De Zonnegaard in Voorst is a biological-dynamic farm where you can pick your own flowers, herbs and some fruit. The pick-your-own field is open daily from sunrise to sunset. You pay per stem: €0.40 for tulips and daffodils, €0.50 for other flowers. Scissors, vases and instructions are provided on site.
The flower season starts in late March with tulips and daffodils, followed by spring flowers such as aquilegia and honesty. From June to October, summer flowers like cornflowers, zinnias, cosmos, larkspur, monarda and dahlias are in bloom. Some flowers can be dried for winter use. The farm also grows edible flowers, including calendula, cornflower, marigolds and dahlia petals, as well as kitchen herbs and small fruit such as berries and raspberries when they are ripe.
The farm sells pre-made bouquets in its farm shop and at markets in Zutphen and Deventer. You can also buy a flower subscription for weekly bouquets from April to October, either to pick yourself or ready-made.
The farm shop is open on Fridays from 13.00 to 18.00. It sells the farm’s own vegetables, regional fruit, dairy products, eggs and a basic range of dry goods and juices. The shop also offers vegetable and fruit subscriptions, with weekly boxes available for collection at the farm or at pick-up points in Zutphen, Deventer, Apeldoorn and Leuvenheim.
De Zonnegaard grows vegetables and fruit using biological-dynamic methods. The farm is run by Thomas Grosshanten and Carlijn Geluk, who took over in 2016.
What visitors say
Visitors pick their own flowers and seasonal vegetables—strawberries, aubergines, courgettes—straight from the field. The farm provides scissors, buckets, and a map, and you can pay by card or bank transfer if you forget cash. Most say the produce is fresh, organic, and well worth the price, though one visitor found the shop staff rushed and unfriendly. Children enjoy the open days, where the farm is set up for families, and the rows are easy to navigate. The flowers are a highlight, with many returning specifically to pick bouquets. A few mention the plants are low to the ground, so bending or kneeling is part of the process. The farm is open Fridays and Saturdays.