Together with Agroforestry Foundation Netherlands (SVN) and the Mijs family we are remolding agricultural land into a food forest. In this food forest, countless of plants, trees and shrubs will produce the most delicious food. Will you plant a tree with us?
trees and shrubs
hectares of food forest
A food forest is a form of nature-friendly agriculture. In it, all sorts of food producing trees, bushes and plants grow. In more ways than one, food forests contribute to a healthy climate. They store CO2, for instance, and attract many different species of plants and animals. So a food forest will give local biodiversity an enormous boost!
Food forest farmers will leave the soil alone as much as possible, thus enabling soil life to develop in a natural way. Pesticides and herbicides are out of the question in a food forest: nature itself does the job here. And as if all this were not enough yet, a food forest also contributes to healthy living circumstances, in which people may enjoy both nature and local produce!
Hein Mijs is the owner of Lust & Last. For several decades he worked as a traditional farmer. In the course of the years he saw the landscape impoverish because of monocultures, in which only one or very few types of plants are grown. Besides, biodiversity was rapidly diminishing.
More and more often, Hein got the idea of approaching his farming from a different point of view. In the meantime, his son Onno developed an interest in the food forest concept. Wouldn’t it be brilliant to recreate the old biodiverse landscape in a section of their grounds? To grow local food there? And to involve the local population and schools in this project?
The Mijs family decided to change course radically. In the near future, a former agricultural field will make place for a 4-hectare food forest. Next to the food forest 1 hectare will be converted into a perception forest, in which local visitors and classes of schoolchildren will be able to learn more about nature and sustainable food production. People who have a distance to the labor market will be enabled to work in the food forest.
In short: an initiative of great social impact, which Trees for All supports cordially!
Trees for All supports the Mijs family in planting various trees and bushes. In November 2021 the family began planting hedges and windbreaks for the food forest. In total, this involved nearly 3,000 trees and bushes, such as rowan, sweet cherry, black alder, dog rose, spindle and bird cherry. During the planting seasons of 2022-2023 and 2023-2024, the 8,500 plants and bushes will follow and bring forth food as time goes by.
With time a food forest will consist of several layers, running from high to low. In the top crown layer e.g. chestnut and walnut trees can be found. The second layer will house fruit trees such as apple and pear. Below that, the third layer boasts berries, brambles, raspberries, followed by the fourth layer with its asparagus and rhubarb. The layer of herbs is last and lowest.
The food forest will be laid out in Goeree-Overflakke, near Sommelsdijk (Zuid-Holland). The food forest is part and parcel of Lust & Last Homestead: a place where holidaymakers may put up their tents among the pear trees and where small-scale activities and events are organized regularly.
In this project we work together with Agroforestry Foundation Netherlands (SVN) and the Mijs family.
“We hope and believe that a food forest enriches the landscape. This is favorable to the livability of human, animal and nature. What is more, we hope the food forest will stimulate consciousness around natural nourishment.”
The Mijs family
