After Weert, the gentlemen farmers are now also settling in Venlo. The Venlo manor farm should be operational at Ulingsheide from January 2023.
A gentlemen’s farm is a small-scale mixed farm that is owned by a group. The aim is, among other things, to contribute to awareness about food.
Seasons
“People need to know again where the food comes from,” explains one of the Venlo initiators Aaron Noya. So eat with the seasons. “It should not be normal that you still eat strawberries in October.” The idea started in Boxtel, where the very first gentleman’s farm was established.
Get to work
The principle of gentlemen farmers is quite simple. A local department leases a piece of land, in this case an area of fifteen hectares on Ulingsheide. A farmer is active on this land who maintains the cultivation of vegetables, potatoes and fruit, among other things. Interested parties can participate in this. A one-off investment is then requested and a weekly package with fresh vegetables, fruit and meat can be picked up. Participants are also expected to regularly roll up their sleeves and help the farmer where necessary.
cabbage
“We live with the seasons again,” says Jan Poodt of the Herenboerderij Land van Weert. “For example, in the winter we eat a lot of cabbage. That is something the average consumer no longer knows. For example, we eat lettuce all year round, that is actually not possible.”
When Noya enters the Ulingshof grounds, his hands begin to itch. “I prefer to grab the hoe and start. I really can’t wait until January.”