Bukmeķi Farm in Renda Parish Launches Tourism Season with New Opportunities

Eduards Ostrobrods, the owner of Bukmeķi farm in Renda parish and head of SIA Westlake, has started this summer by opening the farm to visitors. Previously, most visitors came to buy roses, walnut seedlings, and eggs, but now guided tours are available. Last year, representatives from the Latvian Rural Advisory and Training Centre requested to bring groups, and after three successful tours, the owner decided to expand the offering.

The farm features a 1.5-kilometer route through walnut plantations, rose fields, lakes, a bee house, workshops, and a chicken coop. With prior arrangement, visitors can also enjoy soup, and during the rose blooming season from late June to September, they can cut roses for a fee and take them home. Ostrobrods notes that store-bought roses often come from Dutch greenhouses and lack fragrance, while Bukmeķi roses grow in nature and smell different. Visitors can take photos, view the fields, buy potted seedlings, and when blooming is in full swing, also cut flowers. In spring, the farm sells bare-root rose seedlings, and in summer, potted ones. This season has been successful, with most seedlings already sold. Ostrobrods says he chose roses not only for business but for beauty – he does not want to work with chemicals or plastic but to bring joy. In autumn, they plan to focus on tulips.

Bukmeķi is already known for walnuts, which Ostrobrods continues in memory of his father. In summer, seedlings are not shipped because they have leaves, but people can pick them up or arrange delivery in Riga, where the owner goes once a week. Recently, the farm has been involved in a social responsibility initiative – planting walnuts on municipal lands. A walnut garden has been created in Kuldīga, and plantings have also taken place in Ventspils and Ziras. Ostrobrods hopes more Kurzeme municipalities will respond, so that people without land or money can enjoy Latvian walnuts. He is pleased with the public's response during planting events – helpers bring cakes and coffee, showing Latvians' love for nature.

Visitors to Bukmeķi can also see decorative black Ayam Cemani chickens and roosters. Another focus is eggs – demand exceeds production, so the owner is building a new hen house. The eggs are positioned as a high-quality product for discerning buyers. The price is not low, and locals rarely buy them, but customers from other places appreciate the quality. Ostrobrods emphasizes that the key is the chickens' living conditions and feed – the chickens listen to classical music, have outdoor space, fresh grass, and the owner prepares their feed himself. Tours allow visitors to see these unusual chickens. Excursions can be booked individually or in groups, with or without catering. The owner invites people to come, walk around the farm, smell the roses, taste walnuts and honey, and see how they live and work.