Berkelbloem U-pick tulips is ‘on the map’

Melanie Sauer and Drew Berkel are co-owners and operators of Berkelbloem, a u-pick tulip farm near Delhi.

By Chris Abbott

Editor

Berkelbloem may have been one of Norfolk County’s best kept secrets.

But the u-pick tulip farm east of Delhi on Windham Rd 12 has rapidly grown massively in reputation and popularity - it’s certainly no secret today.

“It’s our third year running at Berkelbloem, but our second year with tulips,” said Melanie Sauer, co-owner with husband Drew Berkel. “The other farm is Berkel Greenhouses (which Berkel co-owns with his father), two separate companies.”

There’s a whole story behind Berkelbloem, Sauer laughed.

“My husband is obviously very Dutch, and he was flying over to Holland for greenhouse related stuff. He took a chance and emailed a bunch of tulip growers there. Only one (Triflor) reached out to him and gave him a tour – they are a massive bulb producer.”

“I spent about three hours there, then we sat down for coffee,” said Berkel.

The third-generation family company arranged for Berkel and Sauer to purchase 500,000 bulbs at an affordable price at auction.

“They also shipped over an old-school Dutch tulip planter that a retired couple was done with… so we pulled that behind our tractor. Then, in the planting season of 2023, he (Eric) flew over and helped Drew plant the whole field. He spent two days here doing that with us.”

Sauer said there are a couple major operations in the Niagara region, but Berkelbloem might be the province’s only family-operated tulip farm.

The tulip season in southwestern Ontario is just three weeks – at most – depending on weather. This year’s season, which ended May 18, was delayed one week.

“We typically start in late April.”

On weekends, they sold 2,500 tickets per day – each ticket allowing a visitor to pick 10 tulips. They also have some walk-ins, but they limit that to make sure everyone has an enjoyable experience. It’s also open weekdays, during their season, but they have less than 2,500 on those days.

“It’s nonstop because the season is so short,” said Sauer, noting their 2024 season was profitable. “This year, now that we’re ‘on the map,’ yeah, people are definitely coming out from hours and hours away.”

“Some from North Bay, Barrie, Windsor…” said Berkel.

“A lot of Windsor,” Sauer nodded. “Some flew here from Alberta.

“We sell it by hour but we don’t ‘kick you out.’ Some people pick and spend their whole day here.”

That often involves just soaking up the sun, the distinctive tulip fragrance, and taking photos. Many, many photos, which Sauer and Berkel both encourage.

“It’s the photos, big-time,” said Sauer.

They admitted they were a bit nervous after planting their first crop.

“Tulip bulbs are not cheap.”

“It was a big investment,” Berkel nodded.

“But this community came out, big-time,” said Sauer.

So mark it on your calendar for April 2026 – Berkelbloem’s tulips will be back.

chris@granthaven.com