Something is always going on at the Lokker family farm in Den Bommel, South Holland, Netherlands. It's a busy farm with a wide mix of arable crops and vegetables, a country shop, 2,300 m² of strawberry cultivation, 1,300 m² of which is under glass, and, as the latest addition, a strawberry drive-in.
Arjan Lokker runs the business together with his parents, Anton and Corina, and he is anything but stressed by the pace. In fact, he enjoys the variety and sees it as a welcome challenge. "In the long term, I want to connect all the different branches of our farm as much as possible," he says, "so that visiting us becomes a great day out for our guests."
The farm covers 20 hectares of arable land, growing potatoes, grain, and sugar beet. They also cultivate a range of vegetables, including cauliflower, pointed cabbage, red cabbage, and endive, destined for their own country shop.
Strawberries are another specialty. The farm grows 1,300 m² under glass and 1,000 m² on raised racks, with the entire harvest sold directly on-site through the farm shop and their strawberry drive-in. And if that weren't enough, Arjan also works full-time at a nearby contracting company, balancing both roles with ease.
When did you know you wanted to step into the business?
"I think I was about 15 at the time," Arjan recalls. "Back then, I was in a work, study program at the contracting company where I still work today. I've always loved arable farming, especially the machinery and tractor work. But I also enjoy variety, and on our own farm there's always been plenty of that, with arable crops, vegetables, strawberries, and the farm shop.
In particular, the strawberry cultivation, which my parents had started on a small scale for the shop, has become more and more interesting to me over the years. I even visited a large strawberry grower in West Brabant a few times, and that really gave me the final push to take our own strawberry production to the next level."
What has changed since you joined the company?
"The biggest change has been the construction of our new 1,300 m² greenhouse last year. Before that, we grew part of our strawberries in polytunnels, but those were completely destroyed by the wind three times. Since tunnels can't be insured, each time meant a huge financial hit. After the last time, in early 2024, we'd had enough and decided to take the leap and build a proper greenhouse.
Even though I'm fairly handy with technology, it was still a challenge to get to grips with all the systems that come with a greenhouse. Factors like humidity and temperature behave very differently compared to tunnels, and you really have to learn how to manage them. At first, we had quite a few teething problems—mainly due to errors in the digital controls. That led to severe powdery mildew in a few corners of the greenhouse. Fortunately, over the past few months, we've got the crop back on track, but it's still a learning process to consistently deliver top quality.
Another recent development is our strawberry drive-in, which we opened in May. It's already a huge hit! In recent weeks, it's been incredibly busy, especially on Saturdays. We've literally had traffic jams outside the farm, sometimes with more than 300 cars in a single day. Many of those visitors also head to our farm shop, where turnover has skyrocketed. One fun detail is that lots of young people are coming specifically for our 'Aardbei Dubai' pistachio cup—a treat with fresh strawberries, pistachio cream, and kadayif (very fine, sweet pastry threads). Social media has been buzzing with videos and photos of it, which is great to see. Right now, we're selling around 200 to 250 kilos of strawberries a day through the drive-in."
Where do you want to take the business in the coming years?
"I'd really like to move a bit more into hospitality," Arjan says. "We already have plans on paper for building a restaurant, right next to the strawberry greenhouse, so guests would have a great view while they eat. At the moment, we're still talking with the municipality about getting a permit. We'll see if it works out… For now, the idea is simmering on the back burner.
I can already picture the customers though. Our farm is right next to the N59, a main route to the beaches of Zeeland. If just one percent of the traffic passing by decides to turn off and visit our restaurant, I'd be more than happy!"
What do you see as the biggest challenges – or bottlenecks – for the coming years?
"One of the biggest challenges these days is the increasing restrictions on crop protection products. We see it across all our crops, it's getting harder and harder to keep diseases and pests under control with the products still available. These restrictions were also part of the reason we decided to grow strawberries in a greenhouse, where there are far more opportunities to work with beneficial insects compared to outdoor cultivation.
I've also noticed that customers are asking more questions about crop protection. Most of the time, they're genuinely curious, and I try to answer as openly as I can. But if someone starts with a question like, 'Are these poison strawberries?' or, 'Are these unsprayed strawberries?'—then I'm a lot less motivated to respond."
How do you see the future? Will you still be a strawberry grower in ten years?
"In ten years' time, I'll definitely still be a strawberry grower, the greenhouse has only just been built, after all! In the long run, I want to connect all the different branches of our business as much as possible, so that visiting us becomes a real day out for our guests. That means we'll need to modernize the farm shop, and also renovate and expand the current playground and petting zoo. So there's still plenty of work to be done!"
What do you consider the best part of your profession?
"What I enjoy most is that we sell all our products directly to our customers. That's incredibly satisfying. I also really love the variety within our business, the care that goes into the different crops, selling in the farm shop, and the contact with people. I wouldn't want to miss out on any of it."
Finally: what advice would you give to starting colleagues?
"Go for it! Put as much time and energy into your business as you can, and above all, stay positive. And one more thing, try to do things just a little differently from the big crowd. The more unique you are as a business, the more opportunities will come your way."
For more information:
Bayer Crop Science
[email protected]
https://agro.bayer.nl/
