Bunch carrot is sold in bunches with the foliage (leaves) still attached. The harvest of these carrots takes place from spring until and including November. In spring they are often harvested in greenhouses and afterwards from the outside soil.

Availability

Netherlands: March - May
Spain: October - March

Also grown by:

• P. van Osch Groentenproducties B.V.
• V.o.f. van der Knaap Overkleeft

Celery is a garden herb, comparable with parsley, but with a much stronger flavour. Other names are: cut celery, leaf celery, bunch celery and shrub celery. The plant can grow up to more than a metre. Celery is grown under glass as well as in the outside soil. Celery is nice with carrots, leeks, cauliflower, green beans, fish, minced meat, pork, noodles and fried rice.

Availability

Netherlands: June - September
Spain: January - April

Chicory is member of the same species as radicchio and escarole. It is also called endives. Chicory is a leaf vegetable which is grown in the dark. Much attention is paid to the biannual growing of chicory. During the first year outside soil growing of the roots is done, which in the autumn are harvested and cooled. Afterwards the roots must grow new leaves, the chicory. This process of chicory development takes place on running water. In 3 to 4 weeks, the chicory crop grows. The cut off (broken) crop can be eaten raw or cooked.

Availability

Netherlands: January - December

Also grown by:

• Akkerbouwbedrijf Baeten
• Fa. de Boer
• Puur Origine VOF

Escarole has been among the most popular leaf crops for years. The common escarole has a fresh, spicy flavour, slightly bitter and is consumed raw as well as cooked. Also this vegetable contains many vitamins and minerals. Escarole is grown in greenhouses as well as in outside soil and is therefore available throughout the year.

Availability

Netherlands: January - December
Spain: October - April

Also grown by:

• P. van Osch Groentenproducties B.V.
• Kwekerij Tahsin

Fennel looks like a white bulbous or tuberous product, which it isn’t. The convex shape is formed due to thickening or the bottom ends of the leaves growing, the so-called sheathing leaves. The typical smooth flavour is similar to aniseed. The young top green is ideal for garnisg or as a light spice in salads and particularly fish soups. Fennel is grown in outside soil.

Availability

Netherlands: May - October
Spain: October - April

Also grown by:

• Compliment V.O.F.

Kohlrabi is the tuberous, thick stem of the cabbage plant. Other than kohlrabi, turnip grows above ground. It is as such, not the root, but the thickening of the stem that is consumed. Depending on the type the tuber is pale-green or blue-violet coloured. Under the skin both varieties are white-yellow. The flavour is similar to that of cauliflower, but slightly more spicy. Raw turnip tastes somewhat like celery. Turnip can be consumed raw as well as cooked. It has low energetic value, contains a lot of vitamin C and fibre and is also a valuable source of potassium.

Availability

Netherlands: June - October
Spain: October - May

Also grown by:

• G. en W van Turenhout
• Primaflor s.a.t.

Leeks is a member of the garlic species just as the onion. This aromatic stem vegetable is very popular in our country and is always in the top ten of most consumed vegetables. There are summer, autumn and winter leeks. Summer leek have a long thin shaft with yellow-green leaf and a delicate structure. Autumn leeks and particularly winter leeks are thicker and have a firmer structure. The colour of the leaf varies from grey-green to blue-green.

Availability

Netherlands: January - December
Spain: April - June

Also grown by:

• Mts Peeters
• W.J.G. Rasing

Pak choi stems originally from China and South-East Asia. It is a vertical plant with green spoon-shaped leaves and snow-white veins. Pak choi is available in various green colours. Also in terms of volume and height there are major specie differences. Pak choi is a member of the cabbage species, but has a characteristic individual flavour. Pak choi is a crispy vegetable rich in vitamins and minerals which can be added to salads and is also suitable for stir-frying.

Availability

Netherlands: January - December
Spain: October - April

Also grown by:

• J.C.W. Leeuwenburg
• Primaflor s.a.t.
• Puur Origine VOF

Parsley is a herbaceous plant, suitable for garnishing a variety of dishes. Parsley contains an extreme amount of vitamin C and minerals! There are two types of parsley: the decorative curly parsley and ‘flat parsley’ which has some more flavour. Parsley is grown under glass as well as outside and is supplied in small plastic crates.

Availability

Netherlands: May - November
Spain: September - April

Also grown by:

• G. en W van Turenhout

Red Chicory originates from the crossing between chicory and radicchio. It has an oblong, closed, white crop turning red towards the leave edges. Radicchio has an excellent smooth sweet flavour. It is easy to process and can be used in salads or stir-fry, cooking and oven dishes. Radicchio is often consumed as a snack, over lunch, during diner, with a drink or in salads.

Availability

Netherlands: January - December

Also grown by:

• Fa. de Boer

Rhubarb is a plant of the knotweed species. This large scrub-like plant has beautiful, long, red, green, green-red or carmine-red long stems and big dark-green leaves. This fresh acidic vegetable is nearly always cooked with sugar into compote or sweet desserts.

Availability

Netherlands: October - August

Also grown by:

• C.B. van der Hoek
• Mts Peeters
• W.J.G. Rasing

Runner beans and green beans, also called French beans, haricot vert, or string bean, are one of the most famous fresh legumes in the Netherlands. The runner bean has wide, flat pods, it is usually cut into little pieces to let the flavour fully come to fruition. Just as the runner bean, the green bean owes its name to the way it is prepared. The name refers to the asparagus, which in The Netherlands is served with melted butter and nutmeg, just as these beans. Dutch runner beans and green beans are available in abundance from June until October.

Availability

Netherlands: May - October
Spain: October - April

Also grown by:

• Kwekerij Tahsin
• V.o.f. van der Knaap Overkleeft

Shrub Celery is a herbaceous plant with strongly developed, green-yellow petioles. Sometimes the ends of the petioles still contain some leaf, especially at the younger petioles or in the heart of the plant. Celery is closely related to leaf celery and celeriac. Shrub Celery used to be a particular cooking vegetable, yet nowadays it is mainly consumed as raw vegetable in salads. Shrub Celery is available throughout the year, either cut short or long.

Availability

Netherlands: June - December
Spain: October - June

Also grown by:

• Compliment V.O.F.
• Primaflor s.a.t.

Spinach has particularly tender and green leaves. The shape of the leave depends on the species and the season. Summer spinach has round leaves, whereas winter spinach has somewhat more pointy leaves. Spinach is rich in dietary fibre, iron and vitamin A, B and C. It is consumed raw as well as cooked.

Availability

Netherlands: March - October
Spain: October - April

Also grown by:

• P. van Osch Groentenproducties B.V.
• Primaflor s.a.t.

The name scallions stems from the way in which they are sold: in bunches. They are also called spring-onions or stem onions. They have a mild flavour which is similar to leeks. Raw and sliced in rings, scallions perfectly fit into salads or soups.

Availability

Netherlands: June - October
Morocco: November - April

Also grown by:

• A.Schlosser Gemusehandel GmbH