"Greenhouse cauliflower continues to be a valued product"
Piet between beans, which were ready for harvest late May.
Piet grows cauliflower, string beans and melons. When he took over the business, there was still lettuce, endive, spinach and beans in the greenhouse. But after the collapse of the old auction houses, he consciously chose to reduce the number of varieties. "My father and grandfather cultivated anything and everything. In the time of the auctions, this was a lot easier. I myself have chosen a number of specific products which I can manage year-round." The greenhouse cauliflowers are planted in October / November and harvested from February / March. Then follow the string beans and melons, the harvest being in late May and late June respectively. During summer, Piet is assisted by his brother; his wife and daughter helping out if necessary.
Piet's daughter helps her dad every now and then.
Greenhouse cauliflower
This year, Piet was able to harvest some 30,000 greenhouse cauliflowers. "Greenhouse cauliflower is always a valued product, provided there is not too much of it. Last year the supply was large, with lower prices as a result, but this year volumes were much reduced, resulting in better prices." According to the grower, greenhouse cauliflower faces little direct competition. The product is quite exclusive and mainly goes to better outlets and restaurants. Greenhouse cauliflower is generally smaller in size and softer in taste. "Much tastier than an ordinary, open field cauliflower," he claims.
Marketing
Van Steekelenburg markets his production through Hoogendoorn de Lier, part of K. van der Spijk. After the harvest, everything goes directly into the grower’s cooler. The next morning, Piet delivers the products himself, his produce hitting shelves the same day. "In this way the temperature differences are minimized, keeping up quality. Also, I think it's nice to keep a personal eye on the transport and being in direct contact with the trader. I like being involved in the trade. I suppose what I miss about the old auction houses is the challenge to bring produce under the clock as swiftly as possible. That focus seems to be gone these days. A lot has changed, but I still have a lot of fun in the trade."