Family Belmans

Jos and Frieda Belmans originally grew tomatoes. In 1995, they switched to asparagus. Now their 15,000 m² greenhouse and 35,000 m² field are packed with fresh asparagus. During the harvest season, from early March to mid-June, Jos and Frieda work seven days a week. “It’s a busy time, but we really enjoy it,” says Jos.

Even though they’ve reached retirement age, they have no plans to stop and are still thinking about the future. “If we’re still up for it, we might even plant berries one day,” he says.

Alongside all the hard work, Jos and Frieda also enjoy a nice walk, a good bike ride or a fun city break.

Tips for the tastiest asparagus

Frieda has one golden tip: “It’s really important to cook asparagus until just tender. How you store and prepare them makes all the difference,” she says.

- Storage: Keep asparagus in water so they don’t dry out.

- Cooking: Start with cold water, and as soon as it comes to the boil, the asparagus will be perfectly tender.