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This Dutch greenhouse is growing healthy food and local communities

3 min read

Better Society

In partnership with Sustainable Urban Delta Foundation (SUD)

The Sustainable Urban Delta Foundation (SUD) inspires megacities to make choices that open the door to healthy and sustainable urban growth. A crucial element of our approach is the production of local, healthy and fresh food.
Source: Facebook/Boeregoed

Boeregoed is a neighbourhood greenhouse where regional farmers provide a daily supply of fresh fruit and veg, and a place where volunteers come together to work, learn and enjoy being together.

The greenhouse is the hub of the initiative. This is where volunteers come together, people work, learn and enjoy themselves and it is all about being together. The fresh fruit and vegetables are offered in the webshop, our own shop in the greenhouse, in the so-called Farmshops and in work fruit to be delivered to companies on request.
BoereGoed is an initiative by people for people—a neighbourhood Greenhouse and growers from the region provide a daily fresh supply of fruit and vegetables. The greenhouse is the hub of the initiative. This is where volunteers come together, people work, learn and enjoy themselves and it is all about being together. The fresh fruit and vegetables are offered in the webshop, our own shop in the greenhouse, in the so-called Farmshops and in work fruit to be delivered to companies on request. Source: Facebook/Boeregoed
— says Fred Mattern, manager at Boeregoed — “The beauty of it is that we actually supply our own stores from our own greenhouse. We also do our own packaging, we grow the products ourselves. We harvest ourselves. We try to do everything ourselves.”
“Boeregoed, located in Central Westland, is an old and beautiful greenhouse where we grow a variety of vegetables and fruits for sale on the local market. — says Fred Mattern, manager at Boeregoed — “The beauty of it is that we actually supply our own stores from our own greenhouse. We also do our own packaging, we grow the products ourselves. We harvest ourselves. We try to do everything ourselves.” Source: Facebook/Boeregoed
Boeregoed aims to promote a bright vision through healthy food. And it’s the combination of focus on people, on trade and on collaboration with all sorts of farmers and growers together. That makes a really nice blend.
Boeregoed tries to provide people a nice workplace, for people who may be struggling, but also for those who are not. Boeregoed aims to promote a bright vision through healthy food. And it’s the combination of focus on people, on trade and on collaboration with all sorts of farmers and growers together. That makes a really nice blend. Source: Facebook/Boeregoed
— “A fair price, but above all a responsible product. A product from which we know where it comes from. We know the growers, we know the farmers, and above all, we know ourselves very well.”
“ We also offer a fair price for everyone, actually throughout the whole chain, whether that’s us or the farmers who we buy from.” — “A fair price, but above all a responsible product. A product from which we know where it comes from. We know the growers, we know the farmers, and above all, we know ourselves very well.” Source: Facebook/Boeregoed
“We focus on diversity; providing attractive work and also an appealing assortment for our customers. We have a lot of different produce back there. That's meant for our many volunteers. They each get a piece of garden. We see the number of volunteers at boeregoed constantly growing.”
“We actually do almost everything ourselves. We have an excellent network of people and companies that help us maintain the greenhouse, but also with planting.” “We focus on diversity; providing attractive work and also an appealing assortment for our customers. We have a lot of different produce back there. That’s meant for our many volunteers. They each get a piece of garden. We see the number of volunteers at boeregoed constantly growing.” Source: Facebook/Boeregoed
“Just what is available right now. Seasonal, local and all from the region, and completely organic. Also, we exclusively work with organic products, so we hardly need weed and pest control. When necessary, we only use bio spray agents and we actually use all kind of critters for pest control in our greenhouse, so we can keep crop protection as low as possible.”
The produce no longer needs to travel for hundreds or thousands of miles just to be transported from A to B “Just what is available right now. Seasonal, local and all from the region, and completely organic. Also, we exclusively work with organic products, so we hardly need weed and pest control. When necessary, we only use bio spray agents and we actually use all kind of critters for pest control in our greenhouse, so we can keep crop protection as low as possible.” Source: Facebook/Boeregoed
“Make sure you get your produce from close by. No, you don’t have to get all produce from the same greenhouse, But make sure you get your produce on one route. Everything just from your own neighbourhood. That’s a lot cheaper and also way better for the environment.More sustainable, local, seasonal and regional. That is very important. Not only for the human body, for nutrition, but also for the whole economy.”
What happens here may be on a small scale, but we can expand this to a much larger scale. “Make sure you get your produce from close by. No, you don’t have to get all produce from the same greenhouse, But make sure you get your produce on one route. Everything just from your own neighbourhood. That’s a lot cheaper and also way better for the environment.More sustainable, local, seasonal and regional. That is very important. Not only for the human body, for nutrition, but also for the whole economy.” Source: Facebook/Boeregoed
This Dutch greenhouse grows healthy food and local communities. Boeregoed is an initiative by people for people. The neighbourhood greenhouse and regional farmers provide a daily supply of fresh fruit and vegetables. The greenhouse is the hub of the initiative. It is where volunteers come together to work, learn and enjoy, and where it is all about being together. Facebook/SustainableUrbanDeltaFoundation Source: Facebook/SustainableUrbanDeltaFoundation
Make an Impact

THIS ARTICLE WAS CREATED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SUSTAINABLE URBAN DELTA FOUNDATION

You can help inspire and empower cities to become food producing communities, creating a healthy and sustainable living environment. Changing the way we produce and transport food will kick-start the circular economy, boost social cohesion and stop food waste altogether. We’re not far away from food-producing cities, but we need a catalyst. We are here to connect, enable and amplify the change out there. Are you a mayor, city government official, city planner, architect, real estate developer, entrepreneur, engaged citizen or potential sponsor keen to get started? This is how you can get involved.