Our Farm
Since the start of the BWL SE Ireland, farmers, researchers and concerned citizens of many kinds, have been clear that there are a series of entrenched problems with the current food system that include each of the following:
- Income insecurity for farmers, especially those with smaller family farms
- Little contact with nature, farms and farming for all consumers, young and old
- Easy and affordable access to healthy food from healthy soils
The Herenboeren innovation
In the Netherlands, a new kind of farm has blossomed such that now 32 ‘Herenboeren’ farms have been established to address these challenges. Distinguishing characteristics include the following (see resource links at base of page for more detail):
- Each farm follows agreed set of principles regarding farming in harmony with nature, a diversity of produce grown, governance and collaboration models.
- Farmers are employed by a non-profit foundation and assigned to a farm
- Consumers contribute with an initial (though later returnable) payment that allows initial capital investments to be made. They become co-owners of the cooperative that manages the farm and leases the land.
- Weekly payments are paid for food that includes both vegetables and meat.
- Volunteering is possible, and training by the farmer provided, but the consumers/co-owners are not obliged to do any work on ‘their farm’.
Knowledge exchange SE Ireland-Netherlands:
The social entrepreneur behind Herenboeren farms, Geert van der Veer, shared his insights online with the SE Irish bioregion stakeholders at an event we held in late 2022. The idea generated positive feedback and a curiosity to learn more. It was discussed again at subsequent gatherings with interest.
In April 2024, an Irish delegation of eight people were able to dive deeper through an in person visit, resulting in real enthusiasm for the security the model brings to farmers and the sense of joy felt from community connection. A decision to call this concept ‘Our Farm’ in the Irish context was taken.
Currently (autumn 2024) an ‘Our Farm’ circle of stakeholder is co-writing a feasibility study to explore if (some of) the approach might work in Ireland.
Funding from the Woka Foundation supported the study trip to the Herenboeren farms and support from ‘scaling of systemic innovations’ colleagues in the BWL backbone structure.
Resources: