Bodemzicht moves to Lochem
The farm and the Bodemzicht Foundation have been transplanted to 't Gagel and will continue to grow there as a Lenteland farm. Daan Houwers and Roos Burger are going to do business on this new farm in Lochem together with Ricardo Cano Mateo and Anne van Leeuwen. The Bodemzicht team will also go to Lochem. Together we will continue to flourish in a new organisation on this beautiful Lenteland farm.
​We are still in transition, but will share more and more information with you on this website and www.gagel.nl in the coming weeks!
Bodemzicht at 't Gagel
A European regenerative hub,
strongly anchored in the Achterhoek
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Farming for life. Facilitating life through agriculture is central to everything we do on the farm. We farm, receive and connect for life.
As a farmer and as an eater you can directly contribute to a landscape full of life. The farm's harvest is not only vital food, but also healthy soil, biodiversity, an engaged community, inspired people and even a healthy economy for generations to come.
We do this by working according to the principles of the Lenteland model, in which the land on which we grow is purchased by the community, and in which both farmer and consumer are assured of a future-proof investment.
You can now spend the night at our campsite (soon at our own website) or become co-owner of our farm! You can find more information about investing here.
In the photo from left to right: the Lenteland farmers Ricardo Cano Mateo, Roos Burger, Anne van Leeuwen and Daan Houwers. Credits: Diane van der Marel.
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Farm
“Ultimately the only wealth that can sustain any community, economy or nation is derived from the photosynthetic process - green plants growing on regenerating soil.”
Allan Savory
't Gagel is a historic farm of 45 hectares in Lochem. In the 19th century, wild gale grew in abundance here in swampy peat meadows. The farm, which was built in 1865 by a general practitioner, is named after this aromatic plant. The land was then drained and cultivated until all wild gale disappeared. Then the land was farmed for generations. Our goal is to honour the history of this farm, while growing back wild gale in a trhiving production landscape.
At 't Gagel we want to show that you can farm regenerative on this scale. A production landscape is being planted with a vegetable garden, animals, fields, berry bushes, fruit trees and nut trees. In addition, a tree nursery is being started. We not only focus on food production and making the soil healthier, but also on education and recreation. The farm will function as a meeting place and international learning center of regenerative agriculture in the Netherlands and Europe.
Regenerative agriculture grows living soil, captures CO2, builds communities, increases biodiversity and provides a fair income for the farmer. We work for social, environmental and economic profit. This form of agriculture builds on the work of pioneers from the organic and biodynamic movement. Regenerative agriculture has much deeper roots in centuries-old insights practiced by indigenous communities, often labeled permaculture in the global north, and in the work of black pioneers such as George Washington Carver.
At 't Gagel we take over from Dinant and Ria Brunsveld. We would like to thank them in particular for all the transfer of knowledge and insights and the help with starting up.
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Veggie box
*Due to an unexpected moving of the farm, we wil deliver veggie boxes from July this year.*
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You can order your veggie box for 2024 here. For more info click on the PDF icon
right beneath this text.
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Would you like to have healthy, regenerative vegetables, mushrooms and climate eggs delivered to your home every Friday afternoon? Do you want to contribute to biodiversity, a healthy climate and eat like a chef?
We work together with top restaurants such as De Nieuwe Winkel, De Vereeniging and Bistro Flores - but every year you can also enjoy food from our farm at home! From mid-May to mid-November you can receive a Bodemzicht box from 't Gagel every week.
In 2024 we have a very nice box with regenerative vegetables from our own garden, local mushrooms from the Versfabriek and, of your choice, our fresh climate eggs. We work with solidarity payment and are committed to the food transition every day. ​
We deliver to your home in the Lochem region and to customers in the Nijmegen region. We are still looking into whether we can also deliver packages on the route and further in the region. You can also choose to pick up your box yourself at our beautiful farm!
Do you live further away and is collection not an option? If you make arrangements with a replacement permanent delivery address within our delivery area, we can also deliver there.
Do you live just outside our delivery areas, but would you like to receive your vegetables at home? Then try to organize so that we can deliver at least 5 boxes in your area - we might be able to drive some extra miles for you.
More information about the 2024 veggie box can be found in the PDF below. You can order the vegetable boxes via this link.
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Climate eggs
*We sell our eggs at 't Gagel farm in Lochem.*
We sell regenerative climate eggs from chickens that graze fresh grass outdoors all year round and eat insects. By working with chicken mobiles and holistic grazing, grasses grow abundantly, we build living soil and we actively capture CO2. You can taste all that goodness in our eggs!
The price of our eggs is determined by the care for the chickens. They are more expensive than in the supermarket, because our chickens are allowed to grow old. The older chickens get, the fewer eggs they lay. This is why almost all laying hens are slaughtered after two years. Not with us. In addition, we keep relatively few chickens, which means we can provide a lot of individual care (e.g. in case of illness). The chickens are often moved with the chicken mobiles to areas of fresh grass. This care requires more labour and that results in a higher price. But also in more taste and nutritional value. For example, eggs from grass fed chickens contain more vitamin D.
The farm-fresh eggs are ready in boxes of 10. Because the eggs are super fresh, you can store them for at least 4 weeks!
Price for 10 eggs is 6.30 euros
Price for 20 eggs is 12.60 euros
Price for 30 eggs is 18.90 euros
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Farm tour
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*Dates for guided tours in Lochem are still being published*
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Visit our farm in 1.5 hours and learn more about no-dig market gardening, holistic planned grazing and the latest developments at the farm. There is also lots of room for questions.
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At Bodemzicht we are constantly working to improve soil health, increase biodiversity, a healthier climate, tasteful food, valuable communities and a fair income for farmers. The time we spend giving tours is time we cannot spend working on our land, which is why we ask for compensation. We do, however, want to ensure that our tour is accessible to a diverse group of people with diverse incomes - which is why we maintain solidarity payment. This entails that you yourself can decide what you can pay for our tour and the knowledge we share with you during our tour (children can always join their parents/guardians for free).
The compensation we ask for per person is a minimum of €13,50 p.p. (children free of charge). In case you are able and willing to pay a little extra for our tour, we will be very grateful for your donation!
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“Earthworms will dance”
Joel Salatin
Learning place
“All flourishing is mutual.”
Robin Wall Kimmerer
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The learning place helps you discover how you can get started, or continue to work, with regeneration. Whether you are a farmer, policy maker, artist, scientist, student, organisation or neighbor.
There is a special program for starting regenerative farmers: from generally interested people to professionals. There will be an ongoing residency program for artists and chefs in which we work on a new food culture. And guided tours, workshops and events are continuously organised on, and sometimes outside, the farm (more information about this will follow.)
In all cases theory and practice come together. We need courage and diversity to achieve a regenerative society. Will you help build us one?
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Courses:
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Introduction in regenerative agriculture (digital course, made with Food Hub)
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How to start a regenerative farm? (10 days, 1450 euro no vat)
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Regenerative apprenticeship (9 months)
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No-dig market garden course (2 days, 350 euro no vat)
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Personal advise (3 hours, 300 euro no vat)
For the descriptions and the application information of the courses clikc on the pdf below.
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For information on how to apply for the special reduction fee for the course 'How to start a regenerative farm?' click on the PDF below.
Bodemzicht learning place is part of the non-profit Bodemzicht foundation. The goal of the foundation is to, practically and ideally, build a regenerative society and to facilitate the transition towards a regenerative (agri)culture. Bodemzicht foundation has an ANBI status (public benefit organisation).
Residency
“Nature is no longer outside us, but beneath our feet, and it shakes us.”
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Bruno Latour
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Bodemzicht op 't Gagel is working on a regenerative residency where thinkers and doers - artists, scientists, designers, farmers, chefs - can conduct research into regenerative agriculture on the farm in Lochem. The residents provide a variety of quantitative and qualitative insights - from carbon data, to poems and menus - regarding the process of regeneration on site. Feedback from residents continuously improves the farm.
From 2022 we will work together with Platform DIS for the Bodemleven ('Soil life') programme. We are also setting up a special residency program for apprentice chefs and apprentice farmers. Would you like to register for the residency? Then find the practical information here.
Ricardo Cano Mateo
“At least one pond per hectare – I want to invite so many frogs into our landscape that you have to be careful with every step you take.”
Ricardo (1985) is a talented ecosystem designer with a preference for amphibians. Thanks to the development of Boerderij Bodemzicht in Malden, he has gained a lot of experience in farm management; from finance to cultivation planning, from production to logistics. Ricardo is a star in long-term thinking, keeping an overview, setting priorities and designing landscape and processes.
Ricardo will be responsible for finances, planning, landscape and habitat design, and shaping cooperation structures on the farm. He keeps an overview of the production of the garden, animals and fruit orchard and helps Daan set up the tree nursery. He also has the financial overview of all business lines and he also teaches.
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Anne van Leeuwen
“Creating a place that can be a flywheel for dreamers and doers, a national and European regenerative hub, that is what I want. And a landscape full of birds – lots of birds.”
Anne (1987) has knowledge of cultural sciences, art, biology and (political) ecology. Anne is a true builder and connoisseur of the regenerative movement. She is a talented networker and a star at remembering names. She has experience in building movements, public speaking, project management, writing, fundraising, organising and administrative work. She really enjoys working on the ground (and especially enjoys harvesting everything that is red), cycling, writing, drawing, birdwatching and collaborating.
At the farm she will mainly focus on local, national and European community building, sales, certificate sales, collaborations, courses, events, presentations and all-round farm work (including animal care). She will keep an overview and is ultimately responsible for the business lines 'activities' and 'courses.'
About
Roos Burger
“I want to invite people to connect with this place through vital food, and let them experience that ecosystem thinking is the path to a future in harmony with nature.”
Roos (1979) is a pragmatic and creative connector. As an entrepreneur and chef, she has experience in the culinary & hospitality world and loves cooking close to nature. In addition to smooth arrangements and management, she also enjoys wild picking and forest bathing. She is a creative and interdisciplinary thinker, and enjoys making the world a more beautiful place. Roos is guided by her intuition and is also concerned with the question 'what does it take to feel native again?'
On the farm, Roos is primarily responsible for the development of recreation (camping, dome), culinary industries (food lab, chef residence) and the farm shop. She also keeps a close eye on the crops on and around the farm and regularly organizes harvest walks with guests. She thinks about local connections, collaborations and communication and is full of good ideas.
Daan Houwers
“Call me Mr. Air prune box. I am going to kickstart agroforestry in the Achterhoek and from there throughout the Netherlands.”
Daan (1995) is a real Achterhoek tree farmer with a background in ecology. In addition to growing trees and building air prune boxes, he loves doing odd jobs, driving a car, sharing abundance and, above all, having many friends around him (something that works out well in the Achterhoek, his home). Daan is good at purchasing, a star at communication - he is a real charmer - and an attentive observer with an eye for detail.
Daan will run the tree nursery at 't Gagel and be responsible for the planting and care of the fruit trees. He will also be responsible for the broad landscape maintenance of the site. Daan anchors the main farmers in the Achterhoek, will spend a lot of time on local community work and drink coffee with the locals.
Tim Bannink
“My goal is to become the best horticulturalist in the Milky Way. I don't want to garden, I want to master a craft.”
Tim (2000) is a talented horticulturist with the necessary basic experience in practice, so he left a future in business administration for a job as a horticulturalist at Bodemzicht in Malden. Now he is looking forward to returning to the Achterhoek where he grew up. He is flexible, fit and has incredible endurance. Tim is strong in planning and an expert in effectively performing repetitive physical work. Where Tim is, a good atmosphere is a given - he is almost as much of a charmer as Daan and is a real caregiver. He likes being around people, eating good food and making good food.
Tim is responsible for the ins and outs of the garden. There he will deal with the cultivation plan, planting, sowing, maintenance, harvesting and everything else involved in making an abundant vegetable garden flourish.
Helen Weeres
“Making a new regenerative culture concrete and tangible together with artists and chefs. Give me that with a good dose of queerness and I'm happy.”
Helen (1996) is a creative thinker and doer with a big heart for culture. Helen has a background in poetry and spoken word, cultural analysis, gender & sexuality studies and activism. Helen always knows how to inspire others, has strong empathetic feelings and is a strong communicator. Thanks to an immersion in the corporate startup world, Helen also speaks the language of sales, marketing and relationship management and has also gained experience with logistics and risk mapping. Helen has a loving curiosity for everyone who lives and prefers working together over working alone.
Helen will work on the farm as the driving force behind the artist residence and chef of the residence. Hen takes on cultural programming at events and during visits to organizations and companies. The team can also consult Helen as a copywriter and text editor and will support Anne in the (further) development of education. As a maker, Helen gives workshops and will help them decorate spaces.
Thomas Kiggell
“I want to do as much healing work as possible with my head and my hands.”
Tom (1991) is of Brazilian-English descent and has a background in the political ecology of conservation in Brazil. He is knowledgeable in the social aspects of regeneration and excels at documentation, research and quickly synthesizing information. Tom is passionate about hand tools, power tools, sharpening and maintaining tools, crafts and odd jobs. He feels at home when he can work with his hands as well as use his analytical skills. Tom has a big heart for the large family of birds that he feeds in his garden every day.
On the farm, Tom will spend a third of his hours helping with maintenance, pruning and broad support of the tree nursery. He will spend two thirds of his hours on research projects, international relations, EARA, the Zoöp project, documentation and administrative tasks.
Felicia Slettenhaar
“I want to provide practical support to the team and the organization so that together we can make as much impact as possible and accelerate the agricultural transition.”
Felicia (2000) is a curious team player who can switch quickly and is at home in all markets. Her combined background in biology and planning gives her both substantive and process-based knowledge about the (social) ecosystems in which the organization is located. She also has experience as a participation council member, secretary and animal caretaker at the animal ambulance, and is good at looking through documents, writing and making chaos clear.
Felicia mainly assists, plans and arranges from the back office, so that Anne and the rest of the team can focus on their work and the most important tasks. She manages the agenda, the website and bookings, keeps in touch with partners, plans meetings, arranges matters regarding legislation and regulations, and collects the right information so that everyone is always well prepared for what is to come. She answers many emails and ensures that questions go to the right people. She is a spider in the web, knows what is happening and supports the organisation very broadly.
Greet Jongerling
“I am happy to contribute to the agricultural transition with my bookkeeping skills.”
Greet Jongerling was born and raised in Beverwijk and the rock in the surf of Bodemzicht. In the 1980s, she and friends started the first natural food store in Beverwijk: De Zwarte Kat. Here she was able to express her passion for healthy food and helped set up automation and further professionalize the cooperative for a number of years. She now takes care of all administrative jobs at Bodemzicht and is passionately committed to regenerative agriculture.
Niels Jansen
“Maintaining a healthy balance between ecological, economic and social aspects on the farm.”
Niels (1995) previously gained experience in a vegetable garden and cycled halfway around the world. Niels always keeps an overview, switches easily between broad outlines and details, remains calm and has strong analytical skills. Niels goes crazy about wilderness, philosophizing, fresh berries, running, cycling, plants and other physical work.
Niels will focus 50 percent on the farm on maintaining financial overview and overarching business operations and 50 percent on physical (supporting) work in the garden, fruit orchard and tree nursery. He monitors the economic balance between the various industries and the farm as a whole. Niels will be responsible for the financial and logistical planning and, together with the main farmers, will ensure that the specific industries remain economically healthy.
In addition to his work on the farm, Niels will also continue to work for Lenteland in his advisory financial role for other farms.
Contact
We receive a lot of messages and spend a lot of time on land. To keep it workable for us, we have provided answers to the three most frequently asked questions and topics here.
Book a course
Most questions you have about our courses will be answered in the PDF that you will find under 'Learning place'. If you have any questions about our courses that are not answered here, please contact us.
Internship
We have our own apprenticeship or apprentice farmer program that we will start again from 2025. All information about this can be found in the PDF under 'learning place.' We do not offer any other internships or learning programs outside of this.
Advice
Unfortunately, we cannot answer individual questions about your own garden or project. It is possible to ask questions during the tour, and more in depth during the courses or through tailor-made advice (for a fee). Information about this can be found in the PDF under 'learning place.'
Other questions and messages are welcome!
Ricardo Cano Mateo
Anne van Leeuwen
Daan Houwers
Roos Burger
and team
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Bodemzicht op 't Gagel
Gageldijk 3
7241 RJ
Lochem
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Entrance by car: via de Tusselerveenweg, Lochem
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