Preserving to us at Wickedfood Earth Country cooking School is all about locking all that seasonal goodness up in a bottle to enjoy at a later date. Wickedfood Earth Farm has become synonymous with top quality preserves. Our food gardens and orchards are planted with a wide variety of heirloom vegetables and herbs, and the extensive orchards have over 50 varieties of fruit and nut trees, and berries. The Wickedfood Earth Farm and food gardens are internationally recognized as a  Slow Food farm as an important educational garden. At Wickedfood Earth Country Cooking School we bottle all excess fruit and vegetables at the peak of their ripeness. All our fruit and vegetables are grown along organic lines free of insecticides, fertilizers or any other poisons. We hand make small batches of a wide range of preservative-free preserves, jams, chutneys, relishes, sauces, vinegars and bottled fruit. This ensures that we do not need to over process, which results in concentrated, natural flavours. All income from the sale of the produce goes back into the running costs of the farm so that we can continue our education and research work.

In this workshop we’ll share these techniques, tips and methods in this unique preserving workshop. Subjects covered in this preserving workshop include:

• The basics of preserving for a long shelf-life;
• General principles of preserving and preparing fruit for processing, including some secrets on easy pealing of difficult fruit;
• Working with sugar, vinegar, spices and herbs;

In total we will bottle 5 unique preserves, samples of which you’ll get to take home with you. Preserves made in the workshop will include:

• Jam – berry or low sugar apricot.
• The art of making preserves, marmalade and konfyt:
• How to make delicious fruit and vegetable sauces:
  • Asian plum sauce;
  • Tomato Passata.
• Interesting fruit and vegetable combinations for chutneys, atchars and relishes;
  • Farmyard relish – a great all-round relish changing with the seasons dependent on availability;

The final of products could change and will be dependent on seasonal availability on the day. 

Booking essential

• Workshop only – R1 500pp for the workshop including extensive notes, hands on preserving workshop, 5 sample bottles of preserves made (value of §R300), and light lunch (we are not licensed, but you are welcome to bring your own wine, beers or soft drinks in a cooler box with ice);
• Workshop with accommodation – R2 300pp sharing, maximum 2 people, including up to 2 nights accommodation and breakfast (first night dinner on request).

When – Saturday 6 December 2025 From 9:30pm to around 3pm

Where – Wickedfood Earth Farm, R560, Hekpoort, ±70km from Fourways and Pretoria.

For more information, or to book – Cilla  076 236-2345 or cilla@wickedfood.co.za;

Information and event planning – Mike 060 761 0885 earth@wickedfood.co.za

All activities held at Wickedfood Earth Farm are subject to our standard terms and conditions.