A joint farm on the border of Sittard and Geleen should not only provide the participants with sustainable food, but also with social cohesion.
With that idea, initiator Sander Hoen started his cooperative farm Harteveldt.
Parts
“The goal is not just to eat healthier, but also to create a new community of people who don’t know each other yet and yet share a common value.” Similar cooperative farms were also set up in Weert and Venlo earlier.
Also read: After Weert, Venlo will also get a Herenboerderij
Cost
More than 125 households have registered with Harteveldt. Members become co-owners with a one-time investment of one thousand euros followed by a weekly contribution. Ultimately, the members share in the harvest of the sustainable vegetables that they grow themselves. Harteveldt has one and a half hectares of land on two plots.
Professional farmer
The sustainable and organic cultivation of about 40 types of vegetables is done in collaboration with a professional farmer, the only paid employee. Farmer Glenn Coenen is responsible for cultivation on the land and directs the members. “We have a whatsapp group in which I can call on the help of members and volunteers,” says Coenen. “For the time being, there is always enough manpower on hand to get the job done.”
Together
The members experience the cooperation as extremely pleasant. “The nice thing about it is that we do it together,” says Laura Haagmans, who recently became a member of Harteveldt. “For example, if I can’t help, there’s always someone else. You’re not alone.”
Membership stop
At the first general members’ meeting, the involvement is all right, too. More than a hundred people showed up. And the interest is still high. “We may have to implement a membership freeze soon, because we only have room for 150 households,” says Hoen.
tit boxes
Harteveldt’s ambition extends further than those 150 households. “We hope to expand in two years’ time when the Middengebied-East landscape park is developed here”, Hoen continues. There are also plans to involve primary schools in Harteveldt. to put together. These birds then ensure that the caterpillars are removed from the lettuce. In this way we can also reach educationally young people to make them aware of their own food.”