Sprankenhof is a biodynamic garden, shop, and kitchen situated in Udenhout, North Brabant, near Tilburg, offering a tranquil environment.
Visitors can experience a biological self-picking garden where they can harvest their own organic fruits and vegetables, aiming to provide food fresher than any other source. While the specific seasonal offerings may vary, the garden is known to include produce such as turnips, pumpkins, bok choy, winter purslane, eggplants, radishes, parsnips, and blackberries for self-picking. The farm provides details on current harvest availability and useful picking tips on-site.
In addition to the self-picking garden, Sprankenhof features an organic farm shop offering a selection of biological, seasonal, and local products, with the option for online orders and gift vouchers. The premises also include a biological kitchen and cooking studio that hosts workshops and cooking classes, emphasizing healthy and fair food preparation. This space is also available for meetings.
The location provides an orchard terrace for relaxation, a treasure hunt for children, and a varied agenda of activities and events, including workshops, lectures, and seasonal celebrations.
Sprankenhof operates from Wednesday to Friday, 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM, and on Saturdays from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM. During the high season, which runs until September 30th, Saturday hours extend to 6:00 PM from May 1st, and the garden is also open on Sundays from June 1st, from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM. The garden and shop are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. The facility is largely wheelchair accessible, with adapted toilets and free parking available. Guide dogs are permitted, but other pets are welcome only on the terrace and are not allowed in the picking garden.
What visitors say
This self-picking farm generally offers a unique and enjoyable experience, especially for families seeking an educational and fun outing. Visitors consistently praise the opportunity to pick their own fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, and even collect eggs, often finding it a rewarding activity for children, with helpful online information regarding seasonal availability.
Beyond the fields, guests appreciate the on-site shop, which stocks a variety of organic products, including cheeses, jams, and delectable cakes. The pleasant terrace and friendly, hospitable staff contribute to a welcoming atmosphere, making it a popular spot for relaxing, enjoying a coffee, or partaking in activities like treasure hunts. The farm also caters to events, team sessions, and cooking workshops, providing delicious organic meals and an engaging environment for various celebrations and group activities.
However, several common points of criticism emerge. Pricing is a significant concern for some, who describe both the self-picked items and the shop’s offerings as unexpectedly expensive. Maintenance of the picking areas is another area for improvement, with mentions of overgrown nettles, unclear paths, and instances where popular produce like raspberries had been picked clean. One family with young children found the play facilities inadequate and potentially unsafe, missing typical playground equipment, and felt there was a lack of staff guidance on what to pick. There were also isolated reports of limited offerings in the catering facility and lapses in the organization of pre-booked activities. A particularly negative experience involved a visitor being met with unhelpfulness and rudeness by staff when attempting to inquire about the farm on a closed day. It’s also worth noting that the availability of produce is, naturally, seasonal.