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Teachers pet

Hi forumites

Just a quick word on the monkeys and starlings. The starling in fact disappear during the summer months with just two or three pair nesting in the hollow tree trunks on site. Where the rest go I have no idea. They probably have enough food elsewhere then. They are back "en masse" since the beginning of May. The problem is dingbats that feed them. This in turn attracts the monkeys. The monkeys we sort of manage. The catapults seem effective if applied all the time. About the starling we can do nothing I`m afraid. Touch wood so far we do not have the same bee problem as last year.
I would like to use this thread to do a bit of publicity. It is all in the general interest of the visitor so I cannot see why anybody might object to this. But then you get funny ppl.
Anyway, since October last year we have as a menu option for our visiting groups something interesting and different. A Picnic basket for two packed with mouth-watering goodies.
It comes in a wicker basket with cutlery and crockery. We have now decided to make this available for other visitors as well. The only thing is we need need 24 hr advance reservation or booking and we take a R100 refundable deposit when you receive your basket and you reclaim your deposit once you return your empty basket.
The price is R120 per basket (2 person basket)
The basket contains
French Salad with Parmesan shavings and wholegrain mustard dressing
Tri-color spicy pasta salad
Quiche Provencal and/or Quiche Lorraine
Duo of Kudu carpachio and Hoedspruit Pastrami
Fruity Bushveld Bobotie
Chicken Liver Pate
Olive Ciabatta Bread
Traditional Milk Tartlet or Lavender and Honey Ice Cream
Coffee or Tea.

I "launch" this here cos I think there might be some mites that would love the idea.

Et Voila...come try!

A Pic, but this basket was a special request for a group and not the menu above...just an idea

When we were there in 08 there was not much there in prepared food, so this idea is bound to be a winner. So if the buyer cannot make it back to the site...they pay R220 for the whole kit and kaboodle? Still a bargain!

Lockie

Don`t know when you were here in 08 but a few things have changed.
Maybe it is good place to inform future visitors that we do not do any more burgers or any more fried chips.
We have what we feel are more healthier options in it`s place.
For children there are toasted sandwiches still and a variety of pies(bought in).
The venison pie we make ourselves.

Love the idea of the picnic baskets now available to all visitors, Guepard
Do your venison pies include buff pies ?

guepard...Now THAT sounds more like it. We were there in March of 08. I think there were cold sarmies soda or as we Canadians say pop and other beverages. We were stocking up for a game drive, and also of course used the facilities while there as we wern't sure of get out spots on the way or abolutions etc. I remember that there were monkeys everywhere and we were not impressed by the feeding of same by some of the visitors
I take it then that the baskets you will supply (for two people) are not intended to leave the picnic spot? If not... that's going to be an expensive proposition. At any rate Good Luck!! sounds like a great idea

Lockie

March 08 tshokwane was still under other management.
Are you saying that R60 for a meal with starters, mains, desserts and coffee is an expensive proposition Lockie or did I get you wrong?

Matthys.. I leave the buff pies for Whacktazz at Nkuhlu. I get venison from my butcher in Hoedspruit and it is not always the same. At the moment it is kudu for example.

Nice pubblicity! Mods there is a spammer

Guepard.

I think we all benefit from this nice publicity, Micetta

In fact, it was written in "tiny" if not I would have written in "large"

Micetta.

Although its not correct to feed the birds (and I dont anymore) I cant see why people are so against it in the National Parks. I remember feeding birds was a highlight growing up as a kid on holidays at places like Shingwedzi and Olifants in particular. It certainly was a main reason to get me to appreciate birds with a passion. I think those people who feed birds are not as big offenders as everyone makes them out to be. If it helps people love the Kruger and love birds surely its only going to do better for nature on this earth. To me the costs of people feeding birds to the birds and the other people who just get irritated by them, are negligable compared to the good that people get out of it and In think birds and nature get more allies by such experiences.
It makes the trips for me having all the birds at the various picnic spots and camps. If the birds are such a problem to people then I think they should just go to the Park in summer when as is mentioned the birds disperse and wont be a nuissance.
With food around animals are always going to be attracted - people shouldnt feed I guess but people always will continue or will at leave crumbs behind etc thereby attracting wild animals. Should we just convert all the stop over spots to large chicken wire fenced enclosures so that no birds or animals can get in and so that no one gets disturbed??

The problem comes in where, especially at the picnic sites, 1)people do not stop by feeding only monkeys and 2) the monkeys/baboons also wants in on this free meal
I see this on a daily basis. monkeys litterally attack people, because they do not want to part with their fruit or whatever.
The more birds that gets fed, the more other animals are attracted.
We as concesionares, understand this problem, because if you are bitten by a monkey at one of our places, chances are that you will never, ever come back.
Both me and David are trying our utmost best to stop people from feeding anything. Our staff will pick up any dirty plates as soon as humanly possible.