Anyone who enjoys picking their own fruit and vegetables is in the right place at 't Oogstuuntje in Poortvliet, Netherlands. Inside the greenhouse visitors will find a wide variety of fresh produce.
The greenhouse is run by Jaël van Brakel, son of grower Gert, who also manages an organic farm elsewhere on Tholen, together with his girlfriend Ebigail. Alongside their larger-scale organic production, they opened 't Oogstuuntje to bring people closer to local food. This summer, Van Brakel Organic was visited as part of a series on young farmers and growers in the region.
Jaël and Ebigail spoke openly about the challenges of organic cultivation. Powdery mildew, for instance, is a stubborn problem that's hard to control. And what about sales? Presenter Veerle van Dijke, who herself comes from a farming family, asked whether export fits within the spirit of organic farming. Perhaps not entirely, Jaël admitted, but his harvest is plentiful enough that crops like their fiery chili peppers now find their way to Scandinavia. At the same time, he sees a future for 't Oogstuuntje, where the goal is to supply as many people as possible with fresh, local fruit and vegetables.
Father and son continue to learn from each other. "My dad has years of growing experience," Jaël says, "while I know my way around the rules and paperwork a bit better. That's something he's also picking up from me."
