De Zonnekouter - Small scale (6 ha) biodynamic mixed farm , mainly vegetables (2 ha) in open field and partly covered - Family farm: Walter + An + 2 employees + 1 trainee Landwijzer + in summer seasonal workers. - Next year plan: coöperative farm ‘De Zonnekouter’
De Zonnekouter - Direct selling our vegetables to consumers: different alliances (membership, voedselteams), and in the farm shop - Alliance ‘De Vroente ’ with 2 college bd-farms in the neighbourhood (De Kollebloem en Ourobouros) to increase the variety of sold vegetables - Association ‘Land -in- zicht’ bought 4ha land for ‘De Zonnekouter’ ( with gifts of customers)
Aims in n selling ing ou our vegetab getables es to to con onsumer umers: - Selling all our vegetables directly, with minimal losses or remains - Have a good stable income for all the people working on the farm payment in advance - Maintain our own crop quality standards (open pollinated variaties with good taste) - Supply our customers a year round with fresh local bd & organic vegetables at a fair price - Restore the link farm - city , engage customers in supporting the farm, commitment!, raising awareness, learn them about nutrition
Ways of dis istri tributi buting ng our vege egetables ables to to cons nsume umers: Weekly packages every Friday: small or big veg = core business of farm Peak of tomatoyield : processed and put in packages in winter On demand : additional fruitpackages, mixed veg/fruit and bread (weekly), potatoes (once a month) (alliances with nearby organic fruit- and potatofarmers and an organic bakery) These are delivered on 30 different points in 3 rides (60+100+60km) in and around city of Gent to members and teams (with own van and rented one)
Two o types es of allian ances ces with h our cust stomer mers s : - Zonnekouter-membership Nearly 200 Zonnekouter-members take our package weekly: Individual commitment the whole year round ;direct communication Monthly payment in advance , administration for farmer Summer holidays less problem,if they go on holiday they compensate afterwards = stable income for the farm of 250 packages/week = 13.500 € /month (mostly vegetables) More difficult to organise as group - Zonnekouter-Voedselteam alliance 500 (?) Members of Voedselteams in Gent can order our package weekly Consumer groups = opportunity!! (not used now, no direct contact farm) Monthly payment after 1 or 2 months, no farm administration No big commitment to the farm: they can choose freely every week Summer holidays is big problem (big productio,no big order) = variable income 120-250 packages/week = 6.500-13.500 € /month; (half fruit/half vegetables)).
Allianc liances es be betw tween een farm rmer er and and customer omer: ho how to to nourish ish? A way of educating the customers, and help them on the path … - !!! Weekly newsletter in the package, with tales of the farmland and -life - Farm visits , yearly open farm days, - harvest days, Farm restauration - Motivate them to become member - Participating in buying the farmland (association ‘Land -in- zicht’) - Next year: Participating in the Zonnekouter cooperative
De De Vroent oente : regional alliance of 3 small scale biodynamic farmers - growing seasonal vegetables for direct selling at a fair price - based on solidarity and mutual agreement - developing new economic and social structures in agriculture
De De Vroent oente: How do we work together? • Collective crop production plan = Broad assortiment of vegetables!!! • Biodynamic quality (tasty varieties, freshly harvested, care for the land and the crop) • Fixed fair prices (+ when the harvest is poor we raise the prices, so the consumer shares in the harvest risk) • Collective (alternate) transport of vegetables 2x/week (Monday + Wednesday): 2x 90 km • Communication to make the coöperation last: - yearly meeting: crop planning and price setting in mutual agreement - monthly meetings to exchange on crop quantity and quality, on transport problems, on communication problems , … - once a year: problem-solving and study weekend
De De Vroe oent nte: Selling our products Farm Members Voedselteams Farm Members (Gent - Zulte) (Gent) tuesday Voedselteams friday friday tuesday Farm shop Restaurants Friday-saturday (Gent) wednesday Organic bakery Monday + wednesday Farm shop Fruitfarm Tuesday - saturday Ouro robou bouro ros Organic wholesaler Market Farm Members (Brussels) wednesday GASAP sunday (Brussels) wednesday
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