U-pick farm Landwinkel de Eekhoeve

De Eekhoeve, located on Dijkstraat 115 in Veenendaal, is a farm that has been a family-run operation since 1943. The property combines a farm shop, a tea house, and a care farm set in a rural landscape. Visitors can explore extensive gardens, including a vegetable garden and a picking garden, and interact with farm animals.

The farm offers a self-picking experience in its vegetable and flower gardens. Guests can harvest their own vegetables, fruit, and herbs from the garden. In the summer months, the picking garden features over 100 varieties of dahlias, allowing visitors to create their own bouquets. The produce available for self-picking changes with the seasons.

The Landwinkel (farm shop), vegetable garden, and picking garden are open Monday through Saturday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM and are closed on Sundays. The tea house is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM and is closed on Mondays and Sundays. The farm shop also provides a range of regional products, including cheese, meat from its own Hereford cattle, honey, and the farm’s own ‘Veens Kaatje’ egg liqueur. In addition to self-picking, the farm offers a discovery trail with a scavenger hunt for children, a petting area, and hosts activities and workshops for groups. A care farm operates on the property, providing day care for seniors and adults. The farm is wheelchair accessible for the most part.

What visitors say

This self-picking farm and garden presents a multi-faceted experience, widely regarded as a charming destination for both families and individuals seeking a relaxing outing. Visitors consistently highlight the varied attractions, which include engaging farm animals like cows, goats, and donkeys, along with a dedicated playground equipped with trampolines and sandboxes, making it an ideal spot for children’s entertainment and education. The pick-your-own garden, offering seasonal vegetables, fruits, and a diverse array of flowers such as dahlias, is a popular activity that also serves an educational purpose.

The on-site “Landwinkel” (farm shop) garners significant praise for its extensive selection of high-quality local and regional products. Customers appreciate the fresh cheese (with fenugreek cheese being a particular favorite), meat, dairy, delicious homemade chocolates, and baked goods, often finding it an excellent source for unique gifts and specialty items like the “Veens Kaatje” pastry. While the shop is celebrated for its offerings, some customers do note that prices can be on the higher side.

Connected to the shop, the tea house offers a cozy and inviting atmosphere, particularly its beautiful outdoor terrace which provides serene views. Reviews for the tea house are mixed: many commend the friendly staff, delicious lunches, and homemade cakes, with the high tea being a popular and often well-received option. However, recurring criticisms point to slow service, long waiting times for orders, and instances of inconsistent food quality, such as watery soup or stale baked goods. Portions, especially for some lunch platters, are occasionally deemed too small for the price.

The establishment also functions as a care farm, providing a valuable daily program for individuals with disabilities and seniors, a commendable aspect frequently acknowledged by visitors. Despite its overall charm and positive contributions, some practical concerns arise regarding the external location and cleanliness of the toilets, occasional untidiness in certain farm areas, and, in one notable instance, questions about animal welfare concerning rabbit enclosures. There have also been isolated reports of specific activities, like a ‘yoga with cows’ class, not meeting expectations, and the children’s treasure hunt being perceived as overpriced for its value.

Facilities in this u-pick farm

Farm shop Farm shop

Moestuin Zuylestein 17e eeuwse moes- en pluktuin met landgoed winkel

6.2 km — utrecht

Landgoed Zuylestein is a historic estate and food-producing farm located on the Utrechtse Heuvelrug in Leersum. The property features a restored 17th-century walled vegetable garden, known as a moestuin, which is cultivated without synthetic pesticides using both traditional and innovative techniques. A dedicated pick-your-own flower garden (pluktuin) is available on site, allowing visitors to create their own bouquets. The estate also grows a variety of seasonal vegetables, fruits, herbs, and ancient grains, including Witte Emmer, rye, and Lavette wheat. The orchard contains a notable collection of 17th, 18th, and 19th-century apple and pear trees, as well as medlars, berries, and currants. Leifruit (espalier fruit trees) are grown along the garden walls. In addition, the estate raises free-range ‘forest pigs’ (bosvarkens), whose pork is available for purchase. The season for fresh produce runs from early spring through the autumn months; the landgoedwinkel (estate shop) is closed during January and February.

Pluktuin 't Lage Erf

8.6 km — utrecht

Pluktuin ’t Lage Erf is a flower garden located at Laagerfseweg 30 in Woudenberg, focused on providing a space for visitors to relax and pick their own flowers. The garden was created from a passion for flowers and being outdoors, and all blooms are grown locally and without pesticides, following the slow flower philosophy. It is classified as a garden and holds an operational business status. During April, visitors can pick tulips. From July through October, a variety of seasonal pluck flowers are available for picking. The garden is open on Wednesdays from 11:00 to 15:00, and on Fridays and Saturdays from 10:00 to 15:00. The garden is closed on Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. Pricing is based on the size of the bouquet, using a measuring bar with prices ranging from €5.00 to €20.00. Occasionally, the garden may close for a week due to weather conditions. The garden also hosts workshops on flower picking and arranging, and offers the opportunity for professional photoshoots in the natural setting.

De Glinstertuin

10.5 km — gelderland

De Glinstertuin is a small-scale, ecological nursery and pick-your-own garden located on 7,000 m² of land at the south end of De Glind. The garden grows a wide diversity of plants, including herbs, shrubs, trees, flowers, fruit, and nuts, all cultivated without synthetic fertilizers or chemical pesticides. The garden is designed to be a biodiversity haven, attracting bees, butterflies, and birds, and serves as both a production space and a place for visitors to relax, take photos, and enjoy nature.

Tres Jolie

10.6 km — gelderland

Très Jolie is an organic small-fruit farm and experience garden located in De Glind. Established in 2002 on a former bare field, the garden is laid out in a five-sided shape with a flower circle at its heart. The garden is divided into blocks, each planted with a different berry variety, and is surrounded by a windbreak hedge of wild fruits and nuts. The farm operates on a philosophy of working in harmony with nature, focusing on organic methods, nature experience, and personal well-being. It is supported by a group of volunteers and is open for various activities throughout the year.