Dutch Breeder Rijk Zwaan has opened its doors for inquisitive visitors looking to learn about new and healthy varieties of open ground vegetables. In Opperdoes and Fijnaart in The Netherlands, Rijk Zwaan is showing off his familiar brassicas, spinach and several leafy vegetables. The company also hosted "Organic Days" in the UK on 24th and 25th of September.
Organic Days UK: Over the two days, the event was visited by around 260 people, mainly growers from the UK.
Just like last year, the Organic Days were organized together with distributor Tucker Seeds. As a result, a very broad assortment was on display. “The Rijk Zwaan lettuce assortment again was regarded as one of the highlights”, says Rijk Zwaan crop specialist organic Andrew Henderson. “But also our carrots and brassicas drew a lot of attention. A special trial with an outdoor demo of tomatoes was undertaken. It was remarkable how well they grew!”
45-114 RZ
Advisor Daan Heidema is happy to show some of the highlights from the Dutch open days. The 45-114 RZ is a new iceberg lettuce which is well-received, in particular by the processed foods companies. It has a relatively large size, around 800 grams, nicely layered, and also very suitable for the fresh market. “For some of the companies in the processed food sector, this is an ideal product,” says Heidema. “It’s compact and easy to work with.”
Umbrinas
Octavius
Ralph RZ
Stabilis
“The cauliflower Stabilis also had a good run this year,” according to Heidema. “So far, growers are very enthusiastic about its quality. The product looks pretty good and has a nice, rich color.”
Otago RZ
The celeriac variety Otago RZ played an important part in this year’s harvest. “This is a pretty sturdy product. It has a shelf life lasting till July next year. It has a very high production capacity.”
Not only industry people were interested in the crops. A lot of local residents visited the farm as well. “We have gotten a lot of appreciation from the locals here,” says Heidema. “Not many people know about the inner workings of our company, and it sure was nice to welcome them!”
For more information:
Rijk Zwaan
Arno van Oers
Tel: 0031 653305058