savoy cabbage

You know, there’s something deeply satisfying about marching into a field, knife in hand, and personally selecting the vegetable that will star in your next meal. We’re not talking about delicate berries or fragile flowers here—we’re talking about Savoy cabbage, the crinkle-cut, ruffly champion of the winter garden. And yes, in the Netherlands, you can absolutely pick this beauty yourself on several farms, from October to February (peak November to January).

Why Go Hand-Pick Savoy Cabbage?

Because it’s a vegetable with personality. Unlike its smooth-skinned cousin, the Savoy is a burst of green texture, with leaves that look like they’ve been gently scrunched by a very artistic chef. Picking it yourself is a wonderful outing for friends and family. You get to test your farm-fresh instincts: give the cabbage a gentle squeeze—it should feel firm. Skip heads that have split open or feel soft. A few slightly wilted or yellowed outer leaves are normal after frost; light frost even makes the cabbage sweeter. Cut the stem at the base with a sharp knife, leaving 2–3 cm of stem on the head, and it’s yours. Handle it gently so the outer leaves don’t tear.

What to Do With Your Savoy Treasure Once Home

Store it unwashed in a perforated plastic bag in the fridge crisper, where it keeps for one to two weeks. Rinse it just before cooking (the curly leaves love to hide soil). Then, the world is your skillet. Savoy cabbage is milder and quicker to cook than other cabbages, making it a fantastic, buttery side dish or a hearty main. Here are two cracking recipes to get you started:

1. Buttery Savoy with Crispy Garlic & Lemon

The “I can’t believe it’s just cabbage” recipe.

Quarter your Savoy, remove the core, and slice it into thick ribbons.
In a wide skillet, melt a generous knob of butter (like, generous) over medium heat.
Add 4 sliced garlic cloves and cook until fragrant (30 seconds).
Tumble in the cabbage ribbons, season with salt and pepper, and cook for about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want it bright green and tender, not mushy.
Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.

Serve with: Everything. Roast chicken, seared fish, or just a spoon.

2. Savoy & Turkey Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

A fun, hands-on dinner project.

Blanch 8 large Savoy leaves in boiling salted water for 2 minutes, then plunge into ice water. Pat dry.
Make a stuffing: mix 500g ground turkey, 1 cup cooked rice, half a finely chopped onion, 1 egg, salt, pepper, and a pinch of smoked paprika.
Place a scoop of filling at the base of each leaf, fold in the sides, and roll up tightly.
Place rolls seam-side down in a baking dish. Pour over a can of crushed tomatoes + a splash of veggie broth.
Bake at 180°C for 40 minutes. Serve with a dollop of sour cream.

So next time you see a Dutch farm offering Savoy cabbage for self-picking, go. Gather your crew, enjoy the fresh air, and come home with a crinkly-green trophy that’s ready for dinner and leftovers.

Klein Alma

vegetables, flowers, herbs

groningen

Tuinderij Klein Alma in Bedum is a pick-your-own vegetable garden where visitors harvest their own produce directly from the fields. The farm grows around forty types of vegetables, including Chinese cabbage, lettuce, leeks, beans, tomatoes, courgettes, carrots, beetroot, kale and pumpkins. The harvest season runs for about 32 weeks, roughly from spring to late autumn, with different crops available each week. Examples include broad beans and fennel in early summer, tomatoes and potatoes in late summer, and kale and parsnips in autumn.

'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.

Sfeer van Willems

fruit, vegetables, flowers, herbs, berries

gelderland

At Sfeer van Willems in Wijchen, visitors pick their own seasonal vegetables, herbs, and soft fruit from a one-hectare plot. The farm grows over 40 varieties, including spinach, kale, leeks, courgettes, tomatoes, aubergines, strawberries, and an assortment of herbs like basil, dill, and coriander. The selection changes with the season—spring brings early greens and radishes, while autumn offers pumpkins, Brussels sprouts, and root vegetables. A weekly email or on-site notice board lists what’s ready for 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.

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.