Leonie, a new professional strawberry grower, came remarkably close when she predicted the first harvest of 2025. On May 1st, Kwekerij Bosch harvested the first ripe Favori strawberries. Whether this was luck remains to be seen, but Leonie's quick grasp of calculating with growing degree days is no coincidence. This year marks only the second year that Kwekerij Bosch is growing strawberries on a hectare scale. Until last year, Leonie and her husband, Andre Bosch, operated a dairy farm in Luttenberg.
2024 was a year of learning for Leonie and her husband after they decided in November 2023 to transition from dairy farming. They invested the proceeds from selling their cattle and phosphate rights into a new cultivation system. Once the walking hoods were ready after a rainy spring, the harvest started quickly. Thrilled with their new setup, they rapidly filled all 107 rows of 70-meter-long racks with plants. However, for the inexperienced growers, this led to a large amount of production all at once.
This year, Leonie and Andre decided to divide their one-hectare area into four blocks and plant them in stages. They also opted to let some plants overwinter, which means by the end of May, the first rows will have notably larger plants. A key takeaway from their experience was to allow a bit more space between the fully grown everbearing plants, a topic that came up during a lunch conversation at the farmhouse kitchen table.
© Thijmen Tiersma | HortiDaily.com
"Do you know what you're getting into?"
Jumping into a new venture with enthusiasm often comes with mistakes. "We learned a lot," admits Andre as we walk past the racks, inhaling the sweet scent of strawberries right before lunch. When discussing their plans with advisors and salespeople, the couple frequently heard questions about whether they understood the challenges ahead. It wasn't until they were fully immersed in strawberry farming that they truly grasped what the process involves. Leonie adds, "We don't have 30 years to learn. We need to figure it out quickly."
Andre and Leonie are not only learning about cultivation but also gaining insights into labor management, sales, and marketing in their new venture. They receive support from cultivation advisor Kenny from Delphy and dedicated suppliers like Vos Capelle. Leonie enjoys studying the theory to expand her knowledge and together they've learned to calculate with growing degree days. The model they developed for this has provided accurate predictions this year, she proudly notes.
Andre also gained knowledge, often outside the home, such as obtaining his spraying license. Even when Leonie was growing plants as a hobby, she became familiar with many pests. In 2024, they encountered their first significant challenge: the Suzuki fruit fly. Leonie recalls, "We noticed the fruits becoming sticky, and after sending photos to Kenny and receiving feedback from customers, we quickly realized what was happening." This year, they've taken additional precautions, including setting up bottle traps to combat the Suzuki fruit fly.
© Thijmen Tiersma | HortiDaily.com
Local sales
The fresh strawberry growers handle sales themselves, using a vending machine on their property that draws customers regularly. Additionally, Kwekerij Bosch supplies strawberries to a local supermarket, restaurants, and bakeries. New this year, they are also participating in seven regional markets upon request. This expansion brings new challenges, such as estimating how much product will sell at these markets.
The growers are happy to see that sales are thriving under the current setup. Fair pricing certainly plays a role in this success. Additionally, Kwekerij Bosch stands out in the region for its unique approach to strawberry cultivation.
Picking when truly ripe
Kwekerij Bosch strives to offer fresh, ripe strawberries at affordable prices. Leonie and Andre prefer to handle the harvesting themselves, occasionally enlisting the help of their six children or workers from an employment agency for specific tasks. "We want the fruits picked when they're truly ripe and red. It was challenging to convey this to the agency workers, as they sometimes hesitated to pick fully ripe fruits, which doesn't meet our standards." Therefore, they prefer agency help for other tasks. Local boys, like last year, assisted in preparing the walking caps for the new season.
To ensure the quality of the fresh fruit when it's not sold directly on-site, the cold storage installed last summer is invaluable. On a Tuesday afternoon at the end of May, many strawberries are waiting to be picked up. By encouraging customers and consumers to collect their own strawberries, Kwekerij Bosch manages logistics more efficiently. They are already busy in Luttenberg with maintaining and stocking the vending machine, which operates only four days a week from 2 to 7 pm. They are currently looking for a new, more efficient vending machine to improve the process.
© Thijmen Tiersma | HortiDaily.com
When the barn needed for the dairy farm is demolished next year, there will be room for growth. Leonie prefers something with farm education, and there is also room to grow more. But not strawberries. A crop that aligns well with the peak work of strawberry cultivation is more sensible.
No blackberries
In their first year, Andre and Leonie chose to continue harvesting strawberries for as long as possible, right up until November. "There weren't many strawberries left on the plants, but we continued to go through the rows each day to pick the ripe ones. That was until the local supermarket told us it was time to switch to winter foods," Leonie laughs. "That's when we decided to stop."
This year, the focus has been on improving cultivation. Two of the four sections are already in production, and if Leonie's prediction holds true, section three will begin production on June 7. To ensure there are enough strawberries for the regional markets, the growers have started interplanting to secure additional harvests. At a recently held Open Day, a large audience had the chance to sample the strawberries.
Looking back, Leonie and Andre are pleased they didn't pursue growing blackberries, which was their original idea. They have since "fallen in love with strawberries." In Luttenberg, they enjoy working hard, with the children occasionally helping out. Although there were no successors for their dairy farm, overcoming the initial challenges of strawberry cultivation and seeing their parents' enjoyment might spark interest in one of the children. Leonie notes, "What's great about this market is that if you have a vision, you can accomplish a lot. It gives a sense of freedom and energy."
For more information:
Kwekerij Bosch
Tel: 0651766519
info@kwekerijbosch.nl
www.kwekerijbosch.nl