"It's heavy soil by Westland standards, but that has its advantages, especially in weather like this," says lettuce grower Robbin Konsman as he walks through his newest greenhouse on Kapittelland 3 in 's-Gravenzande on a hot Tuesday afternoon. Most of the day's work has already been done overnight, due to the summer heat.
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Anyone driving past the Konsman Vegetables greenhouses will be treated to a striking red-and-green color palette. "People are slowing down when they drive past now because they find it so beautiful. It's great for road safety," Robbin jokes.
The crop is holding up well during the heatwave. Market demand, however, could be stronger. "Unlike previous years, we haven't seen any extreme weather this season, which means no shortages that greenhouse growers can benefit from. I've seen different in recent years."
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The crop is looking good. Thanks to the heavy soil, Robbin notices that less watering is needed and the crop has stamina. "We have had high productions all summer," he says.
Converting new greenhouse
Robbin has been expanding Konsman Vegetables for about six years now. One of the most recent developments was the conversion of a 3.5-hectare former chrysanthemum greenhouse. At just 26, he's no stranger to this kind of project—he previously converted a tomato greenhouse on Boomaweg.
To prepare the former flower greenhouse for soil-grown leafy greens, the team removed the lift heating, chrysanthemum mesh, side screens, and lighting, unnecessary for the new crop. Night-shift workers harvesting lettuce use portable lamps, along with their headlamps, for visibility.
The blackout screens were replaced with energy-saving screens as part of the renovation.
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When the greenhouse was converted, the blackout screen gave way to an energy screen.
Direct Sales
Robbin puts in long days, often starting early in the summer. His operations span three main locations, along with several leased plots. He handles sales himself, often showcasing fresh lettuce, herbs, and Asian vegetables in his WhatsApp status.
He's noticed that especially in winter, customers actively seek out Dutch-grown products. "They make a conscious choice for that," he says.
As Konsman Vegetables continues its steady growth, Robbin remains the key figure keeping everything on track. "I do a lot myself, but I'm starting to delegate more."
Sitting in the canteen, Robbin counts out loud the people who support him, including his father and a few key team members who help with crop work. Among them are also growers from whom he's acquired greenhouses in Monster and more recently in 's-Gravenzande. "My long-term goal is to grow on fewer, larger sites rather than many smaller ones." To that end, he's always alert to new opportunities, supported by his broker, Santen & Gasille.
© Konsman VegetablesRobbin with Shanghai pak choi at the Boomaweg location
Opportunities and challenges in soil-based cultivation
Konsman Vegetables is clearly committed to soil-based cultivation, which offers many opportunities, though Robbin is also aware of the challenges. Aphids, mildew, Fusarium, and clubroot are among them. That's why he closely follows developments in new varieties.
"I try to attend demo days at breeding companies like Rijk Zwaan to see what new varieties with improved mildew resistance are available. I'm also interested in types with specific traits or those offering higher yields."
© Thijmen Tiersma | HortiDaily.comOne such new variety now in production at Konsman Vegetables is Limambo, a Lollo Bionda type developed by Rijk Zwaan. "It's a strong, firm variety that we scaled up quickly after a successful trial last year."
Assortment
Konsman Vegetables keeps a close eye on the market and trends. "We are open to growing new varieties," he says. Currently, the range consists of the following varieties.
- White pak choi
- Shanghai pak choi
- Mini Shanghai pak choi
- Mini pak choi
- Choisum
- Kaichoi
- Tongho thin
- Kailan
- Amchoi
Lettuce varieties:
- Salanova green
- Salanova red
- Polysla
- Lollo bionda
- Lollo rossa
- Oak leaf red
Herbs:
- Basil
- Dill
- Thai Basil
© Thijmen Tiersma | HortiDaily.comThe greenhouse roof features a diffuse coating—ReduFuse IR—which they've been using for about three years. "It lets in more light, which helps red lettuce varieties retain their color better. For Chinese greens, though, we use ReduSol instead, since they require less light."
For more information:
Robbin Konsman
Konsman Vegetables
[email protected]
www.konsman-vegetables.nl
