Eat, Meet and Greet at Land van Fluwel.

Yes, this week I'll continue to talk about Land van Fluwel . You know by now that the Hamburgers are delicious there, but after last week's blog I could gather from your reactions that many readers are not really familiar with Land van Fluwel and would like to know more about it.

Land van Fluwel started a good ten years ago with 'The Story of the Tulip'. Fluwel's Tulip Land was its name at the time, born from a dream of ours to introduce tourists and interested parties to the daily activities and history of the flower bulb world. The cattle farmers would also be discussed; chicken, pig, rabbit and goat, they would all be present. A park with beautiful flowers, happy animals, tasty snacks and lots of background information, in short, a kind of flower bulb farm. Nice dream, huh? But yes, you dream so much when you're young, dreaming is fun.


Unfortunately, there was too much pressure with the export of flower bulbs to America and with our Daffodil nursery and besides, even if we had had the time, we would still lack the money. However, when about ten years ago neighbor Nijboer told us that he was going to sell his beautiful farm with its brushwood and all, the dream came to life again. Neighbor thought it was a beautiful dream of ours and granted us the farm and before we knew it, it was time to wake up to make the dream come true.


It was going to be called Fluwel's Tulpenland, the story of the Tulip with lots of fun for the children between the lines. That was what it had to be. Grand opening with the director of the International Flower Bulb Centre, Mr. Frans Rozen, dressed as a Turkish Sultan on a camel surrounded by dancers, big party, it was going to be a resounding success. Not so. It wasn't really a flop either, but we had a hard time getting things going. In the spring it went fine, people are still interested in the Tulip , but in the summer, when it's bursting with tourists here... not a soul. Well, not a soul, in any case far too few visitors.


Until the moment that an incredibly nice idiot from the West Frisian Hoogwoud came our way; Kees Vriend. A fool who does what his heart tells him to do. Artist, music with humor to full theaters, used to be a teacher, garden center, bon vivant and always laughing. Now he has started a campsite again; Camping 'Boven het Maaiveld' in Hoogwoud. Anyway, when Kees saw Fluwel's Tulpenland he immediately fell in love with the beautiful location and the beautiful farm surrounded by the sprokkelbos. 'Can I make something nice of this' he came to ask us, then we will turn the forest into a hide-and-seek forest with the annual Dutch hide-and-seek championship (which has been postponed this year because we are still looking for two participants of 9 and 11 years old who participated last year) and we will make a barefoot path on the outside around it. Kees managed to get us excited with his West Frisian accent, with your bare legs in the mud. And there we go climbing with ropes and wood and there, and there, and there and pancakes of course, nice thick pancakes.


We were looking forward to it, the name was changed to Land van Fluwel . Play and do paradise for young and old. Challenging children, spoiling parents, the run started and then, sjips, it always goes differently than you think... Corona, that became very exciting. Afterwards it turned out well, where Corona threw a spanner in the works at Land van Fluwel , because people were no longer allowed to come, that same Corona ensured that people were housebound and hugged the gardens around their house. The flower bulb export and the Fluwel website were booming like never before. On the one hand a big plus, on the other hand a big minus, you could do worse, nothing to complain about. Fortunately, that silliness is behind us and Land van Fluwel is buzzing like never before. Happy people and children who are completely going wild, fantastic.

Now that I am chatting so nicely about Land van Fluwel , I might as well take the opportunity to invite you to a pleasant evening at Land van Fluwel with the magnificent musical trio 'De Flageolettes' a Barbecue and, at the request of Suzan (the current big shot at Land van Fluwel ), a Meet & Greet with us. Yes, I will come too, I am so curious about the Flageolettes. They seem to be really great, heard so many nice stories about them, I want to experience that. Just google it on YouTube "Flageolettes" doesn't that make you happy? This will take place on Friday 7 July; Eat 'Meat & Greet' us at Land van Fluwel , I think it would be fantastic if we saw each other there. Snacks, drinks and tasteful music.

I hope to see you, I'm already looking forward to it.

Kind regards,
Carlos van der Veek