Bij Mei in Zoeterwoude is a pick-your-own vegetable and flower garden where visitors harvest their own organic produce directly from the field. The farm operates on a community-supported agriculture (CSA) model: you become a member for the season, paying in advance based on household size, and then pick your share of the harvest each week. The vegetable season runs from May to November, with around 28 weeks of picking. Members typically take home about five different vegetables per visit, ranging from familiar crops like carrots and courgettes to less common varieties such as palm kale and runner beans. Weekly harvest updates are sent by email to let members know what’s ready.

The flower garden is open from late June until the first frost, usually in October. Members can pick a fresh bouquet each week, while non-members can visit during opening hours to pick flowers for €17.50 a bunch. The farm also sells gift vouchers for single visits or multi-visit passes.

Bij Mei is certified organic and uses no pesticides or synthetic fertilisers. The farm is open to members and visitors on Wednesdays and Fridays from 12.00 to 17.00, and Saturdays from 10.00 to 15.00. Parking is limited, so arriving by bike is encouraged. Dogs are not allowed in the fields but can wait at the entrance.

Throughout the year, the farm organises activities such as guided tours, workshops on biodiversity and sustainable farming, and seasonal dinners. Members are invited to an annual harvest festival and other events. The farm also collaborates with the local food bank, donating surplus produce.

What visitors say

Visitors pick their own flowers and seasonal vegetables at this pluktuin just outside Leiden. The produce is fresh and grown without pesticides, and most find the selection good, though a few say the range can be repetitive. The staff are friendly and happy to explain how the farm works, especially with children around. Prices are on the high side—some call it a pricey hobby rather than a way to save money, with a season pass for two adults costing €450. Still, many enjoy the experience, describing it as relaxed and rewarding, even if the drive adds to the cost. A few mention the asbestos roof over the pizza oven as an eyesore in an otherwise organic setting.

Facilities in this u-pick farm

Farm shop Farm shop

Stadstuinderij Het Zoete Land

3.0 km — zuid-holland

Stadstuinderij Het Zoete Land in Leiden is a community-supported urban farm where you pick your own vegetables, herbs, flowers and fruit. The season runs from late April to early November, depending on the weather. You can join as an oogstdeelnemer (harvest participant), bloemenplukker (flower picker) or volunteer. As a harvest participant, you receive weekly updates on what is ready to pick and how much is available. You then visit the farm to gather your share of the week’s produce, which typically includes around seven different vegetables, herbs, edible flowers and seasonal fruit such as berries and strawberries. The farm operates on a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) model, where participants share the harvest and the risks of farming. There are three options: harvest participation only (€390 per year), harvest participation with cut flowers (€505 per year), or flowers only (€155 per year). The flower season is shorter, from May or June to October, and you pick a weekly bouquet of 15 to 20 stems. One participation is usually enough for two people.

Hazelland 10

5.0 km — zuid-holland

Hazelland 10 in Zoeterwoude is a pick-your-own vegetable and herb garden run on agro-ecological principles. The farm grows vegetables, herbs, fruit and nuts in open ground, with no chemical pesticides or fertilisers. It operates as a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) scheme: instead of paying per kilo, you buy a share in the season’s harvest and pick your own produce each week. The picking season runs from May to November. You receive a weekly list of what is ready to harvest, then visit the farm on a day that suits you to gather your vegetables and herbs. Each share covers at least five different crops per week, with occasional extras such as flowers or wild herbs. Fruit from the farm’s production forest is not included in the share but is sometimes available to buy separately.

Voedselbos Benthuizen

6.0 km — zuid-holland

Voedselbos Benthuizen is a pick-your-own food forest near Benthuizen where visitors can harvest a variety of seasonal produce. The forest grows fruit, berries, nuts, herbs and vegetables, all cultivated without pesticides. What is available depends on the time of year, with different crops ripening from spring to autumn. Members receive a weekly email listing what is ready to pick. The farm operates on a membership basis. Annual membership costs €45 for individuals or €75 for two people from the same household. Members can harvest produce weekly, either independently or during guided harvest tours that show what is ripe and how to pick it. Prices for self-harvested produce match regular supermarket rates. Members also help with planting and maintenance during weekly workdays on Fridays and alternate Wednesdays from 10.00 to 13.30.

Buurttuin Zoete Aarde

7.3 km — zuid-holland

Buurttuin Zoete Aarde in Zoetermeer is a community garden where visitors can pick flowers, fruit and vegetables during the growing season, from April to October. The garden includes a flower-picking area, a berry patch, a vegetable garden and an orchard with pears. Honey from the garden’s bees is also available. You pay for what you pick by weight or per bunch, depending on the crop. The garden shop sells produce grown on site, including fresh vegetables, jam, chutney and honey, and is open daily from 10.00 to 16.00. Coffee and tea are served on the terrace, and soup is available in the greenhouse every Wednesday.