The van Rooyens are Ailsa, Jan Georg, and their two children, Ayana and Johannes. Sillyflatt Farm has been part of Ailsa’s family for three generations, a living landscape shaped by hands, hearts, and seasons. In her grandfather’s day, the farm included a market vegetable and flower garden; her father ran a traditional mixed arable and beef farm. Today, the land continues to grow crops and raise sheep, pigs, and poultry, alongside a market vegetable garden, a farm shop, and a seasonal outdoor dining experience.

For over 80 years, Sillyflatt has been a place for the community to gather—barn dances, weddings, gala evenings, and the vibrant annual music and arts festival, Yellows on the Broom, have all found a home here.

Ailsa, who worked as a marine ecologist for 20 years before settling back on the farm, now nurtures the farm’s diverse enterprises—from the shop and market garden to the holiday let cottage, educational experiences, granary, and food projects. Jan Georg, an engineer and farmer’s son from South Africa, cares for the livestock, land, and buildings, bringing experience in ecotourism, outdoor sports, and sustainable practices.

Together, Ailsa and Jan Georg blend sustainable business growth with actions aimed to improve biodiversity and community connections, tending Sillyflatt as a place where nature, community, and creativity grow together—a farm alive with stories, learning, and life.