elderberries

Let’s be honest: picking elderberries feels a bit like you’re in a fairy tale—but with muddy boots and a Tupperware container. These tiny, dark-purple jewels hang in heavy clusters from the elder bushes that dot the Dutch countryside. From late August into early October, farms across the Netherlands (from the Flevopolder to the Betuwe) open their gates for you to come and harvest your own. You’ll be given a basket or a bucket—and maybe a warning that the birds are just as excited as you are.

Grab your friends, your kids, or just yourself and a good podcast. The trick is to cut the whole umbel (that’s the fancy word for the flat, starry cluster) with scissors, right at the base—don’t pull or twist, as that can damage the plant. Don’t bother picking berry by berry in the field—that’s a job you can do sitting on your couch later. Look for clusters where all the berries are deep, shiny purple-black; clusters with green or reddish berries are not ripe yet. Carry them in a shallow container so they don’t get crushed. Give the branch a gentle shake before you cut—if a cloud of tiny bugs flies out, just let that cluster be.

Once you’re home, you’ll need to destem the berries. This is the part where you’ll question your life choices—rolling each little orb off the stem with a fork, or (pro tip) freezing the clusters whole first, then shaking them in a bag to pop the berries loose. Remove every bit of stem and discard any green berries. Fresh berries keep for only 2–3 days in the fridge. Warning: raw elderberries can make you sick and taste bitter, and the stems and leaves are toxic. Never eat them fresh! But cooked or processed? They turn into magic.

How to use them at home:

1. Elderberry Syrup (the classic)
Simmer 2 cups of destemmed berries with 4 cups of water, a chunk of fresh ginger, a cinnamon stick, and 3 cloves for about 30 minutes. Mash the berries, strain through a cloth, then stir in 1½ cups of honey (or sugar) while still warm. Store in the fridge. Use in tea or on pancakes.

2. Elderberry & Apple Jam
Cook 3 cups of elderberries with 2 chopped apples (peeled and cored), ½ cup water, and 3 cups of sugar. Simmer for 20–30 minutes until thick. Add a splash of lemon juice. Put it on toast or spoon it over yogurt.

Cooking Recipe 1: Elderberry BBQ Glazed Chicken Thighs
In a saucepan, combine ½ cup of elderberry syrup (or fresh juice from simmered berries), ¼ cup of soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, 1 crushed garlic clove, and a teaspoon of smoked paprika. Whisk and simmer until syrupy. Brush over chicken thighs during the last 5 minutes of grilling or baking. Serve with roasted potatoes.

Cooking Recipe 2: Elderberry & Pear Oat Crumble
Peel and slice 4 ripe pears. Toss with 1½ cups of elderberries, ½ cup of sugar, and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. Pour into a baking dish. In a bowl, mix 1 cup of rolled oats, ½ cup of flour, ½ cup of brown sugar, ½ cup of cold butter (in cubes), and a pinch of salt. Rub into clumps. Sprinkle on top. Bake at 180°C for 35–40 minutes until bubbly. Eat warm with custard or ice cream.

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.

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.

Tres Jolie

berries, fruit, nuts

gelderland

Très Jolie in Achterveld is a pick-your-own fruit farm specialising in small berries and fruits. The farm grows blackcurrants, redcurrants, whitecurrants, gooseberries, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, tayberries (a cross between blackberries and raspberries), Japanese wineberries, and jostaberries (a cross between blackcurrants and gooseberries). Later in the season, visitors can also pick apples, pears, quinces, and kiwi berries. The farm occasionally has hazelnuts, rosehips, elderberries, sloes, rowanberries, and plums. The picking season runs from late June to early October, with different fruits ripening at different times. Blackcurrants and gooseberries are usually ready first, followed by redcurrants, whitecurrants, and blueberries in July. Raspberries and blackberries ripen from mid-July, while tayberries and Japanese wineberries appear later in the summer. Apples and pears are typically ready from September, along with quinces and kiwi berries. The farm updates its website and social media with current availability.

V.O.F. Post

fruit, berries

flevoland

At Fruitpluktuin in Rutten, visitors pick their own fruit from rows of berries, bushes and trees across a 5,000-square-metre garden. The farm grows brambles (July to October), summer and autumn raspberries (June to October), redcurrants (June to July), kiwiberries (September to October), grapes (September to October), elderberries (September to November), several varieties of apples and pears (September to October), cherries (July to early August), plums (July to August), apricots (August to September), peaches and nectarines (August to September). Pumpkins, gourds and sunflowers are also available in season.