A select group of 15 took part in the excursion to the Barendse-D(Dutch)C(Colours) greenhouse farm. Here, we were given an extensive, enthusiastic guided tour by the company's owner, Petra Barendse. She patiently answered many questions.

In 2007, Mr and Mrs Barendse, owners of the company, moved from the Westland to the Agriport industrial estate on a 47-hectare plot. Currently, the company consists of three greenhouses each 10 hectares in size. Their speciality is growing orange peppers, which are exported all over the world. There are only 8 companies growing orange peppers in the whole world and Barendse-DC is the largest.

Nowadays, due to market demands, they also grow red peppers and cherry tomatoes. Together with 3 other companies, they founded "Paprico". Under this name, the products are marketed where any buyer (e.g. supermarket) can specify the way, quantity, packaging, etc. they want to purchase.

From late March to November, when there is less light, the peppers are harvested. Peppers are a seasonal product. The summer months are peak months with 60,000 kilos per day. About 100 people are at work then.On average, they harvest 30,000 kilos a day.

Before that happens, the greenhouses are cleaned after the last harvest in November. Ropes are then stretched to allow the plants to grow upwards into the greenhouse. Three branches grow up per plant. The rest are removed. All this work is done by hand.

When harvesting is done, it starts from the lowest branches and continues upwards. For this purpose, special trolleys have been designed that fit between the rows of plants and whose platform can be adjusted to allow picking at any height.

at night - when the greenhouse windows are closed - a robot automatically cleans the windows because 1% less light means 1% less yield.

All pesticides used are organic. There is one cat per greenhouse so the mice give up.

After picking, the peppers are immediately packed and exported to keep them as fresh as possible.

In cooperation with Wageningen University, a picking robot has been developed that needs further improvement as it is currently too slow.

Apart from sunlight, the plants receive rainwater with nutrients and CO2. Everything is computer-controlled. The rainwater is collected in large basins and partly underground. Nutrients are then added according to the plants' needs. CO2 comes partly from the company's own combined heat and power unit and is further obtained in liquid form from all over the country.

Heating of the greenhouses is done by cogeneration from the start of the business. The electricity produced in this process is delivered back to companies on Agriport including the nearby Microsoft data centre. One option is for the data centres present at Agriport to supply heat in the future.

Because cogeneration relies on natural gas, they switched to geothermal heat in 2014 together with other greenhouse farms on Agriport. Four wells were drilled (2 so-called doublets: 1 supply and 1 return) and drilling was done to a depth of 2.4 km. Now the situation is 50% cogeneration, 50% geothermal. Meanwhile, there are already 6 wells.

The heat exchangers are in a central location at Agriport but each company does have its own small heat exchanger as a reserve.

For the application of geothermal heat, they have received European subsidies and together with other greenhouse horticulture companies on Agriport have set up ECW, for all energy and technical applications. ECW stands for Energie Combinatie Wieringermeer. The ceo is a geologist with a passion for geothermal energy.

Barendse-DC is an impressive greenhouse horticulture company that is part of a chain of seed breeding, planting and growing the product. One works with specialised companies and exchanges experiences with each other.

The North Holland Region of KIVI cordially invites you to the excursion to the impressive greenhouses of Agriport A7.
Agriport A7 is a business park for large-scale greenhouse horticulture, agribusiness, logistics and energy half an hour's drive north of Amsterdam along the A7.
We will visit nursery Barendse-DC. This company is the world's largest nursery of orange peppers grown using sustainable (geothermal) and environmentally friendly methods.
We will receive a presentation on the company's history, energy, staff, trade etc. During the tour, we will see the energy room, the water room, the geothermal corner, the biology corner and, of course, we will enter the greenhouse.

Programme:
- 13.00 - 13.15 reception and reading and signing of safety letter
- 13.15 - 15.30 guided tour
- coffee and tea break in between

Details and registration
In the interests of (food) safety, all visitors to the greenhouse must read and sign the safety letter.
The cost of attending this activity is 15 euros for members.
Registration and payment is not possible after this date.

Directions from the South
Take exit 11 Medemblik on the A7 northbound. Turn right at the bottom of the exit. Immediately at the traffic lights (opposite grass drying plant Hartog), turn left through the dike. You are now driving into the Agriport area. Drive all the way out of Agriport, approx. 3 km (past nursery the Wieringermeer with the green tanks on your right). With all the bends, past the "Agriport A7 OFF" sign, drive parallel to the A7. On the bridge, you will already see nursery Barendse. At the large grey tank there is parking space and you will be welcomed for the excursion.

Directions from Z-West (Alkmaar, Heerhugowaard)
Drive the Alkmaarseweg (N242) all the way to the Middenmeer roundabout. Take this roundabout 1/4, then immediately left onto the Cultuurweg. Go under the A7 motorway. Turn right at the T-junction onto Flevoweg. Drive the Flevoweg all the way to the end (approx. 4 km.) At the very end of the Flevoweg, you will see nursery Barendse-DC on the left. Parking is available at the large grey tank and you will be welcomed for the excursion.