About The Farm

Fruit

The main produce of the farm remains table grapes, more than 40% of the land devoted to vineyards. The farm produces more than 20 cultivars, both seeded and seedless in black, red and white varieties.
In addition to table grapes, we also grow a number of other fruit varieties.
These include peaches, nectarines, plums, clementines, oranges and olives.

Farm History

Het Vlock Casteel (Môrester) lies at the foot of Kasteelberg (“Castle Mountain”), in the fertile Riebeek Valley. The land was first cultivated by Adriaan Johannes (Attie) Vlok in 1958. He was a true visionary and saw the full potential of the Valley, but at that stage water was scarce and very few permanent crops were being planted.
The Riebeek Valley has a Mediterranean type climate, with long hot summers (+35⁰C) and short cold winters (seldom under 10⁰C and no frost). The winter rains are however not substantial enough to sustain agricultural practices throughout the dry season.
To overcome some of these obstacles, Attie Vlok and Baila Bruwer of Dagbreek Farm, envisioned a water scheme, and in 1972 this dream was fulfilled when the Berg River Water Scheme was born. This scheme provides water to at least 13 farms in the Valley, including Riebeek Cellars.
“Water brought prosperity to the Riebeek Valley”- Kobus Bruwer (Son of Baila Bruwer, present owner of Dagbreek Farm) In the early 1980’s the farm produced only table and wine grapes, but before the end of the decade, the farm had diversified and in addition to the vineyards, were peaches, nectarines and citrus fruit. Since the 1990’s further crop varieties were added, including plums and olive groves.
Up to 95% of the fruit grown on the farm is for the export market through Capespan, with local sales being shipped under the Kasteelberg label.
All of the olives grown on the farm are handpicked and processed locally.

Farming Philosophy

“Today farming is a science and needs a level headed person to make a success”, says Johan Vlok (present owner of Môrester Farms)
Due to the hot summers, fruit from the Riebeek Valley has been described as flavoursome and extremely sweet! Water is vital in fruit production and drip- irrigation from our dams and the Berg River Water Scheme ensure that our crops reach their full potential.
With the variety of fruit, harvesting takes place throughout the year, except for July and September. All fruit must be handled with care – this makes it a labour intensive form of farming and for six months of the year, we employ a number of seasonal workers. The fruit is prepared mainly for the export market, but around 5% of our yield is supplied to local markets under the Kasteelberg brand.

History of the Vlok Family

“As jy vandag na die Riebeek Vallei kyk, dan is dit sinoniem met die Vlokke, maar as jy na die Vlokke kyk is dit sinoniem met sukses. Sukses is sinoniem met kwaliteit en gehalte, want dit is die Vlokke, en dit is Riebeek-Kasteel se Vlokke” – Eddie Pienaar (Landbou Adviseur)
28 June 2008 marked the half century anniversary of the Vlok family’s arrival in the prosperous Riebeek Valley. Adriaan Johannes “Attie Vlok” and his wife Anna Vlok (nee Jordaan) settled in the valley in June 1958 on the farm Remhoogte which is still in the family. They had 9 children; 7 boys and 2 girls. The eldest son chose not to go into farming and likes to joke that it was too much like hard work. In truth his passion was with medicine and he went on to become
a Professor in Orthopedic Surgery.
Of the remaining 8 children, all are involved in farming of some kind, either directly or indirectly, a family business which has passed on to the grandchildren with great success.
“Attie and Anna Vlok se voetspore op die grond op Riebeek-Kasteel was verseker die mis in die grond, want dit wat hul geplant en agtergelaat het, kon niemand nog ooit ongedaan gemaak het nie.” Piet Geldenhuys (Technical Advisor at Capespan)
The Môrester farm was purchased in the same year 1958, and is now the family seat of Johan and Ansie Vlok and their 3 children. It is here that Het Vlock Casteel is based.
Johan and Ansie met at the University of Stellenbosch where he was studying for a degree in Viticulture and Oenology and she for her degree in Food Science. They married in 1983 and soon settled on Môrester farm. Their firstborn child, a daughter Anne-Mart followed in 1984 and their son Adriaan Johannes “Johan” (named for his grandfather) in 1986. Their third child, another daughter Ansie, completed the family in 1988.
Anne-Mart has a degree in Psychology and has also studied at the prestigious ICA Culinary School in Stellenbosch. Johan Jnr is following in his father’s footsteps and  he joined the farming business in 2011 after completing his post-graduate degree in Viticulture. Ansie has completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and has joined Het Vlock Casteel in 2012. She is in charge of the Weddings and Function as the Coordinator as well as the Finances of the business.
In 2011 Lila joined the family when she married Johan Jnr. More expertise was added to the Vlok Business with her having a Hons. Degree in Oenology. She is now involved with the Farm’s office – the finances and the Audits for the exporting of the fruit. She and Johan have 3 daughters; Jané, Lise-Louise and Amélie. Anne-Mart lives in Riebeek-Kasteel and provides the shop with sweet treats, olive oil cosmetic products and hand drawn gift cards.
Ansie Jnr married Bernard Nigrini in 2017 and they have a daughter, Mia and a son, Johannes.
Their cousin, Jolise Jacobs, has joined Het Vlock Casteel in 2008. She is in charge of ‘Die Winkel’; handling the planning of orders, the staff as well as the public. She is also involved with the coordinating of Weddings and functions.
Inspired by his father’s (Attie) ingenuity and visionary farming techniques, Johan Snr saw the potential in the land and it is due to his foresight that the farm went from producing predominantly table and wine grapes in the 1980’s to the wide diversity of produce available today.
It is important to note that a number of the farms in the Riebeek Valley are in Vlok hands to this day.