Naboom Country Market at Ilnika

11 SEPTEMBER, 20 OCTOBER, 27 NOVEMBER,

11 DECEMBER AND 18 DECEMBER 2021

When Andre Pienaar bought a farm near Mookgophong (formerly Naboomspruit) with the plan to establish a nursery, he never dreamt that more than 100 local people would one day be selling their products on his property.

The Naboom Country Market at Ilnika came into existence shortly after the lifting of Level 5 lockdown, when Andre and his partner, Elizabeth Botha, invited the public to their outdoor restaurant, Steek My Weg. “We wanted our restaurant to include a shop that sold locally made items,” Andre says. They posted an invitation on Facebook, and the feedback from local entrepreneurs was overwhelming.

“We decided to give every one of them the opportunity to come and promote their products,” Andre says, “and immediately had 45 vendors with sufficient stock to sell.”

They expected about 250 visitors at the market on launch day, and 1 800 people showed up!

Since its inception, the market has gone from strength to strength. Not only does each event contribute about R300 000 to the local economy, but local guesthouses and lodges also reap the benefits through visitors coming to stay from as far afield as Johannesburg and Pretoria. Today, 110 stallholders sell a variety of products: art, furniture, clothes, leather goods, body products, cakes and pastries, biltong and much more.

Where? Ilnika farm, 7 km north of Mookgophong on the Constantia road

Contact ilnika.com andre@ilnika.com 014 743 3867 or

083 778 5045