Historic Vegetables Farm

The Historische Groentehof (Historic Vegetables Farm) is a Dutch garden complex and culinary experience centre dedicated to the cultivation of forgotten, rare and special vegetables. It is located at Landhoeve Rijkel in Beesel, in the province of Limburg, Netherlands, and is managed by the Stichting Vergeten Groenten (Foundation for Forgotten Vegetables), which was founded in 2004 by Jac Nijskens. The gardens grow around 550 vegetable varieties, including aardamandel, aardpeer, artisjok, brave hendrik, eeuwig moes, haverwortel, hertshoornweegbree, kardoen, kliswortel, meiraap, molsla, palmkool, pastinaak, raapstelen, rammenas, rapunzelklokje, schorseneer, snijbiet, snijselderij, teunisbloem, tuinmelde, the potato variety Vitelotte Noire, wortelpeterselie and zuring. The site also maintains 55 historic apple varieties, forty old pear varieties, and various old plum, cherry and peach varieties, as well as medlars, quinces and mirabelles. The Historische Groentehof is open to groups throughout the year by appointment for cooking workshops, lectures and tastings. From early July to the end of September it is also open to individual visitors. Overnight accommodation is available, and the estate can be booked for parties. Each year the Feest der Vergeten Groenten (Feast of Forgotten Vegetables) is held, a banquet at which around thirty chefs prepare forgotten vegetables in a large number of courses. The on-site shop sells seeds, vegetables and cookbooks. In 2007 the Academie voor de Streekgebonden Gastronomie vzw awarded the Historische Groentehof the 'Jan Lambin Toerisme - eremerk' for promoting regional gastronomic tourism by reviving forgotten vegetables. Jac Nijskens was also named a 'Held van de Smaak' (Hero of Taste) by the public jury in 2012. The farm also offers holiday accommodation: the Boshuisje and Landhoeve vakantiehuisje are situated on five hectares of private woodland, and reservations are handled through www.natuurhuisjelimburg.nl. Cooking workshops last four to five hours and include a full dinner or lunch made with forgotten vegetables, herbs, fruit and edible flowers from the garden, along with meat and desserts such as chocolate cake and fresh ice cream; participants receive all recipes to take home. Groups of 10 to 150 people can book year-round for companies, families, associations and birthdays.

The Historische Groentehof was founded in 2004 by Jac Nijskens, who established the Stichting Vergeten Groenten (Foundation for Forgotten Vegetables) to manage the gardens. The organisation is based at Landhoeve Rijkel in Beesel, in the Dutch province of Limburg. The gardens were created to cultivate forgotten, rare and special vegetables, and over time the site grew to include around 550 vegetable varieties as well as historic fruit varieties. In 2007 the Academie voor de Streekgebonden Gastronomie vzw awarded the Historische Groentehof the 'Jan Lambin Toerisme - eremerk' for promoting regional gastronomic tourism by reviving forgotten vegetables. In 2012 Jac Nijskens was recognised as a 'Held van de Smaak' (Hero of Taste) by the public jury. The site has expanded its activities to include cooking workshops, lectures, tastings, an annual Feast of Forgotten Vegetables, a shop selling seeds, vegetables and cookbooks, and holiday accommodation in the Boshuisje and Landhoeve cottages on five hectares of private woodland.

• 2012

  Jac Nijskens named 'Held van de Smaak' by the public jury.

• 2007

  Awarded the 'Jan Lambin Toerisme - eremerk' by the Academie voor de Streekgebonden Gastronomie vzw.

• 2004

  Founded by Jac Nijskens; Stichting Vergeten Groenten established.

Heritage and culinary tourism destination focused on forgotten vegetables, sustainable gardening and regional gastronomy.

• Forgotten and rare vegetables

  Around 550 vegetable varieties including aardamandel, aardpeer, artisjok, brave hendrik, eeuwig moes, haverwortel, hertshoornweegbree, kardoen, kliswortel, meiraap, molsla, palmkool, pastinaak, raapstelen, rammenas, rapunzelklokje, schorseneer, snijbiet, snijselderij, teunisbloem, tuinmelde, Vitelotte Noire potato, wortelpeterselie and zuring.

• Historic fruit varieties

  55 historic apple varieties, forty old pear varieties, various old plum, cherry and peach varieties, medlars, quinces and mirabelles.

• Seeds, vegetables and cookbooks

  Sold in the on-site shop.

• Cooking workshops

  Four to five hour workshops with a full dinner or lunch made from forgotten vegetables, herbs, fruit and edible flowers; recipes provided.

• Holiday cottages

  Boshuisje and Landhoeve vakantiehuisje on five hectares of private woodland; reservations via www.natuurhuisjelimburg.nl.

1. 1Official websitevergetengroenten.nl
2. 2Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Wikipedia (Dutch)nl.wikipedia.org