Sint-Truiden (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The Blossom Bar in Velm opened 11th time for the season, celebrating Haspengouw’s farming heritage. Featuring Koen Vanmechelen’s art, it highlights agriculture’s importance. Minister Jo Brouns praised the “sea of agriculture” theme.
The blossom bar in Velm, Sint-Truiden, Belgium, opened for the season. According to the officials, a few tourists came to see the beautiful orchards of Haspengouw. The bar is more than just a temporary place. It celebrates the area’s farming history. They said that this year, the theme is “sea of agriculture.” This means that farming is very important to the land and the economy.
Tourism in Haspengouw is all about the countryside. The bar is in the middle of fields. Officials mentioned that the bar helps people understand how hard local farmers work to grow fruit. This is what makes Haspengouw famous.
How does Sint-Truiden’s blossom bar connect art, farming, and tourism?
This year, the blossom bar has an art piece by Koen Vanmechelen. He is a famous artist who makes art about nature and people. His artwork connects farming and tourism. The organizer, Peter Onkelinkx, says the bar is in the middle of the fields and tells stories about farming and tourism.
He mentioned that the art makes the blossom bar more than just a place to visit. It’s a place to learn and experience culture. Visitors can think about how the beautiful flowers are grown. They can see how the art connects the beauty of nature to the hard work of farmers.
“It is a sea container in which the quote hangs, people can sit, look and taste. It is the senses that we need, when I look at the wide views, for me that is the sea of agriculture”,
says Koen Vanmechelen.
Jo Brouns, the Minister of Agriculture, likes the slogan “sea of agriculture.” He thinks it’s a good way to describe farming. He knows that farmers have had tough times lately. He compares farming to sailing a stormy sea. He says he’s been in that sea a lot, with big waves, but he and the farmers always find a way to get through it.
He mentioned that farmers are strong, and they work together to overcome problems. His words fit with the theme of the blossom bar. He said that farming is not just a job; it’s about always changing and trying hard.
The first blossoms in Haspengouw came just in time for Easter. This brought lots of tourists to the area. Patrick Vander Weegen, a tourist from the Netherlands, was happy to be there. He said it was nice to sit at the blossom bar and enjoy the beautiful surroundings and a local beer. He mentioned that the blossom bar is becoming a popular place for people to meet and celebrate spring and the region’s farming traditions.
