Babylonstoren in the Community
Babylonstoren is proud to be rooted in the Boland community. We believe that the success of our own farm ultimately depends on the success of our employees, their families and the community. Although it’s an ongoing journey, our aim is to encourage such successes in all facets of business on the farm.
Some of our proudest endeavours include the following initiatives.
Learners & Leaders
The Babylonstoren Learning Centre has been a core part of the farm’s overall vision. The purpose is simple: to provide youngsters of the Babylonstoren family with every opportunity to follow their dreams and give their parents (who are part of the farm workforce) peace of mind that their children are being well educated and cared for, close by.
The Babylonstoren Learning Centre, under the guidance of head Carla Saayman, provides this platform for young minds. From the age of three, we ensure that kids get everything they need to help them succeed. Daily meals are provided as well as transport to extramurals and outings to museums, libraries and other educational spaces. During school holidays, fun excursions to the movies and the beach also form part of the comprehensive curriculum.
An after-school tutoring programme helps learners to improve mathematical skills. There are also extra classes for reading and writing.
In 2024, the Learning Centre has 31 children between Grade R and Grade 12 under its wing. These young minds represent 17 households currently employed by Babylonstoren.
Bright Futures
In the last decade, the Learning Centre students have made our hearts swell with pride. Several youngsters have been in leadership positions in the local schools while others are currently completing their tertiary education.
In 2024, four graduates from the Learning Centre obtained tertiary qualifications, with one more in the process of completing tertiary education, paving the way for more memebers of the Babylonstoren family to follow in their footsteps.
Food for Thought
“One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.”
This philosophy by Virginia Woolf is taken to heart at Babylonstoren, and we love that everyone on the farm can dine well together every day.
To this end, the Babylonstoren canteen is operational seven days a week to serve one hearty meal to every single employee and contractor on the farm. This amounts to 750 meals per day. The meals are served from 11h00 until late to ensure ample time for everyone to have a break and break bread together in the staff dining room.
Our canteen employs seven staff members on a permanent basis.
Giving back in Gauteng
Babylonstoren recently expanded its fresh produce offering to a few regions in Pretoria and Johannesburg. The new expansion includes a hub with Babylonstoren’s own production team and delivery staff.
The farm has partnered with small urban farmers from within the community. Fresh, seasonal fruit and vegetables, and all of the fresh produce offered, are sourced from within the Gauteng area. Excess fresh produce bought in from these growers is never wasted. Instead, our Gauteng team has agreements with various children’s homes and old-age care facilities in Gauteng and surrounds, to which fresh products are delivered by our team.