Community Food Garden Park2020

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September 2022

Dear subscribers to the MEERGroen newsletter Park2020 Food Garden

Contents of this newsletter:

Several developments are driving this Newsletter:

1 Colliding worlds Campaign. Support us with your vote and/or financially

2 National Neighbor days 23 - 25 September

3 New developments the last 3 months

To pay for the relocation of the greenhouse at P2020 to Lincoln Park, and the possible legal costs

2015 we manage the Food Garden on a fallow piece of land in Park 2020, where since de credit crisis in 2008 no offices could be developed. For many people and especially for our neighboring companies, this complex of vegetable gardens, flower meadows, the orchard, and the greenhouse is a pleasant green oasis in the urban office park. 

In 2022 we ended up in the 8th year of our 3-year contract. It is a given fact that the Food Garden has temporary status. This year a new project developer wants to have the entire complex handed over bare before November 1, 2022. Since March we are busy finding a new location. Such a location for a 1-to-1 transfer of all the assets  (greenhouse, 300 m3 soil, 60 fruit trees, and more than 1000 permanent plants) will come available after November 2023. 

If building would be imminent, we would not hesitate to depart from the site however, a building permit procedure has not yet been initiated so the actual building is not to be expected before November 2023. 

The delivery of the Food Garden before November 1 will mean the destruction of all values built up during 8 years.  For this reason, we are hesitant to respond to the demand. To persuade the project developer to a reasonable compromise an (expensive) legal process may be required.  In other words, the developer's world is focused on financial profits and is colliding with our MEERgroen (MOREgreen) values of social cohesion, biodiversity, healthy food, lifestyle, and inherent circular sustainability. 

Colliding Worlds Campaign:
For that reason, we have initiated a campaign to delay the migration of the Food Garden, which we want to postpone for winter 2023/2024. Regarding the status of the building permit procedure, this time frame should be feasible.

We ask you to sign our petition and for the covering of the cost of the migration to the new location (€ 80.000) and the legal process that may be required (€ 10.000). The links to the petition and donations are on our website stichtingmeergroen.nl.  Stichting MEERGroen has a Tax deductible (Dutch ANBI) status.

Apple pie, Apple sauce and pumpkin soup home grown

On September 23, 24 and 25 in the Netherlands  the national Neighbor Days are held. It is a good opportunity to meet neighbors and to do something enjoyable together. MEERGroen and Farmkitchen fully support the initiative.

We invite our neighbors at 3 locations on 3 consecutive days to enjoy what nature has to offer in this period. The most conspicuous products of this period are apples and pumpkins. That’s why harvesting, preparing, and tasting apple pie, apple sauce, and pumpkin soup is offered at these locations.
Jars and peeling knives are advised to take self-made apple sauce home. We invite Families with children in special.

Program:

Food Garden Park 2020 Friday, September 23 from 10 am to 6 pm
We have an open day all day long. Food Garden with excursions and tasting of the 200 products wthat we grow.. At 4 pm a happy hour is offered with unique Haarlemmermeer Polder Wine. Farmkitchen offers snacks and pumpkin soup.

Saturday, September 24: Pabstlaan fruitpark: from 10 am to 5 pm
On this day together with the neighborhood board two neighborday activities run side by side. Part of the day is a working session to prepare the fruit circles for the next season. Participants can also work creatively with apples and pumpkins (please bring your own peel knives and jars). 

Sunday, September 25: Houtwijkerveld nature garden with orchard: 13 am to 6 pm
This afternoon is partly working day and partly  harvest day. Participants can also work creatively with apples and pumpkins (please bring your own peel knives and jars).

More information: info@stichtingmeergroen.nl or  06-48226490

Team building

It is noticeable that the Corona fears are luckily waning. Almost every week we have team building, of companies and schools on training days visiting our projects. Everybody likes to go outdoors again. Also, concerns about climate and biodiversity play a role to visit one or more of our projects.

Recently the following participants assisted us
Cap Gemini (5th time in 2 years),
Rituals (2x), 
L’Oréal (5th time in 5 years), 
Swiss Re (1st time), 
International School  Amsterdam (1st time),  
Montessori School (3x),  
SThree Recruitment (1st time),  
Accorinvest (1st time), 
Philips (orientation). 
 

VOORbeeld biodiversity
The voting action for our VOORbeeld project (example project) has been successful. Thanks to ample support we ended up in the top 15 (of 80 proposals) that were eligible for a donation. We were amongst the 6 of those 15 selected, on quality and impact, for financing by the jury. 

On October 20 we have to present the proposal and hear if we will receive  €10.000 or the full requested €70.000. From October 21 we will invest that money in 5 new biodiversity projects in 5 neighborhoods.
 

Greenhouse Rijsenhout and food production
On April 22 a greenhouse of 10.000 m2 in Rijsenhout became available. Of the 10.000 m2, we have by now developed 2.500 m2  thanks to the automatic irrigation and climate systems, and the hot summer this greenhouse produces significant harvests. 

From several locations, we have enjoyed already 4 harvests between May and September. Next winter we are going to develop an extra area of 4.000-5.000 m2. That will allow us to supply more partners with local biological products. 

In July and August, the weekly harvests amounted to 300- 500 kg. 

The harvests go to: 

1) Our volunteers 

2) Customers of our circular food shop at Park 2020 but the largest quantities go to: 

3) Catering firm The Farm Kitchen 

4)Via partner Koen to biological markets in Zeist and Amsterdam and the Lindenhof food distributor to restaurants all over The Netherlands. With the extra greenhouse production and the help of Koen, next year we will be able to be on markets weekly.