Between weekend braais, evening wine nights with your friends or just lounging around, it’s easy to lose sight of the importance of year-round fitness. However, getting fit and staying in shape, there really isn’t one type of exercise that is the best as some exercises can be damaging. So, the team at Granny Mouse Country House & Spa emphasise that the most important thing is do what you love to do!

One of the simplest ways to get fit outdoors is walking, and doing so on a regular basis can improve your health and get that blood flowing.

It really is a great form of exercise as it is low impact, and doesn’t hurt those joints and muscles. Try a “walk out” for 10 minutes of brisk walking three times a day for five days and see how much better you feel. The picturesque grounds at Granny Mouse could be your starting point, and not forgetting the fresh “Midlands air”!

For those who are a little more adventurous, take a hike in the Midlands as the walking trails will definitely build muscle, help clear the cobwebs from your brain and get you breathing in fresh oxygen. You will so enjoy the routes, as well as the sights and sounds of nature. It’s always better done with friends, so, get your takkies on and bring a group with you to enjoy and have fun. Don’t forget to stay hydrated!

Another suggestion is taking a bike ride, as that is certainly a total body workout. If you don’t have a bike of your own, there are so many spots where you can rent one. Should you choose riding a bike on the road, ensure you have the reflective gear and don’t forget to obey the rules of the road – rather be safe than sorry. There are loads of off-road trails in the countryside which are way more enjoyable than hitting the tar.

For the slighter fitter crew, do a trail run, and enjoy a scenic calm environment. The trails will no doubt have a few hills which will provide a full body toning experience.

Yoga is also a great outdoor exercise activity that can challenge the body and ease the mind. Doing yoga outside takes away the controlled environment that you can often get from an indoor class. After which you can hop into the “Mouse House” pool.

This takes us to the next exercise option – swimming. It’s a great way to get in touch with nature, challenge the body with an all-over workout and cool down.

Last but not least, have you thought about taking a horse ride? It’s a fantastic exercise that strengthens your core muscles (bit of Pilates there), improves one’s heart rate and it works those legs and arms. It really is an efficient way to exercise, and of course have great fun while improving your posture!

Remember, regular exercise can have a profoundly positive impact on one’s mental health, so, get off the couch, head up to the Midlands where you can have the best time while getting fit and living life to the fullest.

To find out more about horse riding and nearby trails, let the team from Granny Mouse guide you at www.grannymouse.co.za

Tomatoes just adore warm weather, and are mostly grown in summer in South Africa. They love a sunny location and well-drained soil. So when you get started, make sure you have plenty of compost when preparing. The beauty of tomatoes is they are relatively easy to grow, but the downside is that they are particularly vulnerable to pests and diseases.

The terrific tomato is used in thousands of dishes and appears on every single restaurant or coffee shop menu, and is generally a key ingredient. Stemming from the ancient Aztec civilisations, it’s now as common as pie.

Many delicious dishes can be traced back to the ancient world, and the Aztec word “tamatl” simply translates to plump fruit. It was introduced to Spain in the early sixteenth century together with maize, potatoes, chilli peppers and sweet potatoes through the voyages of Columbus.

Tomatoes work with just about any savoury meal and combine really well with cheese, eggs, meat, herbs and potato/pasta dishes.

The tomato is perceived to be a vegetable because of its main culinary uses, but it is actually a fruit, belonging to the family Solanacea. It is a close relative of the potato, the capsicum pepper and the aubergine and it is super nutritious.

So on reading all this above, it’s time to get some tomatoes growing in your pot or garden. It’s so easy!

It’s not necessary to buy seeds, as you can source these from your choice of fresh tomatoes that you may have in your fridge. However, you can purchase tomato seeds at any nursery or even grocery stores these days.

If growing from tomatoes, choose some fresh tomatoes that you particularly like the taste of, and then pulp these in a bowl and add a little bit of cold water. Let this mixture stand and, after a while, a whiteish film will form on the surface of the liquid. After 36 hours, add a little more water to the mixture and stir it in well.

This process will separate the seeds from the pulp and the seeds will sink to the bottom of the bowl. Once this has happened, strain the mixture through a sieve, rinse the seeds under cold water and then leave them on a piece of paper towel until they are dry.

Sow the seeds into small pots or seedling trays filled with potting soil, and leave them in a warm, sheltered place to germinate.

Once they have germinated, and have sprouted three or four leaves, then they are ready to transplant into your garden, veggie patch or into a medium-sized pot.

It is essential to plant tomatoes along with sticks or stakes, as they are climbing plants.

Training them to grow on stakes has the benefit of requiring less space for them to grow in.

Each stake should be approximately 1.5m to 2m in length, and it is advisable to use square stakes instead of round ones to prevent slippage.

Insert the stakes firmly into the ground, approximately 600mm apart, and make the planting hole around 100mm in front of each stake.

Carefully transplant the seedlings into the planting hole, being careful to angle them towards the stakes. Pat the soil firmly in place around each seedling and water them well. As the seedlings grow, you will need to tie the stems to the stakes to train them to grow upwards – for this make sure you use soft ties, such as old stockings or pantyhose, and not hard material such as wire or string.

Make sure you water your tomatoes regularly and well. Three of the most effective companion plants for tomatoes include Sweet Basil, Marigolds and Mint, which keep aphids, thrips, fruit flies and a host of other pests at bay. Also do your best to attract the friendly bugs, such as ladybirds who love aphids in their diet. So keep an eye on them, and in about six to eight weeks you will have your crop ready to eat.

Enjoy the experience of growing your own tomatoes whilst spending time outdoors in your garden.

https://www.farmersweekly.co.za/farming-basics/how-to-crop/growing-tomatoes-2/