Owls are amongst people’s favourite birds, and the reason often given for this is their large, forward-facing eyes that make their faces seem similar to ours! At Avondale, we are delighted to have resident Barn Owls, Spotted and Cape Eagle Owls. We provide perching poles and secluded nesting boxes in our vineyards to support the owls, who in turn play a vital role in rodent control.
Johnathan Grieve
As family man… Avondale is a family farm where we appreciate that the health and balance of our living system is inextricably linked to well-being of our families. As a father of two and a husband, as son and brother, my inspiration to achieve a robust, balanced vineyard ecosystem is to ensure that Avondale will support the lives of our future generations.
As artist… A passion for jazz and a love for all forms of art, especially woodwork and sculpture led me into four years of fine art studies – an eclectic education for a budding a farmer, for sure! However, I have found that in so many ways, the patterns, interconnections and openness of the artistic worldview have influenced my understanding of how living systems work.
As farmer… My interest in farming started early when I was a boy growing up on a small-holding outside of Durbanville. I planted and tended my own vegetables which I sold to family and friends. I hardly imagined at that time though that I would one day become a farmer. However, the theme of a healthy balanced life was embedded in our family’s outlook.