It's that time of year again for fresh table grapes from local greenhouses, and BoereGoed is working with around ten growers in the Westland region, with fixed delivery agreements and a clear sales price. Through this cooperation, BoereGoed helps preserve the tradition of the Westland grape – one of only five products officially recognized by the EU as a regional specialty.
"That's important, because grape growers are almost an endangered species these days," explain Gert Kögeler and Fred Matern on behalf of BoereGoed. "While BoereGoed started mainly with a social mission, it has grown into a kind of marketplace, both physical and online, where regional products come together and reach the consumer. We're proud of that."
© BoereGoed
Gabriëlle and Mirjam from BoereGoed with BoereGoed's own grape cultivation
This year brought a setback: the only biodynamic grape grower in the region, Nieuw Tuinzight in Den Hoorn, lost nearly their entire harvest (link in Dutch) after a technical malfunction caused extreme heat in the greenhouse at the end of June. "Luckily we still have grapes from growers in De Hoorn, Honselersdijk, Maasland, Ter Heijde, 's-Gravenzande, Wateringen, Naaldwijk (two growers), De Lier, and from our own greenhouse," the BoereGoed team notes.
At the same time, experiments are underway in Westland with new, extra-sweet grape varieties that no longer require thinning, which could give the crop a renewed future. "What many people don't realize," say Gert and Fred, "is that grapes are actually a fantastic crop for greenhouses without heating, without artificial fertilizers, and without chemicals, grown directly in the soil. That makes these grapes truly unique in taste and freshness – with morning dew still on them and nothing artificial added. This way we keep a tradition alive while supporting smaller growers who might otherwise disappear."
For more information:
BoereGoed
Opstalweg 21a,
2671 LX Naaldwijk
Tel.: 0174-725 205
[email protected]
https://www.boeregoed.nl/
