Restoration Agriculture

The Earth Collective offers practical examples on it's location and guidance programs for agricultural techniques in which food production goes hand in hand with the restoration of the earth. Everyone can contribute to healthy food and improving the soil; around your own house just as well as within large-scale food production.
And there is so much more edible than what is for sale at the greengrocer!

Values

The soil is the base and is given the first priority. A healthy soil can be built up by cultivating without deep ploughing/digging, using effective micro-organisms and covering the soil with specific crops or mulch.

A high degree of biodiversity not only ensures a richly varied diet, but also an ecological system that replenishes, nourishes and supports itself.

We work organically. No pesticide, fertilizer and GMO are used. Animals will be used to control pest and diseases.

Restorative Agriculture

Restorative agriculture is applied ecology; restore the earth through food production. Perennial agricultural ecosystems mimic natural ecosystems and create abundance. An example is creating a herb-rich grass landscape with feeding hedges and tree crops in combination with keeping cattle, horses or other grazers. An accessible step with major benefits for soil health, the quality of the food produced, the living conditions for animals and the natural design of the landscape.

Agroforestry & Food Forest

Agroforestry and food forests are new agricultural techniques: self-sufficient systems where harvesting can be done on 8 layers. By creating a combination of layers of trees, shrubs, plants and herbs, the production per m² is increased enormously, more CO₂ is absorbed and the soil life and biodiversity increases.
Within agroforestry, cultivation is done in rows, so that the harvest can easily take place in larger-scale production. You speak of a food forest when it is designed as a natural forest.
Edges are ideally suited for herbs, tubers, roots and edible mushrooms. An enormous amount of food crops can grow in the plant, shrub and crown layers. From fruits, nuts and seeds to ingredients for soups and salads. This technique can already be applied in your backyard!

Self-harvest garden, CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)

A CSA is a garden in which vegetables are grown for and with the local environment. Within a CSA you, as a regular buyer of food, are closely involved in the process from planting to harvesting. You see where and how your food grows, you have a say in what is grown, you can work as a volunteer on the land and harvest your own food. An extra value in addition to healthy food. In addition, transport and packaging material is saved.

The edible (ornamental) garden

If you have a little garden around your house, chances are that everything you can eat from is already growing without you intending it to. Wild herbs often contain a large amount of nutrients, so with the right knowledge you can fill your salad bowl while weeding. In addition, there are many plants with great ornamental value that are also edible. By supplementing this with any desired crops, very healthy, beautiful and diverse edible greenery is created on a small surface!