sprouts

Grab a basket and your favorite pair of scissors—because we’re going sprout picking in the Netherlands! Yes, sprouts (those adorable little cabbage buttons) are a fantastic crop to hand-pick at several Dutch farms during the cooler months. Whether you’re dragging the kids along, making it a couples’ outing, or turning it into a competitive sport with friends (who can fill their basket fastest without losing a sprout?), this is peak simple farm joy.

The Hunt When you arrive, look for thick, sturdy stalks rising from the ground, lined with tight green buds from top to bottom. They’re a little like edible Christmas ornaments. You want sprouts that are firm, bright green, and about the size of a walnut. Avoid any that look yellow, loose-leafed, or holey (that means bugs beat you to it). Pinch the stalk just below the sprout and twist—it should snap off cleanly. Pro tip: harvest from the bottom of the stalk upward, because the top sprouts are the youngest and will keep growing if you leave them. Don’t be shy about chatting with the farmer—they’ll likely show you the freshest rows and might even let you taste a raw sprout right there (spoiler: it’s crunchy, a little sweet, and not at all like the squishy ones from a frozen bag).

Using Your Bounty: Two Recipes

1. Crispy Roasted Sprouts with Honey & Smoked Paprika Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F). Halve your sprouts and toss them with olive oil, salt, pepper, and a generous teaspoon of smoked paprika. Spread them on a baking tray (cut side down) and roast for 20 minutes, until they’re deeply golden and crispy at the edges. Drizzle with honey and toss with a squeeze of lemon juice before serving. They’ll disappear faster than you think.

2. One-Pan Sprouts & Bacon Pasta Cook 300g of pasta (penne or orecchiette work great) in salted water. Meanwhile, fry 150g of diced bacon in a pan until crispy. Add 400g of halved sprouts and cook for 5 minutes, letting them get a little charred. Stir in 3 crushed garlic cloves and 200ml of double cream. Drain the pasta (reserve a cup of pasta water) and toss everything together, adding splashes of pasta water until it’s saucy. Finish with a mountain of grated Parmesan.

Cocktail Idea: The Sprouts’ Surprise Yes, really. This is a conversation starter—and delicious. Muddle 5 raw sprouts (yes, raw) with 15ml of simple syrup and 30ml of fresh lemon juice in a shaker. Add 60ml of vodka and a big handful of ice. Shake hard for 15 seconds. Double strain into a chilled cocktail glass. The sprouts add a grassy, almost green-pea freshness that’s shockingly elegant. Garnish with a thin slice of sprout on the rim. Your friends will demand the recipe.

Zelfoogsttuin De Groentemeester

vegetables, flowers, herbs

zuid-holland

De Groentemeester is a self-pick farm and community-supported agriculture (CSA) project located on the site of a former ice rink in Maassluis, Netherlands. The farm spans approximately half a hectare and focuses on sustainable, local food production without pesticides or synthetic fertilizers. It is suitable for children and offers free on-site parking. As a self-pick farm, the farm offers two main activities. For a seasonal subscription (an “oogstaandeel” for €440 per year for 1-2 people), members can pick their own vegetables from roughly mid-May until late November. The farm cultivates around 90 to 100 different vegetables and herbs during that period, including crops such as beetroot, carrots, parsnips, onions, leeks, lettuce, chard, radishes, zucchini, cucumbers, pumpkin, broccoli, several types of cabbage, tomatoes, peppers, and potatoes. Members receive a weekly harvest email detailing what is available. On top of the vegetable subscriptions, the farm also operates a flower-picking garden, open to the general public from about the end of May until mid-October. A range of seasonal, spray-free flowers such as sunflowers, dahlias, cosmos, and zinnias are available.

Hof Bredelaar

fruit, vegetables, flowers, herbs

gelderland

Zelfoogsttuin Hof Bredelaar is a small-scale market garden located in Park Lingezegen, between Arnhem and Nijmegen. Since 2022, it has been growing a wide range of untreated, organic vegetables, fruit, herbs, and edible flowers. The garden operates on a subscription basis, allowing members to harvest their own produce at their own pace. The soil has notable archaeological value, and the farming practices focus on soil health, biodiversity, and natural balance, producing nutritious and flavorful crops.

Boeren in het Bos

vegetables, herbs, flowers

friesland

Boeren in het Bos is a regenerative nature farm located on the 160-hectare Landgoed Boschhoeve in Nijeberkoop, Friesland. The farm operates a mixed system where nature and agriculture work together, with a focus on building healthy soil, increasing biodiversity, and producing pure, nutrient-dense food. The farm is home to grass-fed cattle, free-range pigs, and pastured chickens, all of which play a functional role in the ecosystem. The farm also runs an education center offering a course in self-sufficient farming and living with nature.