Newsletter,
September 2010
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Ton Vreeken ❞Fortunately, not all of us are sick, but I've never experienced this much absenteeism before this year...
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The worst is overWe have a large team (now well over thirty people) so we can maintain continuity, but this week I was scratching my (somewhat sick) head. Things shouldn't get much crazier, because certain important tasks are still pending... I hope (for the sick colleagues and for the company) that we only have to make do for another week and then we'll be back at full strength.
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Saturday, Mari Maris is coming!Who knows her books already? A joy to read: The Vegetable Bible was already a hit and with "Mari Plukt de Dag" she even scored a recommendation during De Wereld Draait Door's book review on TV. This Saturday, February 17th, Mari will visit us for a day to treat you as a customer with some snacks, she will mingle among the seed racks and answer your cultivation questions from her own experience. Of course, she will gladly sell her book and will certainly sign it upon request!
Mari was a chef in Amsterdam for many years when she decided to settle in Northern France 9 years ago. There she manages the Jardin des Étoiles, where she grows vegetables, cooks, and hosts people.
We sell both of her book titles. Check out the description here. I have a certain connection with these books, as I was allowed to correct the cultivation descriptions and provide additional tips. A nice little job with the red pen on the couch...
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Good news from Sweden: the PluggBox is coming back!It took a while, but we were able to purchase a few pallets full of these "Smartest Seed Trays" from Sweden again! They should be rolling in this month, I'm as happy as a child about it. It's always frustrating when you're very enthusiastic about a product but can't deliver it. Read the (long but fun) story about all the clever features of this compact and attractive seed tray set.
New Raatakkers
One of my growers (and also a customer), Jan Bulthuis, is involved in a wonderful project. Read about it in the following piece written by him:
De Nieuwe Raatakkers in Wiesel (near Apeldoorn) has a number of small fields of 500 m² on a 1.3-hectare plot where organic farming is practiced. These small fields are separated by natural strips with grains and wildflowers for butterflies, birds, and insects. The goal is to increase biodiversity, grow healthy crops, and enjoy the process. We grow vegetables for ourselves there, but also seeds for Ton Vreeken, as I do with the "Zoete Jan" sweet corn and the (branched and unbranched) "Op Zwart Zaad" sunflower. A few fields are still available for enthusiastic and driven enthusiasts! On the website www.nieuweraatakkers.nl, you can find more information, including how to sign up. We call this project "Raatakkers Klein," and we already had a good harvest there last year.
In the future, we want to set up a 5-hectare plot with small fields and natural strips, and a small farm or barn for tool storage, toilet facilities, coffee, and shelter. In such a large area, nature will have even more opportunities. We hope that the field flora will flourish again and that field birds can breed there, that the Partridge will walk through the grain fields and the Skylark will sing above our heads... The entire area will then become a beautiful small-scale agricultural landscape where walkers can also enjoy nature. This project (of course renamed "Raatakkers Groot") is still in its infancy, and everyone who wants to participate is very welcome. We want to realize this somewhere in Gelderland, and if anyone has land available for it, we would be happy to discuss it...!
Personal afterword from the Seed Man
In the previous Newsletter I mentioned that my wife was visiting our foster children in London. That was 4 weeks ago already. This week we were shocked by the terrible news that our oldest foster grandchild (23 years old) has suddenly passed away. His name is Pateh, a young man in the prime of his life. Full of a sense of responsibility and with the dream of becoming a pilot. Of course, he had many more dreams; it seemed as if he had the flu, we are still awaiting an autopsy to find out what happened. Great sorrow and devastation for his parents and both brothers. My wife Marry is with them, I will go there for a day next week. It feels so strange to be sitting here amidst the seeds while my family is grieving...
Our children are, of course, also empathizing. The duality is that we also get to enjoy ultrasound scans from 2 happy pregnant women: my daughter-in-law was the first, now my oldest daughter is also pregnant. Grandpa Vreeken should start thinking about his retirement soon...
Fortunately, as a family, we can talk well with each other and share each other's joys and sorrows. If needed, we are there for each other. In days like these, WhatsApp is a blessing for communication!
Until the next letter!
Ton Vreeken, February 16, 2018