Family Muyldermans

In 2000, Carine Muyldermans and her husband Bruno started growing Brussels sprouts. In 2008, they decided to add butter beans to their crops.

“April is our busiest time of year, when all the Brussels sprouts are planted. They’re then harvested from September to the end of March,” says Carine. “Luckily, we can count on the help of our wonderful children and a few seasonal workers,” Bruno adds.

The biggest challenge for the Muyldermans family is keeping the crops clean and controlling insects. “The rules are getting stricter all the time, and people expect better quality with less use of crop protection products,” Carine explains.

Tip for the freshest sprouts

She’s happy to share a tip on storing Brussels sprouts: “It’s best to keep sprouts in a plastic container or bag in the fridge — that way, they stay fresh for the longest time.”

She doesn’t eat sprouts herself, but her husband and children’s favourite recipe is sprouts with bacon bits. “Highly recommended,” Bruno adds.

Carine doesn’t have any specific hobbies, but in her free time, she enjoys working in the garden.