‘Our beautiful bush kitchen’
Thanks to a clever container conversion, the boma on this farm has everything that opens and shuts – and it’s baboon-resistant!
The vision for this gorgeous boma took shape around a campfire. But unlike those pipe dreams discussed under the stars late at night, this one came true. The Mills family of Witkrans Farm outside Beaufort West often camp on the banks of the river on their farm and dreamed of having an outdoor kitchen there to make things easier.
“When you wake up in the morning to the sound of the river, the birds in the trees and sometimes the call of the lookout baboon, you really feel part of the farm,” says Caren.
“Dave and I wanted a kitchen by the river that would become a central hub where everyone can cook delicious food, relax and tell stories around the campfire.”
But that self-same male baboon and his troop, as well as vervet monkeys and other wild animals, made the idea of an outdoor kitchen problematic. “The animals often come to the campsite when we’re not here – the baboons and monkeys during the day and the porcupines at night – and they raid whatever they find! We spent many days discussing our options,” says Caren.
The people who were sitting around the campfire that night when Caren and Dave started formulating their ideas were Vince and Ronelle Muir, the owners of Holly Wood Kitchens.
Talk about the right people at the right time!
“We discussed our needs and the different ways to create what we wanted. One of the major factors was that it had to be able to withstand wild animals. A container was the obvious way forward. Apart from the fact that it can be completely closed up, the container could be kitted out in Cape Town and then simply brought here. Once the seed had been planted, the concept just grew and grew!”
When Vince describes the “simply brought here” process, it seems that this might have been the most difficult part of the project.
The container was transported by truck from Cape Town to Beaufort West and then over the last 60km on a dirt road to the farm. He says they tackled the last 20m like the ancient Egyptians: “The container was placed on poles by the truck’s crane and then we rolled it over them into position.” >>
The bar area (right) has a bar fridge and an L-shaped bar counter. The island is 3m long and 1m wide, with gas plates on one side and a stove underneath. The counter can accommodate five bar stools.
Fire pit from The Firepit Company
Ready for action
The container is situated in the shade of karee, poplar and acacia trees next to the Krom River.
Unlike large parts of the Great Karoo with its vast open plains, the farm boasts impressive cliffs. This area is covered with sweetveld grass so the game thrives, while the river provides plenty of water.
“We carefully cleared the surrounding bush and had the ground levelled; our incredible builder, Wijnand Millard, prepared the site meticulously,” says Caren.
Vince provided a sketch of where to prepare the foundation and where the concrete blocks had to be placed for the four corners. Pipes for water and electricity were laid underground.
“Dave loves detail and kept everyone up to date with endless lists,” explains Caren. “The entire boma – which includes the kitchen, the lounging area, a hot tub and the fire pit – is integrated so that it never feels as if one area is separate from the other.
“And because the Karoo has a lot of fine dust, we decided to create a proper floor
– it’s a combination of a wooden deck and stone paving.”
A retaining wall provides protection against flooding when the river is in full flow. “As a bonus, there was space below the wall for our braai pit,” says Caren. “We’re so happy with the way everything has turned out.”
(above) (right).