Tripscompagnie is a canal village that emerged after 1648, following the construction of the Tripscompagniesterdiep. The village combines canal and settlement history with agricultural traditions and a seasonal asparagus offering. This gives you several starting points for planning your trip: the village’s origins, its farms and experiences surrounding Grol Asperges.
A Village by the Canal
The Tripscompagniesterdiep was dug eastward from the south of Sappemeer; after one and a half kilometres, it turned south and ended four kilometres further on, north of Veendam. The colony was named after Adriaen Trip’s private company. Farms were built along both sides of the canal, particularly on the east side. The waterway is therefore a point of reference both for the village’s origins and for the location of its farms. At number 15, an Oldambtster farmhouse stands beside an iron pedestrian swing bridge—a tangible detail that brings the farm buildings and bridge construction together.
School, Industry and Cultural History
The village’s history includes more than canals and farms. The l’Esperance potato starch factory operated in Tripscompagnie from 1898 to 1923. A primary school was established in 1863; after it closed in 1983, the former school building was used as a village community centre. The village’s history thus includes distinct chapters in education, community use and the processing of agricultural products.
The village’s musical history can also be placed in context: a report dated 19 November 2015 describes how Trips Rhythm brought blues artists and bands to the Dorpshuis Nooitgedacht in Tripscompagnie seven times a year between September and April. The series was founded after a jazz foundation had previously been active at Nooitgedacht.
Asparagus at Grol Asperges
Grol Asperges grows its own asparagus in Tripscompagnie and operates a farm shop. White asparagus is sold there in all varieties and sizes. During the asparagus season, visitors can see how the asparagus is sorted, peeled and packaged. The business’s local history has two notable dates: the first asparagus plants were planted in 1992, and the first asparagus was sold in the farm shop in 1995.
The 2026 asparagus season has ended and the farm shop is closed. Grol Asperges hopes to welcome visitors back to Tripscompagnie in 2027. If you are planning to visit the farm shop during a trip in 2027, check in advance whether it will be open then.
Explore Tripscompagnie by Bike
The 43.3-kilometre “Proef het witte goud” cycling route passes through Tripscompagnie, one of the authentic peat-colony villages along the way. The total distance gives you a concrete guide if you would like to include a cycling route in your trip. On the route, just before cycling junction 36 in Borgercompagnie, continue straight on to Tripscompagnie instead of turning right. Route details may change, so check the latest directions before setting off.
Historic Mill and Landscape
Het Torentje van Trips was once a polder mill called “De Vereeniging”. It offers views of the green landscape at sunrise and sunset. A small lake with a beach is within walking distance. Together, these features provide a distinct connection to the landscape alongside the history of the canal, farms and asparagus growing.
Discover more destinations: Noordbroek, Zuidbroek.
Return to the main travel overview: Menterwolde.
