“Ever since I was a kid, I spent most of my time at my grandparents’ orchard to help in the garden and take care of the sheep and the chickens. My grandfather was the most peaceful man I knew, as in the backyard, we found only peace and joy.
Unfortunately last year he passed away. He had been in a nursing home for 2 years, with his last wish to ‘return home’. So we honored his wish by making him a memorial place at the cherry tree that he planted when he was my age, 70 years ago. Having always had a green thumb, I felt now it was my goal and legacy to transform the partly neglected orchard into an organic, thriving food forest with over 30 new fruit trees and all kinds of extraordinary fruits and vegetables. The big cherry tree is now the g(u)ardian of the food forest!
I want the garden to provide my family and friends with the healthiest, tastiest food possible and let it bring peace, joy and amazement to them, just like my grandfather’s backyard did to me.
In my opinion, growing your own food is the most amazing tool for your health, for fighting stress, for connecting people and just for having fun like a kid in the mud.
I try to build a sustainable system with the utmost respect for the Soil Food Web, as this is the most rewarding thing an organic gardener can do. A bit of knowledge about microbial and fungal life, together with love and passion for nature, can save a lot of effort and money!
We live in a high-tech complex world, too disconnected from our origins. And because of that, organic gardening can nowadays be the most beautiful form of simplicity. That’s why I aspire to share my passion and experience with others, so they might take the chance to grow some of their own food, even if it’s just a few plants. Read books, try something different. It can change your life. And perhaps that could be a good thing when quarantined again.”
