Pick sustainable and fresh fruit

The Self-picking garden

Pick fruit, vegetables and flowers directly from the beautiful garden, which you can take home with you. Want to eat something in between? Taste anything that is ripe on the spot! Especially for children, there is the 900 metre long Kabouterpad. Go on the trail with gnome Berry and learn how the most delicious jam is made. Afterwards, you can enjoy the traditionally produced jam, syrup, cake and ice cream on the terrace.

Photo gallery Food Forest

Visitor information

Address: Middellandseweg 4, Oudeschild
Website: Voedselbos Texel
Check the latest information and opening hours on the provider's website!

Our tips at... the Self-plucking Garden

De Krim Texel is a genuine Texel company. When we're not at work, we also enjoy everything Texel has to offer ourselves. And of course we try everything! Today Mariska, our raving Texel reporter, takes you to the Self-plucking Garden, also known as the Food Forest.

En route

From Vakantiepark De Krim, I drive to Oudeschild, which is where the Self-Plucking Garden is. Just before you drive into Oudeschild (from De Waal) you have to turn right. After driving straight on for some time, the Self-Pluktuin is on your left. You can't miss it because of the two flags at the front. Even though the Self-Plukt Garden does not open until 10:00 am, there are already a number of bikes and cars parked there. It is therefore a beautiful day to go out.

Restaurant

After the entrance, you come right into the shop, where you can find the fresh harvest, jars of jam and syrups, with the little restaurant next door. Here you can enjoy a snack and drink. Both the shop and the restaurant operate on a self-service basis, only the checkout is done by an employee of the Zelfpluktuin. I walk up to her and receive a map explaining the gardens and a container to put the picked fruit in.

Picking strawberries

There are a total of four strawberry greenhouses, today one is open to visitors. So this is where I start. I walk to the greenhouse and see that it is not so busy yet, allowing me to pick strawberries at my leisure. I walk through the greenhouse and pick a red strawberry here and there, which I put in my tray. How quiet it is here! The greenhouses are covered, which means you can harvest just fine even if it rains.

Food forest

After strawberry picking, I head to the open area of the Self-Picking Garden. Of course, it depends on the season what you can pick here. Want to come and pick tulips? Then come by in April and May. Berries and cherry tomatoes you pick in July-October. For strawberries and blackberries, September and October are the right time.

Besides picking, the gardens are beautiful to look at. I walk along the paths and look at all the varieties of fruit planted here. After looking at and picking everything, I return to the till. There, my tray is weighed and according to the weight, a price is arrived at.

Gnome trail

There is also plenty to do for children in the self-picking garden. Harvesting and picking yourself is of course a very fun and educational experience. You can also walk along the gnomes' path, see all the animals at the petting zoo or play in the natural playgrounds.

Experience

I loved the outing. When you enter the Self-Plush Garden, it feels like an oasis of calm. You can walk through everything at your leisure and look at everything. Throughout the garden, there are signs with information on all types of fruit and you can also find chairs/picnic benches where you can take a seat. A nice extra is the mini-library, where you can take or exchange books and magazines for free (as bringing books is also much appreciated). All in all, I thought it was a successful afternoon and would definitely visit again.