Newsletter,
February 2018
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Ton Vreeken ❞Luckily, not all of us are sick, but I've never seen such a high absentee rate as this year...
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The worst is overWe have a substantial team (now well over thirty people) so we can maintain continuity, but this week I was scratching my head (being a bit sick myself). Things shouldn't get much crazier, because certain important tasks are still being left undone... I hope (for my sick colleagues and for the business) that we'll only have to manage for another week at most and then be back at full strength.
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Saturday, Mari Maris is coming!Who knows her books already? A delight to read: De Groentebijbel (The Vegetable Bible) was already a hit, and with "Mari Plukt de Dag" (Mari Seizes the Day), she even scored a recommendation during the book review on De Wereld Draait Door on TV. This Saturday, February 17th, Mari will be with us for a day to treat you, our customers, to some snacks. She will mingle among the seed racks and answer your cultivation questions based on her own experience. Of course, she'll be happy to sell her book and will certainly sign it upon request!
Mari was a chef in Amsterdam for many years before deciding 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. Take a look at the description here. I have some connection to these books, as I was allowed to correct the cultivation descriptions and provide additional tips. A fun little job with a 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 Kits" in Sweden again! They should be arriving 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 enjoyable) story about all the clever features of this compact and attractive seed kit.
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 several small fields of 500 m² on a 1.3-hectare plot where organic farming is practiced. These fields are separated by nature 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, but also seeds for Ton Vreeken, as I do with the sweet corn "Zoete Jan" and the (branching and non-branching) sunflower "Op Zwart Zaad". There are still a few fields for rent 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 had a good harvest there last year.
In the future, we want to set up a 5-hectare plot with "raatakkers" (cellular fields) and nature 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 walks through the grain fields and the Skylark sings above our heads... The entire area will then become a beautiful small-scale agricultural landscape where hikers can also enjoy nature. This project (of course renamed "Raatakkers Groot") is still in its infancy and anyone who wants to participate is most welcome. We want to realize this somewhere in Gelderland and if there is anyone who has land available for this, 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. This week, we were shocked by the terrible news that our oldest foster grandchild (23 years old) suddenly passed away. His name is Pateh, a young man in the prime of his life. Full of responsibility and with the dream of becoming a pilot. And, of course, many more dreams. It seemed as if he had the flu, and we are still awaiting the autopsy to find out what happened. Great sorrow and devastation for his parents and both brothers. My wife Marry is with them, and I will go there for a day next week. It feels so strange to be here amidst the seeds while my family is grieving...
Our children are, of course, also grieving. The bittersweet part is that we also get to enjoy ultrasound scans from 2 happy pregnant women: my daughter-in-law was the first, and now my eldest daughter is also pregnant. Grandpa Vreeken should start thinking about retirement soon...
Fortunately, as a family, we can talk openly with each other and share each other's joys and sorrows. If needed, we are there for each other. On days like these, WhatsApp is a blessing for communication!
Until the next letter!
Ton Vreeken, February 16, 2018