U-Pick Farms near Major Dutch Cities

Almere is the youngest major city in the Netherlands, built on the Flevopolder — the world’s largest artificial land reclamation project and at the same time one of Europe’s most fertile agricultural regions. The rich black marine clay of the Flevopolder produces exceptional harvests of vegetables, fruit and flowers year after year. What began as bare seabed has grown into a farming paradise where organic farms and innovative fruit-growing businesses flourish side by side. Just outside the city you’ll find vast fields and pick-your-own farms that prove it: new land, age-old farming wisdom.

Amersfoort lies in a unique spot where the Utrechtse Heuvelrug — an ice-age ridge — transitions into the low, moist soils of the Gelderse Vallei. This varied landscape offers ideal conditions for a wide range of crops: the higher sandy soils are suited to strawberries and soft fruits, while the Vallei is known for its organic farms and vegetable growing. More and more farmers in the region are choosing direct sales and opening as pick-your-own gardens, so that residents of Amersfoort and the surrounding area can enjoy produce straight from the land. The forested surroundings of the Heuvelrug make the visit extra pleasant.

Amsterdam sits in the middle of a lush polder landscape that has been farmed for centuries. The city’s surroundings — from the Beemster Polder (UNESCO World Heritage Site) to the reclaimed lands of Noord-Holland — are perfectly suited for horticulture. Less than half an hour’s drive from the canal ring you’ll find vast strawberry fields, flower gardens full of dahlias and summer blooms, and fruit orchards along the Amstel and the Zaan. Whether you go by bike or car, picking your own near Amsterdam makes for a wonderful family outing.

Apeldoorn lies on the eastern edge of the Veluwe, the largest contiguous nature area in the Netherlands, and at the same time borders the open agricultural lands of the IJssel valley and the Gelderse Vallei. On the transition from forest to arable land, orchards thrive: apples, pears and cherries feel at home on the light, well-drained sandy soils at the foot of the ridge. The region also has a long tradition of small-scale farms growing vegetables and soft fruits for the local market. A visit to a pick-your-own farm near Apeldoorn combines effortlessly with a walk through the Veluwe forests or a trip to Paleis Het Loo.

Arnhem occupies a privileged position between two completely different landscapes: the forested hills of the Veluwe to the north and the fertile river clay soils of the Betuwe directly south of the Rhine. The Betuwe is the largest fruit-growing region in the Netherlands, with endless rows of apple and pear orchards that turn white and pink with blossom in spring. Along the banks of the Rhine and the Waal you’ll find farms that have been growing fruit for generations and are increasingly open to pickers. Arnhem thus offers the unique combination of nature on the Veluwe and fresh fruit harvesting in the Betuwe, just twenty minutes’ drive from the city centre.

Breda occupies a special spot in Noord-Brabant, where the Brabant sandy soils transition into the escarpment of the Brabantse Wal — a unique landscape feature that gives the region its character. The light, well-drained sandy soils are ideal for strawberries, raspberries and asparagus, and the area has many pick-your-own farms open throughout the summer season. Along the Wal and towards Bergen op Zoom you’ll also find beautiful orchards with apples, pears and plums. The green farming landscape surrounding Breda makes a visit to a pick-your-own farm a complete day out.

Den Bosch, officially ’s-Hertogenbosch, lies in the geographical heart of Noord-Brabant, surrounded by a lush landscape of floodplains, stream valleys and fertile sandy soils. The region has long been an important agricultural area where asparagus, strawberries and vegetables have been grown for generations on the characteristic Brabant sandy soil. Around the city you’ll also find fine dairy farms and mixed farms that open their doors to visitors. Less than half an hour’s drive from the city centre with its famous Sint-Jan cathedral you can pick the finest summer fruits and flowers.

Den Haag sits on the boundary between two completely different landscapes: the coastal dunes of the North Sea and the fertile polder landscape of Midden-Delfland. To the north, the famous bulb-growing region stretches out, where in spring endless rows of tulips, daffodils and hyacinths burst into bloom. To the west lies Westland, the heart of Dutch greenhouse horticulture, but beyond it you’ll find open fruit farms and pick-your-own gardens that welcome visitors. Less than half an hour’s drive from the political capital you can pick the finest strawberries and summer flowers straight from the field.

Eindhoven lies in the southern Kempen region, a varied landscape of heathland, forests and fertile sandy soils that lend themselves perfectly to growing soft fruits and vegetables. The region has been famous for generations for its asparagus, which is harvested as white gold from the loose Brabant sandy soil each early spring. Strawberry pickers will find plenty to enjoy on the many pick-your-own farms surrounding the city. From Dommelen to De Peel: the rural Brabant surroundings of Eindhoven offer delicious picking opportunities throughout the entire season.

Enschede lies in the heart of Twente, a coulisse landscape of forests, field plots and characteristic farmsteads that sets itself apart from the rest of the Netherlands through its small scale and tranquillity. The Twente erven — large farm complexes fringed by oak groves and hedgerows — have always been the focal point of agricultural life in the region. On and around these farmsteads strawberries, berries and sometimes vegetables are grown, and more and more farmers are opening their doors to visitors who want to pick their own. The proximity to Germany and the gently rolling landscape make a trip to a Twente pick-your-own farm extra special.

Groningen sits like a green oasis in the middle of some of the most fertile arable land in the Netherlands. The Groningen Ommelanden consist of heavy, rich clay soils that have yielded excellent harvests of grain, sugar beet, and increasingly soft fruits for pickers over many centuries. The open, wide landscape with its characteristic farms and deep ditches breathes a unique tranquillity that makes a visit to a pick-your-own farm a very special experience. From the Hogeland to the Oldambt: around the city you’ll find a surprising number of farms where you can roll up your sleeves and pick.

Haarlem sits on the edge of one of the world’s most iconic bulb-growing regions. To the south and west of the city, the Bollenstreek stretches out, where in spring endless rows of tulips, daffodils and hyacinths transform the landscape into a spectacular display of colour. The inner dune strip of Kennemerland, with its light, well-drained sandy soil, has long been ideally suited to bulb growing but also to strawberries and other soft fruits. Within easy cycling distance of the city you’ll find pick-your-own farms where you can take home summer flowers, strawberries and seasonal crops, fresh from the land.

Hoofddorp sits in the middle of the Haarlemmermeer, a polder drained in 1852 that was once Holland’s largest lake and is now one of the most productive agricultural areas in the Netherlands. The clay and sandy loam soils of the polder are ideally suited to vegetable growing, bulb cultivation and fruit production, and in spring the fields around Hoofddorp come alive with the yellow and pink of tulips and other bulb flowers. More and more growers and farmers in the Haarlemmermeer are opening their operations to visitors who want to pick, harvest or visit the farm shop. The flat polder landscape and broad cycle paths make a trip to a pick-your-own farm here especially easy.

Leiden sits on the edge of the famous Bollenstreek, the bulb-growing region world-renowned for its spectacular tulip and daffodil fields that draw millions of visitors every spring. The light, well-drained dune sand soils of the coastal strip between Leiden and the sea create ideal conditions for growing bulbs and cut flowers. But strawberries, raspberries and other soft fruits also thrive in this area, and in the polders to the east of the city you’ll find traditional small-plot vegetable growing. From the Leiden Rembrandt polder landscape to the flower-rich dune edges: the countryside around Leiden is close and the harvest abundant.

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.

Nijmegen borders directly on the Betuwe, the Netherlands’ famous fruit-growing region, named after the endless rows of apple and pear orchards that define the landscape. The fertile river clay soils along the Waal and the Maas have been used for centuries to grow pome fruit, plums and cherries, and the region is one of the richest fruit-producing areas in the country. In spring the orchards burst into full bloom and in summer and autumn visitors can pick the ripe fruit themselves. Nijmegen thus offers a unique combination of a city outing and an authentic fruit-picking experience in a beautiful river landscape.

Rotterdam lies in the heart of one of Europe’s most productive agricultural regions. To the south, the Hoekse Waard extends — an island full of fruit orchards, strawberry fields and vegetable farms. To the west lies Westland, the greenhouse capital of the Netherlands, where glasshouses stretch to the horizon. Yet within half an hour’s drive from the Maas you’ll also find open pick-your-own farms where you can get your hands dirty and enjoy the harvest.

Tilburg lies in the heart of Noord-Brabant, surrounded by a varied landscape of forests, heathland and fertile sandy soils. The region is known for its soft sandy soil, which is perfectly suited to growing strawberries, raspberries and other soft fruits that taste nowhere better than freshly picked from the field. Asparagus are also a well-established product here: every spring the white stems emerge from the Brabant soil, ready to harvest. Within half an hour’s drive from the city centre you’ll find farms where the picking season lasts from early summer through to autumn.

Utrecht lies in the heart of the Netherlands, surrounded by a lush green landscape that farmers have worked for centuries. To the west, the Green Heart stretches out — a vast peat meadow area full of farm trails and small homesteads. To the south, the Kromme Rijn meanders through a coulisse landscape of orchards, strawberry fields and farm shops. The Lopikerwaard, with its characteristic strip plots, offers an idyllic setting for a cycling trip to a pick-your-own farm within easy reach of the city.

Zaanstad lies in the Zaan region, an area with a rich agricultural history closely intertwined with windmills, food processing and the green polders of Noord-Holland. Along the Zaan river, which meanders through a wide polder landscape, farms have been growing vegetables, fruit and flowers for the urban market for centuries. The proximity of the Beemster Polder — a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the earliest rational land reclamations in the Netherlands — gives the region a unique landscape richness. Not far from the iconic Zaanse Schans open-air museum you’ll find pick-your-own farms where you can experience direct contact with farm life.