and apple juice station. We had a taste of the good cider on arrival

The juice from these different apples for tasting. Sadly, we didn't taste, we are a bit wary of sugar

Aaaahhh

Yes!

Janie van der Spuy exchanging vouchers for wine

It is like a tree cathedral

Aged wooden bench

A child making a suspended sculpture out of bark peelings. He was intensely concentrated on what he was doing and so aware of the spacial possibilities of the medium. A future artist in the making