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.

The farm operates on a membership basis, offering two options: a full-season share (around 30 weeks) and a two-week trial share. Members can harvest their own produce weekly, selecting what they need from the garden. The farm encourages sustainable practices, allowing visitors to bring their own containers and tools. Prices are based on the share chosen, rather than per kilo, and include access to the garden’s bounty.

Boeren in het Bos is open daily from 08.00 to 20.00, though the availability of crops depends on the season. The farm also has a shop selling its own meat, eggs, ferments, and other products, as well as a small range of items from local producers. Parking is available on-site. The farm focuses on regenerative agriculture, using natural methods to improve soil health and biodiversity.

What visitors say

Visitors come for the farm’s own high-quality meat and eggs, sold in a small self-service shop that’s open every day. The vlees—especially the German biefstuk, entrecote, and leverworst—is a favourite, with many saying it tastes as meat should. The eggs, once hard to get, are now reliably in stock. Prices are higher than supermarkets, but most feel the quality justifies it.

The farm doubles as a nature spot, with walking trails through the woods and past free-roaming pigs, cows, and chickens. The routes aren’t always well-marked, and some animals can be far off the paths. Kids enjoy the mini safari feel, though a few visitors were disappointed not to see more animals up close. The shop also sells seasonal fruit and vegetables when available.

A few find the experience overpriced or question the ethics of meat production, but most praise the farm’s transparency and regenerative approach. The owners are friendly and quick to respond to feedback.

Facilities in this u-pick farm

Farm shop Farm shop

Hanna's Pluktuin

2.3 km — friesland

At Hanna’s Pluktuin in Makkinga, you pick your own seasonal flowers directly from the field. The farm grows dahlias, zinnias, sunflowers, amaranthus, ornamental tobacco, statice, salvia, scabiosa, fountain grass, calendula, strawflowers, echinacea, yarrow, sea lavender, snapdragons, bishop’s weed, nigella, bronze fennel, phlox, globe amaranth, lion’s tail, marguerites and more. The selection changes through the season. You pay €12.50 for a hand-held bouquet of 20 to 25 stems, which you cut yourself with scissors provided. The farm also sells gift vouchers starting at €10, valid for two years on fresh bouquets, dried flowers and decorative items. Pre-arranged bouquets can be ordered in advance for collection.

Fruithof De struikrover

11.3 km — friesland

Fruithof de Struikrover in Oldeholtpade is a pick-your-own farm growing over 20 types of fruit, mostly berries. The main crops are blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and strawberries, along with less common varieties such as tayberries, honeyberries, aronia berries, jostaberries, Japanese wineberries, elderberries, rosehips, gooseberries, quinces, medlars, sea buckthorn and figs. The farm also has flowers for picking, including marigolds, cornflowers and sunflowers. The farm is open for picking from mid-June to mid-September, with the season running on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 09.00 to 17.00. Outside the picking season, the farm is open on Saturdays for buying cuttings, shrubs, seeds and young plants. All produce is grown organically without pesticides.

Ecologische Tuinderij De Tilgrupshof

11.9 km — 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.

Pluktuin Ravenswoud

12.8 km — friesland

Pluktuin Ravenswoud in Ravenswoud is a pick-your-own flower garden where you cut your own seasonal blooms. The field covers about a thousand square metres and is open by appointment from June to September. For €7.50, you receive a basket and scissors to pick 20 stems, enough for a large, pesticide-free bouquet. The farm also hosts occasional open days when no appointment is needed; dates are posted on its Facebook page.