Discover U-Pick farms

Field of corn ready to be picked

Discover U-Pick farms

Red Cabbage farms

Forget everything you know about red cabbage as that sad, boiled-to-death side dish from your grandma’s Sunday roast. In the Netherlands, this crunchy, jewel-toned vegetable gets the VIP treatment. You can stride into a pick-your-own farm (the main season is September to November, with early varieties from late August and late ones into December), grab a sturdy knife, and slice a head of red cabbage straight from the earth. Cut the stem at the base and leave a few outer leaves on the head to protect it. It’s a surprisingly satisfying thwack. The leaves are tight, heavy, and almost glow with a deep purple-magenta color—feels like you’re harvesting a gem.

Bring a bunch of friends or the kids. Make it a competition: who can find the roundest, most perfect head? Who can lift the heaviest one? Look for heads that are firm and dense, with tightly wrapped leaves; skip any that are splitting or feel spongy. And skip the plastic bag—a firm red cabbage is very sturdy and can roll around in your basket without damage.

Now you’ve got a gorgeous, hefty cabbage at home. What on earth do you do with it? Don’t panic. It’s the most forgiving vegetable in the fridge. (A whole head keeps for two to three weeks in the crisper drawer, by the way; once cut, use it within 3–5 days.)

Recipe 1: Quick-Pickled Red Cabbage Slaw (for tacos, burgers, or just snacking)

Finely shred half a head of red cabbage (use a mandoline if you want that deli-thin shave).
In a bowl, whisk together 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar, 2 tbsp honey (or maple syrup), 1 tsp salt, and a pinch of caraway seeds (optional, but very Dutch).
Pour over the cabbage, massage with your hands, let sit for 20 minutes.
It turns a screaming neon-pink—magical. Pile it on pulled pork tacos, a reuben, or eat it straight from the bowl. The crunch is unreal.

Recipe 2: Braised Red Cabbage with Apple & Balsamic (the Dutch classic, not sad)

Dice one onion and one apple. Sauté in butter until soft.
Add a sliced head of red cabbage, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1/2 cup red wine (or apple juice), salt, pepper, and a cinnamon stick.
Cover and simmer on low for 45 minutes. Stir occasionally. The kitchen smells like a cozy spice market.
Serve next to sausage, pork chops, or alongside mashed potatoes. This version is sweet, tangy, and actually good cold the next day in a sandwich.

'T Leeuweriksveld

vegetables, berries, herbs
drenthe

At ’t Leeuweriksveld in Emmen you pick your own vegetables and herbs from April to October. The farm grows a wide variety of seasonal produce, including leafy greens like spinach, lettuce, and kale, root vegetables such as carrots, beetroot, and parsnips, and crops like beans, peas, and courgettes. Herbs like basil, parsley, and oregano are also available for picking. The selection changes throughout the season, with early crops like radishes and spring onions giving way to tomatoes, peppers, and pumpkins later in the year.

Boeren in het Bos

vegetables, herbs
friesland

Boeren in het Bos in Nijeberkoop is a regenerative farm with a pick-your-own vegetable garden. The farm grows a variety of seasonal vegetables, herbs, and flowers, which visitors can harvest themselves from spring to autumn. The selection changes throughout the year, with crops such as kale, cabbage, carrots, beetroot, and courgettes available at different times. The farm also cultivates herbs like parsley, thyme, and rosemary, as well as edible flowers.

Moestuin Leyduin

fruit, vegetables, flowers, herbs, berries
noord-holland

Moestuin Leyduin in Vogelenzang is a pick-your-own vegetable garden where visitors harvest seasonal produce directly from the fields. The farm grows around fifty types of vegetables, including pumpkins, beets, lettuce, fennel, kale, herbs, and root vegetables like carrots and parsnips, as well as twenty varieties of herbs, soft fruit, apples, pears, and flowers. The selection changes weekly depending on what is ready to pick. The farm operates on a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) model. Participants buy a harvest share at the start of the season, choosing from three price tiers (€339, €399, or €449 in 2026) to ensure affordability. In return, they visit the garden each week during the harvest season—from mid-April to mid-November—to pick their own vegetables. The harvest is shared among all participants: if the yield is low, everyone takes home less; if it is abundant, there is more to go around. The farm does not use chemical fertilisers or pesticides, focusing instead on natural soil health and biodiversity.

CSA tuinderij Plantalia

vegetables, herbs, fruit, flowers, berries
zeeland

At CSA Tuinderij Plantalia in Ritthem, you pick your own organic vegetables, herbs and seasonal fruit from May to November. The farm grows over 40 types of vegetables, including courgettes, tomatoes, beans, carrots, beetroot, kale, spinach, leeks and various cabbages. Herbs include basil, parsley, dill, coriander and thyme. Strawberries are available in season, and the farm plans to add more fruit bushes in the future. Plantalia works on a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) model. Instead of paying per kilo, you buy a harvest share at the start of the season. This covers a weekly supply of fresh produce, which you pick yourself from the fields. Shares are available for a single month, the full season or a full year. Prices for the 2026 season start at €295 for an adult, with discounts for children. A trial month costs €45. If you prefer not to pick, the farm can harvest your share and deliver it to a collection point in Middelburg or Vlissingen for an extra fee.

Oogstland

vegetables, herbs
drenthe

Oogstland in Zuidlaren is a community-supported regenerative vegetable garden where members pick their own produce. The garden grows a wide variety of seasonal vegetables, herbs and small fruits, including familiar crops like carrots, lettuce, beans, courgettes, pumpkins and cabbage, as well as less common varieties such as meiraap, radicchio and chioggia beetroot. Membership works through a harvest share system. For the 2026 season, a full share costs €325, covering weekly access from mid-May to mid-December. Members receive a weekly email listing what is ready to harvest and where to find it in the garden. Picking is self-service, available any day from sunrise to sunset. Children under five pick for free; older children pay a reduced rate. Members bring their own bags or crates and a knife to harvest without damaging the plants. The garden operates on trust, with guidelines to ensure fair sharing among all members.

Tuinen van Hartstocht

vegetables, flowers, herbs
utrecht

At Tuinen van Hartstocht in Abcoude you pick your own vegetables and flowers. The farm works on a membership system: you pay a fixed amount at the start of the season and then harvest as much as you need each week. The vegetable garden is open from late April to mid-November, about 30 weeks. Members can pick a wide range of seasonal produce, including different types of lettuce, pak choi, beetroot, chard, kale, beans, courgettes, tomatoes, cucumbers, pumpkins, fennel, red cabbage, peppers, herbs, and less common varieties such as blue kohlrabi, palm kale, and edible flowers. The farm grows without pesticides or artificial fertiliser.

Zelfoogsttuin De Groentemeester

vegetables, flowers, herbs
zuid-holland

At Zelfoogsttuin De Groentemeester in Maassluis, you pick your own organic vegetables, herbs and flowers from mid-May to mid-November. The farm grows around 90 to 100 different crops, including beetroot, carrots, parsnips, onions, leeks, lettuce, chard, endive, radishes, turnip greens, kohlrabi, courgettes, cucumbers, pumpkins, celery, broccoli, cabbages, rocket, fennel, broad beans, green beans, tomatoes, peppers and potatoes. There are also herbs and garlic. To pick vegetables, you become an “oogstgenoot” (harvest member) for the season. You pay €440 for one share, which covers a weekly harvest for one or two people. Each week, you visit the farm to pick the crops that are ready, marked by red flags. You receive an email beforehand with instructions on what to harvest and how. The farm is open for picking on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 10.00 to 17.00 during the season.

Ecologische Tuinderij De Tilgrupshof

vegetables, herbs, berries
friesland

At Ecologische Tuinderij De Tilgrupshof in Appelscha you pick your own organic vegetables and herbs from mid-May to November. The farm works on a membership system called oogstgenoot, or harvest partner. You pay an annual fee at the start of the season, which covers the whole household. The standard fee is €275 per share, but you can choose to pay between €200 and €350 depending on your budget. Children under 10 pick for free, and those aged 10 to 18 pay half price.

Martinushoeve Pluktuin

fruit, vegetables, flowers, herbs, berries
noord-brabant

At Martinushoeve Pluktuin in Ossendrecht, visitors pick their own vegetables, herbs, fruit, flowers and eggs from May to October. The farm grows a wide range of produce, including tomatoes, courgettes, aubergines, peppers, beans, peas, carrots, beetroot, potatoes, leeks, onions, various types of cabbage, spinach, lettuce, strawberries, raspberries, apples, pears, plums and cherries. Herbs include basil, parsley, rosemary, thyme, mint and dill. There is also a wildflower meadow and a selection of edible flowers. Fresh eggs are available from the farm’s chickens, and honey from its beehives.