After having skipped a year, this time again one could cycle through the greenhouses in the Westland. This year even on two days, so both on Saturday 9th and on Sunday 10th of June a bike parade, adorned with green flags, passed along all participating companies. Occasionally across narrow and difficult pathways, the most beautiful places in the Westland were visited, and each time a different crop could be seen.
The organization could already boast about 860 advance registrations before the weekend, and because of the good weather there were also many hundreds of people who spontaneously signed up at one of the three starting points.
On Sunday, Westland’s regional poet Dirk Den Hoed gave the start signal with two poems.
Along the route, parents with children, grandfathers and grandmothers with their grandchildren and also many other interested people could cycle through the mainly floriculture companies.
Because of hygienic considerations it is becoming increasingly difficult for the organization to also get horticulture companies to join the event. At tomato grower Robert van Koppen of Prominent in Kwintsheul people could have a look in the greenhouse and of course tomatoes could be tasted. The photographer was allowed to enter the greenhouse for a moment.
Also two radish growers participated. At Daily Fresh Radish you could, after crossing a real Westland barge, cycle right through the greenhouse.
In the greenhouse at Boeregoed, participants could take part in a competition by guessing the number of snack tomatoes in a box.
In the greenhouse of Kwekerij Dragontree, Richard de Rijke, cartoonist of the comic strip 'Ben de Westlandse Bij' (well-known in the Westland), gave an explanation about his comic strip and the history of Westland horticulture.
Proud growers provided information and explanations about their crops along the way. Based on all the enthusiastic reactions it is inevitable to have this cycling through the Westland greenhouses event again next year.