Day out
Asparagus season
White gold, from mid-April to 24 June
Asparagus season at a glance
5 minby car
3.0 kmdistance
- Location
- Tienray / Grubbenvorst
- Address
- Martens Asperges & Streekproducten, Mackayweg 2, 5865 AL Tienray
- Season
- roughly mid-April to 24 June
- Cycle route
- ANWB route from Horst, about 50 km
Asparagus country around Horst
Asparagus growing in North Limburg began in the 1950s, with Grubbenvorst at its heart. More than half of the Dutch asparagus acreage is still in Limburg: 53 per cent in 2025, according to GroentenFruit Huis. It is no coincidence that the region calls asparagus white gold.
The season runs roughly from mid-April to 24 June, St John’s Day. That is a tradition: after that the plant is left to rest and build up strength for the following year. When the first asparagus is cut varies from year to year and depends on the weather.
Buying at the farm
On the Mackayweg in Tienray, Martens Asperges & Streekproducten sells white and green asparagus, peeled or unpeeled, with everything that goes with it: ham, eggs, baby potatoes and hollandaise sauce, plus strawberries and blueberries from the region. You can also stop for coffee with vlaai or a bowl of asparagus soup, and on request they will tell you about growing asparagus on a guided tour.
Other places to buy nearby include Asperge Boerderij Friesen in Castenray, Th. Peeters in Arcen and Streekwinkel Het Vorst in Velden. Visit Noord-Limburg keeps the full list.
Peeling and cycling near Grubbenvorst
Every year in Grubbenvorst, peelers compete for the world asparagus peeling championship: a kilo, peeled as fast and as evenly as possible, with about 800 grams left over. In 2026 it was held on Whit Sunday. The village’s old town hall houses In de Witte Dame, named by Visit Noord-Limburg as an asparagus restaurant. The classic way to eat asparagus is with ham, egg and melted butter.
Prefer to cycle? The ANWB route Rozen, asperges en champignons starts in Horst and is about 50 kilometres, with two small ferries across the Maas, at Lottum and at Grubbenvorst. The 34-kilometre Aspergeroute Peel en Maas starts in Helden.
Aspergeroute Peel en Maas on visitnoordlimburg.nl (opens in a new tab)
Tip from reception
Buy your asparagus at Martens in Tienray, five minutes by car, and ask for it peeled: then all you have to do is cook it. Cycling the ANWB route? Check first whether the ferries at Lottum and Grubbenvorst are running; if one is not, it becomes the shorter 38-kilometre route.
Reception team, Parkhotel Horst
Good to know
The seasonRoughly from mid-April to 24 June, St John’s Day. The start depends on the weather.
Buying at the farmMartens in Tienray sells white and green asparagus, peeled or unpeeled, with ham, eggs and hollandaise.
By bikeThe ANWB route Rozen, asperges en champignons starts in Horst: 50 km, or 38 km without the ferries.
Peeling asparagusThe world asparagus peeling championship is held every year in Grubbenvorst; in 2026 on Whit Sunday.
Photos: 4028mdk09 (CC BY-SA 3.0); 3268zauber (CC BY-SA 3.0); via Wikimedia Commons.
Make a day of it
From the breakfast buffet to the asparagus farm, and back to your own wellness.
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Start the day at the breakfast buffet of Parkhotel Horst.
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A five-minute drive to Martens in Tienray, for asparagus grown on the farm.
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Back in Horst, the indoor pool, the saunas and the wellness lounge await, free for hotel guests.
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End the day with dinner at restaurant BØFF.
Your room, wellness included
Six rooms, from the Comfort room to the Apartment. With every room you use the pool, saunas, steam room and lounge free of charge.
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How to get there
From the hotel it takes you about:
Martens Asperges & Streekproducten, Mackayweg 2, 5865 AL Tienray
Frequently asked questions
Any other questions? Call reception: +31 77 397 6000When is asparagus season?
Roughly from mid-April to 24 June. The start differs each year and depends on the weather; traditionally, cutting stops after St John’s Day on 24 June.
Where can you buy asparagus at the farm around Horst?
For example at Martens Asperges & Streekproducten in Tienray, 5 minutes from the hotel, or at Asperge Boerderij Friesen in Castenray. Visit Noord-Limburg has an overview of all the places to buy.
Is there an asparagus route?
Yes. The ANWB cycle route Rozen, asperges en champignons starts in Horst and is about 50 kilometres, with two small ferries; if either is not running, the route is 38 kilometres. The Aspergeroute Peel en Maas is 34 kilometres and starts in Helden.
Does the hotel serve asparagus?
Yes, during asparagus season restaurant BØFF serves an asparagus menu. With the asparagus package you combine the dinner with an overnight stay.
When is the world asparagus peeling championship in Grubbenvorst?
Every year during asparagus season; in 2026 it was on Whit Sunday, 24 May. Contestants peel a kilo of asparagus as fast and as evenly as possible, and about 800 grams must be left.
Why does asparagus season end on 24 June?
It is a tradition, not a law. After St John’s Day the plant is left to rest, so that it builds up strength for the next season.
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Photos more cards: Hay Kranen (CC BY 4.0); via Wikimedia Commons.
Photos: Havang(nl) (CC0), Zumthie (public domain) and Aceera BV (white, white, green, purple; CC BY-SA 3.0) via Wikimedia Commons; dish: Parkhotel Horst.
After the asparagus: pool, wellness and dinner at BØFF
In the heart of asparagus country, you sleep surrounded by greenery, with your own wellness under the same roof.