Episode 768: Organic flower farming in the Netherlands, with Julian Langelaan of Op Beemster Klei

https://youtu.be/a14eAaKuufw?si=l-DMCSjyfhpK1DBK Julian Langelaan is a pioneer in the emerging organic farming movement in the Netherlands. As the founder of Op Beemster Klei, which translated means, “a farm with clay soil, in the Beemster region,” Julian began growing cut flowers 10 years ago. The healthy, high quality, annuals, perennials, and ornamental woody shrubs from Op Beemster Klei demonstrate the success of having an organic approach, rare in a nation filled with greenhouse cut flower operations and a mega flower auction that serves the globe. As part of our recent Slow Flowers tour to Holland and Belgium, we visited Op Beemster Klei for a personal tour with Julian. Prior to traveling to Holland in April, I also pre-recorded an interview with him. Together, the interview and the tour of Op Beemster Klei will introduce you to what promises to be the future of flower farming in Holland. Julian Langelaan of Op Beemster Klei Op Beemster Klei was founded in 2016 by Julian Langelaan. He grows a wide array of organic summer flowers, supplied to the floral marketplace from mid-May through the end of October. Principle crops include peonies, sunflowers and dahlias, supplemented with a selection of other species such as alchemilla, saponaria, flowering dill, and nearly 30 other crops -- a beautiful mix of perennials and annuals, making it possible to compile a complete organic bouquet. Op Beemster Klei supplies to (international) wholesalers and to local stores and florists, which are supplied via the FloraHolland locations, as well as directly from our nursery. Julian, leading a guided tour of Op Beemster Klei for our Slow Flowers group on an April 2026 visit to Holland Julian assumed management of the flower farming operations from Jan Knook, who grew organic flowers in the same fields for nearly 15 years. Jan’s organic arable farm is still located at the same address as Op Beemster Klei, while today he focuses on crops like potatoes and onions.  One of the high tunnels at Op Beemster Klei The objective of Op Beemster Klei is to increase the organic cut flower sector and make the floriculture sector greener. Other floriculture growers also want to commit to this, together with them, Op Beemster Klei co-founded the association Pure Organic in 2017. Pure Organic aims to raise awareness of the organic floriculture sector among buyers and end users.  The flowers of Op Beemster Klei are certified by SKAL Biocontrole, an independent organization that supervises the organic chain in the Netherlands. Skal certifies companies with organic activities. An independent administrative body, SKAL ensures that the organic production, processing, and trading of products comply with EU organic regulations, the Dutch Agricultural Quality Act, and the regulations and principles of Skal Biocontrole. The promise of a beautiful flower season across the fields at Op Beemster Klei Op Beemster Klei is located in The Beemster Polder, an important UNESCO World Heritage site, reclaimed from a lake via the water extracted by windmills between 1609 and 1612. The region’s original historic landscape of fields, roads, canals, and dykes has been preserved intact. It is a stunning landscape and we LOVED visiting Julian’s farm.   The Slow Flowers Tulip Tour to Holland and Belgium 2026 Today’s episode is in two parts – first, I filmed an in-person tour led by Julian when our small tour group visited Op Beemster Klei on April 29th. That is followed by a virtual interview I conducted with Julian in early April, prior to my visit. I can’t wait to share this impressive flower farmer and his operation with you. Thanks to Lois Moss of Tour 2 Explore More, our fantastic tour producer, who arranged for our visit to Op Beemster Klei and introduced us to Julian Langelaan. Hot Off the Press! Slow Flowers Journal Spring 2026 "The Slow Weddings Issue" In News of the Week, we have just published the Spring 2026 edition of Slow Flowers Journal – our third annual Slow Weddings issue! Slow Flowers Journal Spring 2026 - Table of Contents Floristry’s conventional wisdom says the largest expenditure any client will make at any time in their lives is when and how they choose to flower their marriage ceremony. That may be true, but we’re not interested in price tags. Instead, we’re intrigued by the size of the emotional investment in flowers that any couple might make. Again, it’s not about the dollar amount (while that is certainly important), but it’s about the value placed on having flowers – seasonal and local flowers – at the center of a ceremony. We love floral-forward weddings, and this issue delivers just that. Creatives are inspired to do their best work when a couple lets the flowers express their sentiments, be it a backyard family wedding, an elopement for two, nuptials in the dahlia fields, or a classic church ceremony. We hope you are equally inspired by the narratives and the thoughtful artis