'Tourism is a strong pillar of our dairy farm'

Receiving guests was perhaps the biggest challenge when Henk and Margriet Smale joined BoerenBed. Now, almost twenty years later, the conclusion is that things have turned out to be a huge success on this point. During peak summer months, almost as many tourists as dairy cows stay on the farm. "It is hard work, but in addition to extra income, it also provides a lot of satisfaction."

When we visit the Smale family from Schalkhaar (Overijssel), the tourist season has just ended. The tents have been cleared and the inventory is back in winter storage. "During the season that runs from April to November, we can receive around 55 people in ten tent houses," says owner Margriet Smale (60), who runs the company together with her husband Henk (64) and their son Tom (29). . The family has been affiliated with BoerenBed for almost twenty years. The aim of this concept is to offer holidaymakers an authentic farm experience. BoerenBed currently has sixty locations in more than five countries. Sixteen farms are affiliated in the Netherlands and there is room for more.

Low investment costs
In the past, the family had a mixed business, but the income from arable farming was disappointing. This partly had to do with the type of soil and the subdivision. "Here in Salland the plots are less tight than elsewhere in the Netherlands. We wanted to continue with the dairy sector and then started looking at expanding our business to compensate for the lost income from arable farming." That's how BoerenBed came their way. The family enjoyed receiving guests, although it also seemed challenging at first. Moreover, they were able to start with relatively low investment costs. BoerenBed supplies the tents and also takes care of the bookings. "It is our job to give our guests an unforgettable stay," says Margriet.

In the first years, guests mainly came from the Randstad. At the time, the concept was still relatively unknown and mainly city dwellers were interested. The guests now come from all over the Netherlands and sometimes beyond. You can book a tent for six people from €125 per night. "We usually receive families with children. The elderly often look for more comfort when they go on holiday. In the tent you can cook decently and there is a wood stove, but there is no running water or electricity, for example. There is also no WiFi. Some people like that to escape the crowds and get back to basics.” There is a small shop on the farm with mostly regional products for breakfast and lunch.

PlanetProof milk
The dairy farm has approximately 65 cows and associated young cattle. The milk goes to FrieslandCampina where the family business participates in the On the way to PlanetProof concept. They are positive about the dairy cooperative. "It is an advantage for our company that we supply PlanetProof milk. In addition to the additional price, we have a concrete and tangible sustainability story for our guests. We notice that few guests are familiar with the quality mark."

A new stable was built in 2012. A greenhouse stable, based on a Canadian model. There was no special reason for choosing this type of stable, but it was the most interesting in terms of cost price and also practical to use. The cubicle stable from the 90s is also still in use. The farm that is rented dates from around 1600. The buildings on the site are a silent witness to the innovation in dairy farming, according to the family. The tents where the guests stay are located a distance from the farmhouse and the stables. "This means that we are not overrun by guests, even on busy days. They spread out across the company and they often go out during the day. For cycling, or a day in Deventer, which is almost a stone's throw away."

Royal visit
The relationship between the family and guests is quite informal. The guests often spontaneously come and have a look while they are busy. For example, when feeding or bringing in the cows. The milking robot is also an eye-catcher. "Guests often ask about the operation of this system and the benefits for the cow. We then tell the complete story, including that the system works with ground feed. We notice that guests have become more critical of the agricultural activities, but most are enthusiastic about how we work here." It gives the family a lot of satisfaction when this results in a nice review.

Prince Bernhard and Princess Annette have already been guests. "When I saw the family name 'Van Oranje' in the bookings, a light started going on. We were then informed by BoerenBed that it was indeed Prince Bernhard. It was a nice experience to receive royal guests, even though In principle, it doesn't matter to us who comes. You don't build a bond with the majority of the guests, but that is precisely the intention. After all, they come here for their rest," says Margriet.

Sturdy leg
The family has the ambition to increase the number of cows in the future, but does not want to become too big. “Our goal is to scale to a second milking robot.” This ambition may only be fulfilled when their son takes over the company. He wants to continue farming anyway, but he doesn't know yet whether BoerenBed is something for him. Henk and Margriet will remain active in the coming years and will continue to welcome guests to their heart's content. Some days it is quite hard, but in addition to nice experiences, there is also a good return on investment. "The benefits via BoerenBed are a strong foundation for our dairy farm that we do not want to miss."

This series of reports is made in collaboration with platform Search farmer, which inspires citizens to visit the farmer.

Wouter Job

Wouter Baan is Head of Meat & Dairy at BoerenbusinessAt DCA Market Intelligence, he focuses on dairy, pork, and meat markets. He also monitors (business) developments within agribusiness and interviews CEOs and policymakers.

w.baan@boerenbusiness. Nl

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