It sounds unbelievable but it's true. Kiwis grown on Dutch soil. Djûke van der Maat of cultivation company Nieuw Maatslag has proven that it's possible. The innovative farmer from Bunnik harvested these beautiful fruits for the second year in a row.
Inspiration from New Zealand
Djûke was inspired in New Zealand: "I visited various apple grower there who also grew kiwis. I discovered that the climate in New Zealand isn't all that different from that in the Netherlands. Once I got home I decided to grow these beautiful fruits in the Netherlands too. The first trees were planted in 2011."
Mastering the kiwi cultivation
Last year was her first harvest: "I picked the fruits at the very last minute. That's how I discovered that once the kiwi got to the home of the consumer, the product was already too ripe. It's a case of continual learning and that's why it's hard to determine the exact moment of harvest. This year the kiwis were harvest a month early. Whether they'll be harvested at the same time next year, will be decided once the season is over. After five successful harvests I want to have mastered the kiwi harvest."
In the open air
The fruits grow fully outdoors. The fields are protected by wind breakers. Heavy winds are bad for the growth of the plant. A cap also protects the plants against rain and hail.
Source: Mijn Boer