Werkhovense Kerstbomen

At Boomkwekerij de Bruin in Driebergen-Rijsenburg you choose your own Christmas tree from the nursery’s field. The nursery has grown trees here since 1988, and the season opens on 30 November. It grows six species: fijnspar, zilverspar, blauwspar, Koreana, Nordmann and Fraseri. Trees take five to seven years to reach a good size and are pruned twice a year. You select a tree in the field; each one carries its own price label. Trees are dug up as late as possible in the season, so those sold are fresh. They are sold with a root ball, which is wrapped in a bag, and the tree is packed in a net; staff help load it into your car. You can have the root ball sawn off if you prefer, but the tree keeps longer with it.

At CSA Zelfoogsttuin Kraaybeekerhof in Driebergen-Rijsenburg, members of the community farm grow and harvest their own organic vegetables, herbs, flowers and small fruit. The farm operates as a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) model, where participants commit to a season of produce in exchange for a share of the harvest. You pick what is ready each week during the growing season, which runs from spring to autumn. The land is open 24 hours a day from Monday to Saturday, though the farm is closed on Sundays. The kwekerij (nursery) is accessible at any time for purchasing plants, with a self-service till. Staff are available on Fridays and Saturdays to answer questions. From 1 May to 18 October, the theetuin (tea garden) is open from 10.30 to 17.00, and the landgoedwinkel (estate shop) from 12.00 to 17.00 on Fridays and Saturdays.

At Buitengoed de Boomgaard in Bunnik, near Utrecht, you can cut or dig up your own Christmas tree from the nursery. The Van Zijl family has run the site since 1975. The farm grows Nordmann and fijnspar (Norway spruce) organically. In the pine forest you cut down your tree yourself, with help available if needed, or you dig one up from the field. Pre-cut trees, small trees and potted trees are also available at the Christmas square.

Landwinkel Nieuw Slagmaat in Bunnik is a mixed farm where you can pick your own fruit, berries and pumpkins. The main crops are apples, pears, plums, cherries, kiwiberries and pumpkins. The farm also grows kiwis, though these are not available for picking. Picking is organised on set days, usually Fridays and Saturdays, with some events on Sundays. In June and July you can pick cherries; in July and August plums and summer apples; in September apples, pears, kiwiberries and pumpkins; and in October pumpkins. Exact dates depend on the weather and are announced on the farm’s website and in its newsletter. During the apple-picking weekends in September, the farm opens on Sundays as well.