August, 2013

Contributor: City Farmer Wytze Nauta, Amersfoort

Farming the city development areas

In a new suburb of Amersfoort, Vathorst, several hectares of land are pending for urban development. However, due to the financial crisis, these areas are not used yet, and this will at least take another 10 years. About 8 ha is now used for farming, growing ½ ha potatoes, ¼ ha pumpkins, 1 ha lupines’ and 2,5 ha cereal and 4 ha hay land. Products find their way to the consumers in the city through direct sales and sales to local (farm)stores and a food community.  Also groups of people are invited to help harvesting and harvesting of their own produce, which they have to pay for. School classes are invited to help harvesting to. The children have to bring €5 and get some potatoes and pumpkin in return to take home.

Only products that can be stored for a period of time are grown because there is no time for daily harvesting and selling of products. It should be a part time job?  Hay and straw is sold to local farmers which in return bring manure to the land. Cereal is used for chicken feed.

The goal is to use this land for serious business and in the mean time take care of this land, save money for the city, reduce the food miles, create work for disabled people, and educate citizens about durable/organic food production.