At Spier, everything starts with the soil. Regeneration is the golden thread that runs through all farm life, from vineyard practices to indigenous propagation and replanting programmes.

Spier near Stellenbosch in the Western Cape is one of South Africa’s oldest family-owned working wine farms. Across all its areas of involvement, from land to community and art to entrepreneurship, the business employs a long-term, intentional, regenerative model.

The new Soil Room adjoining Spier’s Cowshed Shop displays Spier’s unending work in propagating indigenous species, restoring biodiversity, and keeping healthy ecosystems balanced.

The visionaries

The Soil Room makes tangible the life’s work of Spier’s dedicated team: people who have made it their mission to transform the farm, one living thing at a time. Meet three of them:

Wilton Sikhosana, Nursery Manager, has overseen the propagation of indigenous species for over two decades. “What we are doing is restorative work,” he explains. “Planting back all the indigenous and endemic plants removed from the farm. We’re trying to bring it back to how it was originally.”

Orlando Filander, Spier’s veteran Farm Manager, brings a custodial perspective. “This land doesn’t belong to us; we’re just the custodians of this farm, and everyone working on this farm aims to leave it in a better state.”

Angus McIntosh, Regenerative Farmer (Farmer Angus), highlights the role of soil health: “The more carbon we have in our soils, the more water and nutrients it can hold. We are trying to produce foods that are nutrient-dense and at the same time are building an ecosystem on the farm.”

The Soil Room includes indigenous plants like locally grown yellowwood trees, handmade wreaths, botanical inks extracted from South African plants, and Chris van Niekerk’s intricate Ecoskeletons sculptures made from foraged botanical materials. 

“Our work in The Soil Room is restorative creativity,” says Annebelle Schreuders, Managing Director of Spier Hospitality. “Every plant, every piece of art, and every conversation here ties back to the idea of injecting life back into the land.”

Living Facts

• Over 17 697 trees, shrubs, and groundcover plants were planted last year to restore fynbos, wetlands, and landscapes across the farm.

• Since 2012, Spier’s nursery has cultivated and replanted over 102,957 trees, shrubs, and fynbos, propagating more than 1 million bulbs.

• Spier is one of 50 WWF-SA Conservation Champions.

• Spier’s Growing for Good initiatives help restore ecosystems, improve soil health, and support local communities through projects that educate and inspire understanding and love of the land. 

Read more at www.spier.co.za/growing-for-good.