Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How to order
PLEASE NOTE THAT OUR MINIMUM ORDER IS STRICTLY R1800 (INCL VAT)
DELIVERIES: COST AND BULK DISCOUNTS (MAIN ROUTES ONLY)
- Free delivery on minimum orders of R 1 800+ (incl VAT) on main routes
- Free delivery and 5% discount on orders of R 5 000+ (incl VAT) on main routes
- Free delivery and 7% discount on orders of R 15 000+ (incl VAT) on main routes
WHAT WE NEED TO PROCESS YOUR ORDER:
- Name, delivery address, contact number and your final order placed online via our online shop.
- Orders must be placed by the closing date specified on delivery calendar – usually on Wednesday COB a week before delivery.
- Payment via credit card or proof of EFT payment at least 48 hours before delivery
Deliveries
HOW OFTEN DO YOU DELIVER ON MAIN ROUTES?
- Once a month. Please refer to our delivery calendar for delivery dates and order cut-off times.
- Please note orders usually close on Wednesday night a WEEK BEFORE DELIVERY DATE.
- We cannot accept any late deliveries because we mill, process and pack orders on a strict schedule in the days before delivery.
WHAT ARE YOUR MAIN ROUTES?
- Cape Town and surrounds (Overberg, Boland, Breedekloof and West Coast)
- Gauteng via Bloemfontein (N8 and N1)
- PE via Tsitsikamma to George (N2)
- Collect in Prieska (once a month)
HOW OFTEN DO YOU DO COURIER RUNS?
- Wine only – dispatched daily for delivery within 5-7 working days. Other products – not available via courier yet.
CAN I COLLECT OR BUY PRODUCE FROM THE FARM / AT A DEPOT / IN PRIESKA?
- Not at the moment. We don’t have the capacity for in-person sales or unannounced visits and we mill and pack on order per route.
CAN I VISIT THE FARM OR COME FOR A WINE TASTING?
- While we love showing people around, our busy production schedule doesn’t allow for ad hoc farm visits.
- We host occasional events and open days on the farm. Please sign up for our newsletter and watch our Instagram and Facebook pages for news and events.
WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSE TIME TO E-MAILS AND ORDERS?
- Up to two weeks.
Grains
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN YOUR WHEAT VARIETIES?
- Hard Red = The “normal” bread wheat – strong and versatile with a reddish colour and some tannins. Protein of 10%.
- Kalahari White = Very rare and the only white wheat planted in South Africa. This wheat is white and light and with a protein of 12%.
- Estate Blend = a mix of wheat varieties planted together (this year it was planted on non-organic fields so this is not organic). The blend is estimated to contain 60% Hard Red, 38% Kalahari White and 2% Rye.
- River Rye = delicious dark rye. Perfect to make rye loaves or to add to your daily loaves for taste and colour.
ARE YOUR GRAINS GMO FREE?
- Yes, our grains are CERTIFIED ORGANIC with ECOCERT, meaning no GMO is allowed on the fields for 3+ years before growing an organic crop. There is no such thing as GMO wheat, all wheat is GMO free.
DO YOU SPRAY GLYPHOSATE ON WHEAT TO DESSICATE IT CHEMICALLY?
- No.
DO YOU STORE WHEAT WITH PHOSTOXIN?
- No, this is not allowed in organic production. We use food grade diatomaceous earth to deter weevils and other critters. We do however ask that our clients also do the best they can to keep weevils at bay. Store in a cool, dry place and freeze if possible.
WHEN WILL “OUT OF STOCK” PRODUCTS BE BACK IN STOCK?
- We generally restock the website one to three weeks before we open orders on a monthly schedule. Send us your cell number and area if you’d like to receive a WhatsApp notification when new stock is uploaded.
- Lowerland produces slow food. We don’t buy in grains for milling or animals for slaughter, so if our stock runs out, we wait for the next harvest or slaughter ready group.
- Seasonal products such as grains, vegetables and nuts are harvested annually and wine vintages are released annually.
- Meat is slaughtered and processed based on estimated demand and availability of grown animals. We don’t run a feed lot and we don’t buy in animals.
Meat
IS YOUR MEAT FREE RANGE / PASTURE RAISED / ORGANIC / HORMONE FREE / ANTIBIOTIC FREE?
- Our outdoor pigs are certified organic. This means that their whole diet and all the fields they graze on are certified organic (therefore GMO free also). They graze and plough freely on pastures and between vineyards and orchards and feed on a mix of annual and perennial pastures, waste from our milling factory and vegetable with a 5% protein feed addition.
- Our cattle are all pasture and grass fed. Cattle herds are raised in Bo-Karoo veld and receive only an occasional salt lick to balance their mineral intake. No hormones, no grains, no routine vaccinations, no antibiotics. We raise breeds that are adapted to this environment and select for disease resistance, easy calving, high fertility and inherent body condition.
- Our goats are certified organic but our skaap and cattle are not, because we sometimes need to utilise our herds to graze the stubble of non-organic fields. The sheep and goats are all raised on a mix of annual and perennial pastures on Lowerland farm and receive no grains in their ration.
- We don’t medicate animals unless signed off by a vet and in that case, we follow organic protocol and communicate to our customers.
WILL MY MEAT ARRIVE FRESH OR FROZEN?
- We deliver all our meat frozen and ready for you to put straight into the freezer.
- Your meat can be safely refrozen if it thaws at a cool temperature.
- Meat can be kept in the freezer for at least 6 months.
- We don’t believe that fresh is the best or only way to purchase meat. Farmers generally slaughter a whole animal for their personal stock and keep it in the freezer to enjoy over a few months. This is the best way for us to ensure the whole animal from nose to tail is utilised.
IS YOUR HAM AND BACON NITRATE FREE?
- Richard Bosman charcuterie contains a small amount of nitrates for optimal preservation.
- Ryan Boon’s bacon is nitrate free.
DO YOUR PRODUCTS CONTAIN ANY ALLERGENS?
- Nuts and wheat products are packed and processed separately from other products to avoid contamination.
- All our “wors” is MSG free and gluten free.
- Our wine contains minimum sulphates (KHSO3) but is not sulphate free.
- Please refer to product descriptions of each individual product for ingredients and allergens.
IS YOUR WINE / WHEAT / GRAINS / NUTS VEGAN FRIENDLY?
- No. We farm holistically, and animals are integrated in every part of our production process. Animals provide fertility, pruning and ploughing services, regenerate the soil and turn the waste from crop farming into healthy, high value protein. Instead of shipping in mined, petroleum based or synthetically produced fertilizer for our crops, we derive as much fertility as possible from animals on the farm. When not kept in a feedlot, animals restore carbon to the soil.
WHERE CAN I FIND RECIPES / COOKING INSTRUCTIONS FOR YOUR PRODUCTS?
- We will add recipes and cooking instructions to our recipe blog regularly. Please email alette@lowerland.co.za if you need assistance or directions with preparing any of the products.
Troubleshooting
I GET AN ERROR MESSAGE WHEN TRYING TO CHECK OUT WITH PAYFAST
- Try checking out from a different browser
- Try opening a private page in your browser and shopping from there (ctrl+shift+p)
- Try using a different email address
THE DELIVERY DETAILS ON MY INVOICE ARE NOT CORRECT
- Try using a different email address
- Don’t use the same email address for multiple delivery addresses
- Please notify us so we can look into it