The province of Flevoland has a great range of regional products. Enough to provide many Dutch people with a tasty meal. A shame, really, that most food in the supermarket often comes from far away. High time, therefore, to investigate how we can buy our vegetables, meat and fruit more locally.
Regional products are better for your health and the environment
If you buy local products, you actually help everyone. After all, it has all kinds of advantages. Local products are often organic, and therefore much healthier. It also cuts out some of the middlemen, so farmers get a fair price for what they produce. The environment will thank you too; using local products saves a lot of polluting kilometres. And admit it, getting fruit and vegetables from a local farmer in the province has much more charm than the supermarket.
Where to find these regional products in Flevoland? Well, everywhere actually. Thanks to the fertile provincial soil, it is a prime spot for agriculture. What once started with growing potatoes, onions and carrots soon expanded to include exotic crops such as aubergine, quinoa, soybeans and even saffron! This versatility means that many are not easily out of taste when it comes to the flavours of Flevoland. I delved into the wide range of local entrepreneurs on the Flevoland Buy Local webpage, and made the following list of my favourites.
1. Vineyard & Farm shop Maronesse - Steenwijkerweg 23, Marknesse
Wijngaard & Boerderijwinkel Maronesse is located in the beautiful countryside of the north-eastern tip of Flevoland. A sustainable vineyard where Roland and Bianca have been making organic and local wines for several years. In the farm shop next to the vineyard, they also sell other wines from the region. Tours or wine tastings are regularly organised, giving you a more detailed look at the vineyard.
Apart from wines from the region, the farm shop also sells other regional products such as potatoes, eggs and vegetables. So for a wide range of regional products from Flevoland, this is the place to be.
2. Training shop Know how you live! - Linnaeusweg 15, Almere
This regional products shop in Almere not only supports local entrepreneurs by selling their products, it also provides a workplace for people distanced from the labour market. In the training shop, they learn at their own pace what it is like to work in a shop.
The training shop has its own vegetable garden, where customers can choose vegetables and fruit on the spot, which the shop staff then harvest fresh for them. The training shop features all kinds of local produce such as meat, jam and even handmade bread. The combination of the fresh local produce and the social purpose of the training shop, means that it also definitely belongs in my list of favourites.
3. Fresh from the NOP - Hannie Schaftweg 10, Emmeloord
Farm shop Vers uit de NOP stands for delicious fresh products, directly from the Noordoostpolder. The Dieleman family has been selling home-grown fruit and vegetables and all kinds of other products from the region since 2003. This farm shop near Emmeloord was created when the associated arable and vegetable farm was expanded. The shop now sells all kinds of products from the region.
The goal of Vers uit de NOP is to sell as locally as possible, so that middlemen are not needed and all farmers get a fair price for what they supply. In doing so, the farm shop values sustainability. Vers uit de NOP is a member of Stichting Veldleeuwerik, which promotes sustainable arable farming in the Netherlands. A farm shop with a sustainable and social touch; it makes me happy!
4. Fruithal Smits - Sterappellaan 29, Zeewolde
The Smits family's fruit farm has existed for many years now. Since the 1990s, you can indulge in the farm shop when it comes to fruit. Strawberries, apples, pears: you will find it all at Fruithal Smits. Extra nice of course is that everything comes from our own orchard. Like the freshly squeezed juices from home-grown fruit that are a nice refreshment on a hot summer day. In the farm shop, you will also find only regional products from local entrepreneurs, such as onions, meat and eggs.
Extra tip: in the middle of Fruithal Smits' orchard, you can book a farmer's breakfast or a nice picnic. With birds chirping in the background, you can enjoy all kinds of delicacies such as yoghurt with fruit, fresh juices and ice cream for dessert.
5. Kemphaan Brewery
Here, in this small-scale brewery in Almere, a group of volunteers from the Almeerse Biergilde Gambrinus brews exclusively local beer organically. Surely this makes the heart of many a beer lover beat faster. Local beer also comes with all kinds of local stories that reflect the history of the city and its inhabitants. Thereby, it often symbolises 'the taste of the city', as is the case here with the characteristic Kemphaan beer. Brewery de Kemphaan also offers tours and tastings, giving this local experience an educational touch as well. Cheers!
Would you like to know more about regional products in Flevoland? Then take a look at the Visit Flevoland website.
Flevoland is a multifaceted province where there is so much to experience, especially when it comes to regional products. Come and discover the many flavours of Flevoland. Have fun!
Love,
Laura