Strawberry drive-in: 2 hours in traffic for fresh strawberries

Traffic reports on the radio have been remarkably brief lately, because there are no traffic jams anywhere anymore. Except in Uden in Noord-Brabant, where cars are queuing for hours for a punnet of strawberries.

‘Unprecedented,’ says strawberry grower Jan van den Elzen. ‘We hadn’t anticipated this either. People really are queuing for hours for the strawberries.’ Grower Jan and his wife Brigitte have therefore put up signs along the queue, like the ones you see at attractions in Efteling: one more hour to wait. The municipality has arranged barriers, while electronic signs and traffic controllers are needed to keep traffic moving smoothly.

Card machine on a stick

Farmer Jan has all kinds of treats on the menu, just like at the McDrive. A waffle with strawberries, a cream- and strawberry-filled choux pastry, smoothies, strawberry quark and simply a box of strawberries to take home—all can be ordered from the car. Uden is in Brabant, the area hardest hit by coronavirus. Is it completely safe? The strawberries are handed over while wearing gloves, and the card machine is hooked into the car on a stick, so there is actually no risk. Strawberry grower Jan: ‘At the moment, this is saving my business—I don’t hesitate to say that.’

Two hundred thousand punnets

Farmer Jan isn’t the only one; in Manderveen in Overijssel, a strawberry farmer has also started a drive-in. ‘Two hundred thousand punnets of strawberries—what am I supposed to do with them?’ Hardrik Hindriksen wondered desperately when Mark Rutte announced the intelligent lockdown. Annet and Richard Kalter in IJsselmuiden, also in Overijssel, have set up a drive-in as well. They have a pick-your-own greenhouse, but it will remain closed for the time being. Instead, Annet and Richard are putting together Mother’s Day strawberry packages, which can also be delivered.

Also read:

• Recipe: strawberry margarita
• Why I’m glad I don’t live in Amsterdam
• Elderberry and strawberry lemonade