Maastricht lies in the heart of Zuid-Limburg, the only truly hilly landscape in the Netherlands, where hills, valleys and fertile loess soils form a unique agricultural environment. The lime-rich soil and mild microclimate make the region exceptionally well suited to fruit growing: cherries, plums, apples and pears thrive here, and even viticulture has made its mark in the Maas valley. Asparagus are a traditional product of the Limburg sandy soils, and in spring you can harvest this white gold fresh here. A visit to a pick-your-own farm near Maastricht is an outing that combines culture, nature and flavour.
U-Pick Farms in and around Maastricht
Around Maastricht, Valkenburg, Gulpen, Meerssen and Sittard you’ll find a variety of pick-your-own farms and fruit orchards where you are very welcome. You can pick cherries, plums, asparagus and seasonal flowers in the picturesque Heuvelland of Zuid-Limburg. You can also view all u-pick farms in Limburg .
The best u-pick farms near Maastricht: our picks
Maastricht has the most southerly location of any Dutch city — and that is felt in the gardens. The mild microclimate of the Meuse valley, the calcium-rich loess soil of the Heuvelland and the proximity of Belgium and Germany on either side give the region a flavour profile found nowhere else in the Netherlands. The diversity of crops growing here reflects that richness.
Two kilometres from the inner city, LOCOtuinen Maastricht works its organic self-harvest plots with more than fifty seasonal crops: oak-leaf lettuce, fennel, chicory, broccoli, cauliflower, carrot, courgette — a complete vegetable garden supplying members with weekly harvests from June to December.
Four kilometres away, also within the city area, Akkerwikke has set up its certified organic CSA garden with strawberries, raspberries, currants, gooseberries and more than sixty vegetables. No pesticide of any kind — the Maastricht growing tradition in its purest form.
Fifteen kilometres away in Schinnen, Plukplaats is a compact flower picking garden where you assemble your own bouquet and enjoy coffee on the spot. Small, personal and a genuine breath of fresh air after the city.
At Theetuin bij de Heerlijckheid in Oirsbeek, nineteen kilometres from Maastricht, you find flowers, a tea garden and creative workshops in a brocante atmosphere typical of the South Limburg Heuvelland.
Heerlijckheid Brocante & Bloemen at the same location offers additional flower and herb picking combined with a shop that captures the cheerful spirit of the Heuvelland.
Tip: LOCOtuinen and Akkerwikke are both within cycling distance of the Maastricht centre. Combine a visit with lunch in the city — Maastricht has the highest restaurant density in the Netherlands outside Amsterdam.