Tag Archives: Hemmens land

Sustainability Festival & Biodiversity

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It was great weather at the Sustainability Festival in Hemmen last saturday. And buzzing with people at the various places in Hemmen where small scale activities were organised. At the Smidse, which was the main organiser, there was a market with sustainable products such as ecological garden design, electric cars, sustainable paint and a collective who wants to develop a housing site with straw/wood constructed houses.

As ngo Stichting Hemmens Land we also had a stall to launch our new project “Hemmens Land in Bloei”. More than 30 people adopted pieces of 15 square meters of flowery field margin. There are too few flowers which affects the butterfly, the Gelderlander had just reported that same day. Indeed, the adoption of 15 square meter of flowery field margin serves multiple purposes which all come down on enhancing biodiversity, which again the Gelderlander noted down during the festival.

It helps the organic farmers in Hemmen in their pest control, it enriches the landscape and it supports the bees and butterflies which are under treat. On two pieces of land in Hemmen, one of which is opposite the bee-stall which will receive hives from Wageningen during this year, we have sown 3000 m2 with a mixture of more than 20 field flowers fitting the clay soil of this area. The two pieces will be marked with a sign where adopters can see the landscape and pick some flowers. In fact, the year subscription to a piece of flowery field margin is not more expensive than an average bundle of flowers from a shop.

The municipality of Over-Betuwe was well represented during the political debate in the afternoon. All parties in the council were present to give their vision on sustainability in Over-Betuwe. The municipality has a very ambitious sustainability policy with no less than 73 action points to become climate neutral in 2030. A much debated policy since the current times of budget cuts and elections make priorities necessary.

A citizen initiative that actually aims to enhance biodiversity, one of the points in the action plan was therefore welcomed by the municipality. After the political debate, it was time for all ‘sustainability’ initiatives in and around Hemmen to present their projects and businesses. During the presentation of the field margin project of our ngo, the municipality came forward with a donation of 250 euro for our “Hemmens Land in Bloei” project, which we appreciate very much.

With their support and the first 30 citizens as adopters we made a good start last saturday. Coming sunday we have a stall at the fair in Elst. Quite a few adopters more we need before we have the 3000 m2 covered. And if we succeed we are dreaming for next year of a longer field margin along the Hemmensestraat which would make a beautiful entrance to the village.

Pumpkin harvest and local food

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Last Saturday 30 adults and children came to help with the harvest of pumpkins of farmer André in the village of Hemmen, just four kilometers from Wageningen. We harvested around 9 thousand kilo of the approximately 15 thousand kilo on the one hectare field. The invitation to help was the first event organized by a new NGO called “Stichting Hemmens Land” of which I am a board member. This NGO aims to facilitate the cooperation between the organic farmers and organic shop in Hemmen, to engage citizens with local food and farming and to organize educative activities on and around the farms.

pompoen oogstMainly families from nearby towns and villages in the Betuwe came to help with the harvest and for the children it was great fun to stand in and fill the box in front of the tractor. The people who came were happy with the possibility to engage actively with local food and the work of the organic farmers. Some were customers of the organic box scheme, others read the announcement in the newspaper and were just drawn by the activity itself. Citizen engagement with local food is a topic of increased interest in the academic literature. Engagement with local food can strengthen regional food systems and local community and can contribute to human and environmental health. However, as has been noted, in our consumption oriented economy, ‘local’ easily becomes a new ‘brand’, a way to distinguish and create space; market space. Or ‘local’ becomes an experience, part of the cultural economy in which “harvest festivals provide an enactment of leisure activities and the urban lifestyle” (Tellstrom et al 2005: 354).

None of the Hemmen villagers came to help with the harvest or came even to look what was going on. The organic farmers and shopkeepers are newcomers, all of whom established over the last six years. Part of the reason for setting up the NGO and a real challenge is also to try to connect and integrate into the village. Local is important as a non-monetary value and at the same time it is an economic factor for entrepreneurs who are seeking multiple ways to make a sustainable living. But as Laura B. DeLind rightly argues “without an emotional, a spiritual and a physical glue to create loyalty, not to a product, but to layered sets of embodied relationships, local will have no holding power.” (2006: 126)

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