An idea we’d been considering for a while recently became a reality: cooking together using produce from our own trial garden. First harvesting, then cooking, and finally sitting down together to enjoy what the garden provided that day.

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For this afternoon, we teamed up with restaurant De Mearkas. Chef Kees Meinderts and his team took our harvest and worked with us to create a surprising six-course dinner.

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The day began in the trial garden, where we harvested fresh vegetables, herbs, and fruit that would later appear in the various dishes. We then split into several teams. Under the guidance of a chef, each group was assigned one course. From the prep work to the final plating, we did everything together.

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The smoothie team also got to work with ingredients from the garden. No power outlets were needed here; the blender was powered by a smoothie bike. Pedal first, taste later.

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At the end of the afternoon, everyone was able to fill their own bag with fruit and vegetables from the trial garden, so a portion of the harvest could go home with them.

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We look back on a wonderful afternoon where our trial garden took center stage in a completely different way. Kees and the De Mearkas team, thank you for the organization, guidance, and great collaboration.

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