asparagus

Forget the supermarket. Grab a basket, rally your crew, and head straight for the sandy fields of the Netherlands, where the white gold is waiting just beneath the surface. Asparagus season runs from mid-April to mid-June, and it is a national event here. The best part? You get to do the digging.

The Hunt & The Pick Picking white asparagus is like a treasure hunt, except the treasure is packed into neat little ridges of soil. As you walk the rows (watch your step!), you’ll spot tiny cracks in the mounded earth. That’s the sign. Get low, gently brush away the sandy tops, and there it is: a creamy-white spear with a tightly closed tip. Cut it 10-15 cm below the surface with the special asparagus knife the farmer lends you. It’s oddly satisfying. Leave the thin spears standing so the plant can recover for next year. Between the laughter, the muddy knees, and the competition for the “biggest one,” you’ll forget you’re even working.

What to Do with Your Bounty at Home As soon as you get home, wrap the spears in a damp towel, put them in a plastic bag and pop them in the fridge. Rinse them and snap off the woody ends (about 2 cm) just before cooking. Use them within 3 to 5 days, while they’re at their best. Here’s how to make them disappear:

1. Classic Dutch White Asparagus (with Ham, Egg & Butter) Simplicity is king. Peel the spears from just below the tip downwards (a sharp peeler is key). Boil them in salted water with a splash of lemon juice and a pinch of sugar for about 8-10 minutes, until tender but with a slight bite. Drain, then pile them high on a plate. Top with thinly sliced cooked ham, a soft-boiled egg (runny yolk is perfect), and a generous drizzle of brown butter. Black pepper on top. That’s it. This is the national dish and it’s basically an edible hug.

2. Asparagus & Goat Cheese Tart Preheat your oven to 200°C. Roll out a sheet of puff pastry onto a baking tray. Score a 1cm border around the edge. Whisk two eggs with a splash of cream, salt, and pepper. Spread the egg mixture inside the border. Crumble a log of soft goat cheese over the top. Arrange your peeled, blanched asparagus spears in a neat row (or chaotic pile, no judgment). Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden. Let it rest for 5 minutes. This makes an incredible lunch or starter—salty, creamy, and snappy.

Fruithof De struikrover

fruit, berries, flowers, vegetables, herbs

friesland

Fruithof de Struikrover in Oldeholtpade is a pick-your-own farm growing over 20 types of fruit, mostly berries. The main crops are blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and strawberries, along with less common varieties such as tayberries, honeyberries, aronia berries, jostaberries, Japanese wineberries, elderberries, rosehips, gooseberries, quinces, medlars, sea buckthorn and figs. The farm also has flowers for picking, including marigolds, cornflowers and sunflowers. The farm is open for picking from mid-June to mid-September, with the season running on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 09.00 to 17.00. Outside the picking season, the farm is open on Saturdays for buying cuttings, shrubs, seeds and young plants. All produce is grown organically without pesticides.

Tuinbouwbedrijf Bonten

vegetables

limburg

Tuinbouwbedrijf Bonten in Baexem is a pick-your-own farm specialising in pumpkins and asparagus. The farm grows over 150 varieties of pumpkins and gourds, including ornamental, edible and Halloween types. Pumpkin picking takes place in autumn. The main pick-your-own days are held on the last Sunday in September and the first Sunday in October, from 10.00 to 16.00. Entry costs €2.50 per person (children under two free). You pay for the pumpkins by weight: up to 5 kg at €1.95 per kilo, 5–10 kg at €1.60 per kilo, and over 10 kg at €1.40 per kilo. Pumpkins heavier than 8 kg are half price per kilo. Bring your own secateurs and bags, or use the farm’s buckets. A trolley shuttles between the field and the farmyard to transport your harvest.

Tuinderij Eyckenstein, Biologische groenten

vegetables, flowers

utrecht

Tuinderij Eyckenstein is a certified organic pick-your-own farm on a historic kitchen garden in Maartensdijk. From early May to mid-October, visitors can harvest a wide variety of seasonal vegetables, including carrots, beetroot, beans, courgettes, pumpkins, lettuce, potatoes, tomatoes, fennel, spinach, kale and more. The farm also grows soft fruit such as strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and gooseberries, as well as herbs and flowers. The farm operates on a self-service basis during opening hours: Wednesdays from 13.00 to 17.00 and Saturdays from 10.00 to 15.00. You pick what you want from the fields and pay by weight at the farm’s stall, where you can also buy freshly harvested produce if you prefer not to pick your own. Payment is by card or cash. The stall is outside in dry weather and in the orangery when it rains.

Kweekland

fruit, vegetables, flowers, herbs, berries, nuts

gelderland

Kweekland in Arnhem is a pick-your-own garden where visitors harvest their own vegetables, herbs and fruit during the growing season. The farm operates as a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), meaning you buy a share at the start of the season rather than paying per kilo. A share gives you access to the garden from 1 April to 1 December, where you can pick over 40 types of vegetables, including tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers from the greenhouse, as well as seasonal crops like winter purslane, lettuce, beans and root vegetables. The garden also has a herb section, fruit trees (apples, pears, berries, grapes), rhubarb, asparagus and edible perennials. A food forest is being developed, with berries, nuts and other produce available to members.

Pluktuin Gewoon Buiten

fruit, vegetables, flowers, herbs, berries

noord-brabant

Pluktuin Gewoon Buiten in Rijsbergen is a pick-your-own farm where you can harvest organic vegetables, herbs, fruit and flowers from April to October. The vegetable season runs until the end of October, while flowers are available from July to October. The farm operates on a subscription basis for vegetables: you pay an annual fee to pick a weekly share of produce, enough for a household. Prices depend on the number of people in your group, with reduced rates for volunteers and those on a low income. Flowers can be picked without a subscription, with prices based on the size of your bouquet.