Tuinderij Plantalia is a self-harvest and pick-your-own garden located on Landbouwweg in Ritthem, situated between Middelburg and Ritthem. It operates on a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) basis, allowing participants to become “harvest partners” by purchasing a harvest share. The farm is committed to ecological practices, cultivating produce without the use of pesticides, artificial fertilizers, or animal manure, and has been biologically certified for its main growing area since 2023.
As a harvest partner, individuals self-pick their weekly produce, with the general season for vegetables running from May through November. While some produce may be available outside this period, it’s not always sufficient for a full week’s needs. The farm aims to expand its offerings to include a wider variety of herbs, small fruit, and flowers. Members are encouraged to harvest only what they can consume fresh, though exceptions for preserving or freezing are communicated when large harvests permit. Potatoes are grown on the farm but are purchased separately by weight after harvest.
For those unable to self-pick, a vegetable bag delivery service is available to work addresses in Middelburg or Vlissingen, incurring an additional charge. These bags are harvested on the day of delivery (Mondays and Wednesdays) and delivered sustainably by bicycle. The farm also supplies seasonal, often unique, organic vegetables to horeca, caterers, and organic shops.
Tuinderij Plantalia strives to offer at least five different vegetables for harvest each week during the peak season.
The farm currently provides the following produce for self-picking (with potatoes purchased separately):
Vegetables:
- Endive, Leaf mustard, Cauliflower, Kale, Broccoli, Zucchini, Daikon (Japanese radish), Garden peas, Capuchin peas, Garlic, Fennel bulb, Celeriac, Cucumber, Turnip, Mini-pakchoi, Palm kale, Parsnip, Sugar snap peas, Pumpkin, Purslane, Leek, Rapini (turnip greens), Radish, Red beet, Red cabbage, Arugula/Rocket, Lettuce, Swiss chard, Runner beans, Green beans, Spinach, Brussels sprouts, Spring onion, Tomato, Onion, Lamb’s lettuce, Winter purslane, White cabbage, Carrot, Summer purslane.
Herbs:
- Basil, Chives, Savory, Borage (cucumber herb), Dill, Coriander, Curly parsley, Lovage (Maggi plant), Oregano, Pepper, Flat-leaf parsley, Sage, Thyme.
Fruit:
- Strawberries. Fruit bushes are also being planted for future harvests.
Visiting the farm is by appointment, as there are no fixed opening hours. The farm also organizes “garden tours” during the season and encourages participation in volunteer workdays, though it is not mandatory for harvest partners.
What visitors say
Customers delight in the exceptional freshness of the produce available for self-picking, with one reviewer expressing the joy of harvesting lettuce, tomatoes, and apples in the afternoon and enjoying them as a delicious meal that very same evening.