Oogst Bloemenweide

Oogst Bloemenweide is a self-service farm shop on the Bloemenweide dairy farm in Blokland near Montfoort, one of four Oogst shops, which sells products from regional farmers and makers alongside the farm's own cheese.

Each Oogst shop puts together its own range, looking first within 30 km and filling gaps from further afield. Oogst says its farmers work at least to the main organic principles, with no artificial fertiliser, no pesticides and enough outdoor space for animals; the shop uses the word organic (biologisch) but holds no organic certificate itself, so the claims belong to each supplier. The dairy farm it stands on is certified organic (SKAL) for crop growing only, not for its milk or cheese; we found it in the register. The supplier list for this shop names the farm's own cheese, ice cream and beef, lamb from Boer met Lust in Woerden, goat's cheese from De Geertjeshoeve in Haarzuilens, chicken from Poulet d'Sophie in Zoeterwoude, mushrooms from Voedselbos Velics in Lopik, vegetables, fruit, eggs and bread, none of which we have checked one by one.

The shop opens Monday to Saturday from 8:00 to 20:00. You open the door and pay with the Oogst app, and someone from the farm is usually around to answer questions.

Oogst was started by a city shopper and a farmer looking for a better way to sell, and this shop is run by the dairy farmer on whose yard it stands.