Arrive on a summer’s day at Erik Appelman’s premises in North Holland, and you’ll be in for a wonderful surprise: cherries on sale at the farm. Pretty remarkable, as there are very few cherry growers in the area. Erik’s cherries are therefore in great demand. He really enjoys growing cherries, but it requires maximum effort from the grower for the duration of the summer.
Erik’s grandfather started a mixed farm in the 1960s. His father then took over the company and switched to fruit growing. Initially, Erik wasn’t particularly interested in his father’s four hectares of fruit. However, when the opportunity arose to purchase a neighbouring plot of land, and the newly planted Jonagold and Elstar trees had successfully established, he had a change of heart. He now runs the company independently and has successfully expanded its size. He no longer grows apples, but mainly pears and a small quantity of cherries. He hopes to happily continue cultivating, and together with his family, enjoy their success.
