Strawberry Picking at Mooiberge Strawberry Farm

Mooiberge Strawberry Farm, Stellenbosch

Dating back to the 1900s, this farm has been famed for its best strawberry harvests in South Africa.

South Africa | Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

October, a few years ago and a group of my friends from Varsity ventured to Cape Town for a wedding. This fun-seeking crazy bunch of friends decided to make a 6-day holiday out of it to explore the region and all that it had offered. Danielle had her heart set on going strawberry picking in Stellenbosch. She loved artsy things and was always on the lookout for unique activities to do around South Africa. The idea of strawberry picking in SA had never crossed my mind before this, and at that stage, I wouldn’t have ranked it as an enjoyable afternoon outing. Especially, since Cape Town had many other cool things to do.

That was until – I actually went!

We popped in for a quick brunch stop in Somerset to visit a friend who had moved to Cape Town after our varsity days had ended. After a lot of laughs and full bellies, our quest to find something different to do began! I was thrilled!

South Africa | Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

Driving down the R44 leaving Somerset you can’t miss the Mooiberge Strawberry Farm tucked away in the picturesque mountain ranges and amongst a few magnificent wine farms.

South Africa | Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

We were amused by the offbeat and widely creative scarecrows that were scattered across the farms picking fields. Some were riding bicycles, working in the fields, riding tractors, and some were just simply hanging out with some unique colorful animal characters. Camera in hand, I can see why these scarecrows are the most photographed set in the world.

South Africa | Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

The farm, dating back to the 1900s, has been famed for its best strawberry harvests in the country from October to January.

South Africa | Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

Amateurs at strawberry picking we grabbed a couple of baskets and hit the fields. We spent about 90 minutes selecting our favorites, and eating one or two of them along the way! There’s nothing quite like strolling through all the rows with a bunch of friends while you fill up your baskets with fresh luscious strawberries.

South Africa | Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

Strawberries are believed to help reduce the risk of heart disease and certain cancers. They are also low in calories and high in vitamins C, B6, K, fiber, folic acid, potassium, and amino acids. In fact, eight strawberries have more vitamin C than an orange.

South Africa | Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

Look at all those smiles!
Strawberries reportedly can help whiten teeth keeping your smile bright and beautiful.

South Africa | Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

Fubar (our nickname for Gerhart for as long as we can remember), is a complete nutter. With a zest for life, he is known for doing pretty funny and crazy things in every environment he finds himself in. Each time make sure he has a snapshot of the moment! This one was no different. We found him horizontal in the fields as if he was lying on a beach sunbathing, and at other times animatedly eating his pick of the day.

South Africa | Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

Once our baskets were full, we had them weighed by the very helpful assistants, and only paid for what we picked.
It was a while ago since I visited but I don’t remember them being too badly priced!

South Africa | Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

We also bought some fresh nuts and other fruits from their farm stall and enjoyed a glass of wine at the Thirsty Scarecrow. I couldn’t wait to get back to our accommodation so I could indulge in my share of strawberries dipped in melted chocolate. The others polished their strawberries almost instantly on the ride back.

South Africa | Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com