At Fruitbedrijf Van Cleef in Belfeld you pick your own sweet cherries, apples and pears. The farm grows Elstar apples, Conference pears and several varieties of sweet cherries. The cherry season runs from early June to mid-July; apples and pears are ready from late August to October. During these periods the farm is open for picking on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday afternoons. Outside the picking season the farm shop is open on Thursday afternoons, Fridays and Saturdays.

You pay by the kilo. The farm provides containers; you can also bring your own. The trees are not dwarf varieties, so you pick from ladders or reach up. Children are welcome, but the farm does not have a play area or café.

The farm shop sells the farm’s own apple, pear and cherry juices, liqueurs, syrups and jams, as well as local cheeses, seasonal vegetables and Bunzlau Castle pottery. Parking is available and the entrance is wheelchair-accessible, though the toilet and seating are not.

Once a year, usually on the second Sunday in September, the farm holds an apple-picking day with a reduced price for picked apples, a small train ride and a bouncy castle. The event has not taken place in recent years due to staff shortages.

What visitors say

The farm is best known for its cherries—visitors call them the best in the area, large, fresh, and consistently delicious. The automat makes buying them quick and easy, even outside regular hours. Apples and pears are also popular, especially during the annual apple-picking days, which many describe as great fun for kids. The farm shop sells a mix of local products, from fruit juices and chocolates to old-fashioned sweets and liqueurs, and the owners are often praised for being friendly and helpful.

The setting is relaxed, with seating areas where you can enjoy fruit ice cream or a drink. Some visitors mention the low plants make picking a bit of a bend, but most don’t seem to mind. Prices are fair, though not noticeably cheaper than elsewhere. A few note that the best fruit can sell out fast on busy days, so arriving early helps.

Facilities in this u-pick farm

Farm shop Farm shop

Fruitboerderij (Görtz Fruit)

4.0 km — limburg

Fruitboerderij (Görtz Fruit) in Baarlo is a family-run fruit farm that has grown cherries, pears, plums, apples and grapes along the Maas for over 150 years. From late June to early October, visitors can pick their own fruit during organised picking days. The farm grows morello cherries (a small, tart variety), Williams and Conference pears, mirabelle and blue plums, Elstar, Braeburn and Gloster apples, and small quantities of Auxerrois, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir grapes. Each fruit has its own picking window: cherries in late June and early July, Williams pears in mid-August, mirabelles and blue plums in August and early September, and apples from late August to mid-September. The exact dates are announced on the farm’s website and Facebook page a few days in advance, as they depend on the weather and ripeness.

Plantage Blankwater

11.6 km — limburg

At Plantage Blankwater in Boukoul, near Roermond, you pick your own blueberries from late June to the end of September. The farm grows 20 hectares of blueberry bushes, with several varieties that ripen at different times during the season. You pay by the kilo for what you pick, and the farm provides containers. Picking is possible at standing height. The farm is open daily from 10.00 to 17.30. Outside the picking season, frozen blueberries and blueberry products, such as juice and jam made from the farm’s own berries, are sold in the farm shop. The shop also stocks blueberry plants.

Kwekerij en Pluktuin van Buggenum

12.6 km — limburg

Kwekerij en Pluktuin van Buggenum is a pick-your-own flower farm near Buggenum in Limburg. From mid-May to October, visitors can cut their own bouquets from the field. The farm grows perennials, grasses and seasonal flowers suitable for cutting. You pay €8.50 for 20 stems or €12.50 for a ready-made bouquet. Some flowers are priced per stem at €1. A subscription for three self-picked bouquets costs €22.50 and can be posted anywhere in the Netherlands.

Pluk en theetuin in de 7e Hemel

16.1 km — limburg

Pluk en Theetuin in de 7e Hemel in Grashoek is a pick-your-own farm where visitors can gather flowers and seasonal fruit. The farm grows a variety of soft fruits, including strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and currants, as well as tree fruits like apples, pears, plums, and cherries. Flowers can be picked from the borders to create your own bouquet. The fruit from the orchard is not available for picking but is sold in bags when in season.

R. van Cleef