Plant a tree for Arbor day. If you need a tree, look no further…www.justtrees.co.za

Wholesale nursery in Paarl supplies trees for Africa

A 42 hectare nursery of 120 000 perfectly grown and irrigated trees lined up with military precision into blocks according to species, is a spectacular sight, and is changing the nursery landscape in South Africa.

Just Trees, a wholesale specimen container grown tree nursery, situated in the lush valleys outside Paarl, has revolutionised the traditional nursery business, with its modern, scientific approach and massive scale of operations.

Carl Pretorius, Managing Director of Just Trees, explains that the tree market has grown substantially in recent years and that demand has outstripped supply.

“With South Africa’s current infrastructure and property development backlog, landscapers and developers, golf courses, wine estates and municipalities, need large quantities of healthy trees of a consistent size and quality.”

Just Trees has contributed many trees towards South Africa’s preparations for the 2010 World Cup. According to the City of Johannesburg’s official website, the Johannesburg City Parks aims to plant more than 300 000 trees in the area before the event takes place.

The team at Just Trees rigorously maintains the quality and consistency of all their trees in stock, as the quality of the final product enhances the impact of landscaping. Their trees are grown in 10L, 40L, 100L, 400L and 1000L recyclable containers for easier handling and they currently have approximately 50 species in stock.

Just Trees started after Carl visited Twinlakes Tree Nursery in Dallas in September 2004 and met with the South African owner Deon Dekkers. His tree business, which spans 1300 acres and stocks approximately 500 000 trees, dwarfed anything Carl had seen in South Africa, and convinced him to bring the modern business model home.

He approached local horticulturist Bruce Stewart to help develop the nursery and set up the business with co-directors Peter Ethelston and Oliver Ryder.

Carl sourced all the ingredients, Bruce brought the horticultural knowledge and Pete supplied the financial backing, I just had to work. Within three years they transformed the Paarl farm into a state-of-the-art nursery.

The Just Trees business approach, service ethic and product quality has become the key point of difference in building a reputation and client base. “We are still relatively new entrants in this market but our business is driven by integrity and honesty and these elements aid us in fulfilling our ultimate goal: To be the supplier of the highest quality trees in South Africa and to be able to deliver in the quantities that are required,” says Pretorius.

And their customers are seeing the difference. Chris Inkson, Pearl Valley Golf Estate comments, “The quality of the trees is outstanding compared to other nurseries and the stock is uniformed and consistent. They are my best supplier.”

Miles Agar, Landscaper says: “I am very satisfied with their service, as their deliveries are always on time. They are absolute professionals in their field.”

Alan Dawson, Residential Landscaper: “It is refreshing and a pleasure to work with wholesalers that are so accommodating. Just Trees’ service and delivery match the outstanding quality of their trees. Bruce is an incredible horticulturist who knows how to grow top quality trees. Andrew ensures that the trees are delivered on time, to the right destination and in great condition.”

Nico van Biljon, Marina Landscaping: “The service that I’ve received from Just Trees and the quality of their trees is nothing other than brilliant. The fact that I live in Johannesburg makes it quite difficult to obtain good quality trees, but I have never experienced any problems with delivery deadlines or service when dealing with Just Trees. The company really is ‘Tops’ in its market.”

Jaco Jordaan, Planning Partners Landscape Architects: “Just Trees has a brilliant range of trees that is very reasonably priced. The team at Just Trees is very competent and highly professional and always delivers on time.”

Just Trees is registered selected supplier with SALI (South African Landscaping Institute).

Here is a bit of local Franschhoek spice for you, in the early hours  Monday night… I didn’t hear a thing, Erica tells me she heard the bang and crash…its left awesome skid marks.  Luckily no one was hurt in the making of this blog post….

These shots coming from Garth,  literally right outside the farms gates.   According to Franschhoek’s Medicare EMR, the occupant of the Sentra ran away, and the Farmwatch driver was taken to hospital for x rays on his arm and knee.    The Farmwatch Bakkie is totalled.  Shame.

Here are Jarret, Michael and Elias, all Cape Nature Conservation Field Rangers based at Jonkershoek.

Elias holds what the guys where out here this morning for, the Erica lerouxiae, discovered on Boekenhoutskloof around 1887.   The significance of this Erica is that only flowers on Scherpheuwelberg, the mountain behind us.

We have just returned from a mammoth walk,  a well organised team of surveyors these gents are, we covered about 15 ha of fynbos, with every stop at an interesting point GPS’d and photographed remarkably quickly.   I stupidly did not take my camera,  the flowers are going crazy.    It was a wiki wiki moment when we did eventually find a flowering Erica lerouxiae, its a tiny flower.  Im going to try and get some decent macro shots soon, another thrill was capturing this little beaut:

Some other highlights were finding a Smiths Red Rock Rabbit midden, very close to some of the burrows.  And a massive Cape Grysbok midden as well, very fresh droppings daar binne in..

I managed to stock up on some buchu branches for the next unsuspecting bottle of oom Olof Berg, and a low point was not seeing any other reptilitan activity.  Its usually now one sees a great deal of snake activity, the hibernation is now over and they are hungry and most probably a bit aggressive.  Elias was most upset not to have seen any snakes.

I think the proudest moment came when they thanked our Alien Vegetation crew, saying what a good job they are doing at keeping the mountain clean.  Simpie, who is in charge of Alien Clearing for us literally beamed from ear to ear after hearing this.

And just the wonderful feeling of getting out into some fynbos again.  Really a stunning way to spend the morning, Franschhoek is looking particularly spectacular today.  Theres no wind, the joyful sound of chainsaws munching into all the alien rabble on our mountain slopes and the twittering of birds.  Reminds me, must twitter off and post this.   Catch us here on Twitter and Facebook.

Its officially cold, I am finally in long pants.   The Elly has a fine dusting of snow to start the day with.   Heavy rain last night, we recorded 60mm, and the snow has completely covered Mont Rochelle Nature Reserve.   Im thinking its a hip flask and snow man time!

Check those SKILLS!   Complete focus on the moosh in the one pan, flairing the other pan out like a tiny Jamie Oliver.  Awesome technique Jimbo.

Could a father be prouder?  This little guy is our son James Ian Armstrong.  Watch this space.  He is showing serious skills with pots and pans.   Move over Gordon Ramsay!

This past weekend got off to a full on cracker, out at Backsberg, for the inaugral Vino Varsity challenge.  It was a hyped up inter varsity affair, well organised by Simon Back, and Emile Joubert.    I did post up a bit of pre-event gees here.  It turned out to be a very civilised afternoon.  Apart from the two Varsities cheerleaders making every effort to look the part, there was some serious wine stuff going on.    I tucked into a corner and got stuck into Backsberg’s Chenin, good stuff as a warm up.

Every serious athlete will tell you how important it is to warm up properly before a big game.  This was no different.   I got chatting to a few of the students, catching up on the late night scenes, finding out about the old haunts, Cool Runnings and the budget roll guy, the usual campus banter.  Before long it was game time.  I relenquished the Chenin and moved onto Pinotage, also from Backsberg, and while usually not a fan of our national cultivar, since the debate was raging over the 350 years of our industry I felt it was only fair to charge my glass with a surprisingly good Pinotage.

The first competition event  up was a general knowledge multiple choice,  learnt a bit about the beloved pinotage from that… then the debate, which was a hotly contested battle, with the Mighty Matie Magnums taking an evident lead straight out of the gates.   The final most thrilling installment, apart from Emiles running gun battle with Simon on the mics, turned out to be the silent tasting.  Now I am not judging here, but when I was a student, spitting was a big no no.   Plus it was a Friday.  Mind you there was the varsities pride at stake….this was a really close call and turned out to be a tied event.    Over some more wine and very decent Lamb Roll, while we waited anxiously for the audited results, got chatting to a few of the guys, turns out the Maties have a seriously large and well organised wine society.  Back in my day, at UCT, the wine-soc was the most popular to sign up to in O week, for the free glass of wine you got after signing up.    I signed up once a day for good measure.   The results were announced to cheers from the Maties,  and cheers from the Ikeys, as they won a 3 litre bottle of Oom Tas.   Pretty decent consolation prize I thought.  I wonder if it lasted in the bus back to campus?

Heres a snap of Simon pouring out the winnings to the Mighty Matie Magnums:

All in all it was a fantastic way to spend a Friday, I am seriously looking forward to next years Vino Varsity.    Thanks to Simon and Emile,  I thoroughly enjoyed the event.   And congrats to the Matie Magnums, and the Ikey Ice Buckets.

Here are some articles posted about the event:

Backsberg Blog

Pendock Uncorked at the Times

Wine Goggle

Wynland, Wingerd, Waaibs

Just two quick pics, from the farm, above is our very proud Elephant.  id encourage you to go right now and have a few glasses of Haut Espoir,  (we dont discriminate, so if youre out of stock, anything will do) you might need a few dops to see it.  But its there, watching over us.  Pachydermal angel on the shoulder.  And below, our old work horse, dont know why, just cant bring myself to sell this old beast.  Too sentimental for my own good sometimes….

Simon from Backsberg has organised what looks to be a great Friday afternoon. I am not too sure what the afternoon has in store for us,  a more civilised event than some of the intervarsity days Im used I am sure, lots of great wine and decent wine chit chat to boot.  From my hazy recollection of varsity, this has sparked off so many memories of the more social aspect of UCT.

The last time I was at an inter-varsity was in 1999, we had an incredible day on a bus from Marquad Hall out to the Bosch.  With enough beer and super juice ( Gin and Blue Energade…it was a hot day)  and a bright blue UCT shaved into the back of my head we were all set for the big game.  From what  I can remember it was an awesome day of debauchery.

One area the Ikeys always managed to pull one over on the Maties was in the drinking department.  The intervarsity down downs at Fat Boys two nights before the big game swung well in our favour. ( pity the rugby that weekend was one way traffic in favour of the Maties).

I certainly will not  be attempting any of my shenanigans from back in the day, (and no Simon, I am not shaving my head)   I’m slightly out of practise…. but a blast from the UCT past, heres an old pic of one of our inter varsity running days,  the after run social.   Ten beers in ten minutes.  Eish…. 

I cannot wait for this afternoon, for more info check out Simons post on the big day:  UCT vs Maties

I watched Semi Pro last night and this could turn out to be the Mega Bowl!  Except there is no 4th place.   Come on Ikey Tigers!

And in honour of Will I think I will watch Old School tonight.   ‘Were Streaking‘  Classic.

Here is  a link to a great article on Franschhoek by Michael Fridjohn, highlighting the wines from La Motte, who have been full steam ahead on a more organic approach in the valley, as well as Dustin’s wines from Mont Rochelle, both flying the Franschhoek banner high. 

Great work and awesome wines from the valley.    Must have been something in the air, we had a Mont Rochelle Syrah 2004 last night with a nice lamb stew,  it was heavenly.  Cheers Dustin!

just because I can…..