Ecoboerderij het Boshuis, Vierakker (Gld)

The farm and its location
‘T Boshuis (which literally means ‘house in the woods’) farm is an organic fruit producer. The current farmhouse building was built in 1650 as a barn used for threshing grain for nearby Hackfort castle. Farmer Hank Rietman’s father bought the farm from the local squire in 1950 and nowadays it forms part of the magnificent Hackfort Estate owned by Dutch National Heritage (Vereniging Natuurmonumenten). Both the castle and the surrounding estate are in excellent condition. Deciduous forests, agricultural land and meadows are separated by hedgerows and wildlife flourishes. The forest is home to kingfishers, nuthatches, buzzards and four types of woodpecker. In spring, the gardens surrounding the castle are a mass of crocusses, snowdrops and spring snowflakes. Pilewort and scattered clumps of tiny anemones and corydalis all colour the landscape with white and yellow. Various moss types grow here, such as white cushion moss, and in some areas you may even find star of bethlehem. The castle has its own 17th century working water mill manned by volunteers every Saturday.
 

The Farming at 't Boshuis farm
‘T Boshuis was originally a dairy farm but the owners decided to change to organic farming ten years ago. 20 hectares of land are dedicated to organic fruit trees and cereals. The farm is actively involved in many organic projects and is a member of the Dutch Institute for Organic Produce. The cows haven't dissapeared completely, a large nature-reserve meadow is still the grazing area for a herd of rare-breed dutch cows.

Your hosts are Hank and Hermien Rietman and their son Paul.

Pets allowed
Pets are welcome, but must be kept on a lead.

The surrounding area
Vierakker, in the district of Vorder, lies in a magnificent area of the Netherlands packed with beautiful old castles. The picturesque town of Bronckhorst with its attractive castles and windmills is close by. The entire area is ideal for walking and cycling.

Donkey Walks
There are donkeys at the farm and they love to go for walks with guests around the stunning estate. Hank and Paul have teamed up with Dutch National heritage to set out some beautiful walking routes for this purpose. Donkeys can’t walk that fast and are an ideal pace-setter for children. And when the kids get tired, they can continue the walk on the donkey’s back! You will get full instructions in donkey-walking before you go. It is best to reserve your donkey walk when making your booking. A donkey equipped with saddle and basket costs €37.50 per day.

The location of the tents
The tents have been placed in a spacious and lush field. There are good facilities for children. You can pre-book a tent at "t Boshuis". There are 4 tents under the trees near the animal enclosure, 3 tents with a view over the play area and 2 tents in the middle of trees. At the time of booking you can secure these specific locations for €5.00 per reservation.

Unique to the farm
This is the ideal farm for a special celebration with family or friends. A shed has been equipped for large-scale entertaining, with a couple of wood-burning stoves for cooking and long tables to seat everyone. If you don’t feel like cooking, and with a bit of prior warning, Hermien the farmer’s wife will conjure up her legendary ‘cabbers’ , a traditional mash, in no time. There are 2 mini-horses on the farm, Fabisola and Olisa. Children up to 12 years old can ride them (under supervision of their parents).

>>Click here to make a reservation at 't Boshuis farm.