Boplaas Farm was established in 1743 by Izaak van der Merwe in the town of: 'Koue Bokkeveld' near Ceres, approximately 200 km north-east of Cape Town. Over the last 283 years, the farm and export business has remained home to eleven generations of the Van der Merwe family. The farm holds a significant family, cultural and national history. The well-maintained homestead and main dwelling were built in 1780 in the Cape vernacular style.
The farmhouse hosts a rich and diverse collection of antique household items, décor elements and furniture used over the centuries.
The furniture, mostly handcrafted, incorporates 21 different wood species, including yellow, cedar, and stinkwood.
It also features other historic buildings, including the barn, watermill, baking house and soap house, which is a great example of a traditional farmyard in South Africa. The farm’s homestead and main dwelling were named a National Monument in 1973 and have since been designated as a provincial heritage site.
Boplaas has family and historical connections with the Afrikaans writer and poet, I.W. van der Merwe, known as Boerneef. Eighth-generation farmer on the land, Carl van der Merwe, known as Carl Boplaas, was his nephew and a poet in his own right. Embedded within the rich heritage of Boplaas is the moral compass and shared beliefs that define and shape the Van der Merwe family.
Core family values include honesty, respect, integrity, gratitude and perseverance. This commitment extends to the land which is cultivated-
The Boplaas Farm business.
