Food Forest Achterhoek
Food Forest Achterhoek
Neede, Gelderland
12 hectare
Martijn Aalbrecht (De Voedselboss)
First planting: February 2022
From animal husbandry to food forest
For five generations, the Mekking family has run an agricultural business in Neede, Gelderland. With their entrepreneurial spirit, the family is always looking for innovative and new ideas to improve their business. In the past fifteen years for example, the original dairy farm has been replaced by a beef cattle farm, arable farming and agricultural nature management. Food Forest Achterhoek is an initiative of Hens and Ilze Mekking, owners of Mekking Agro, with the ambition to transform their farm into a nature-inclusive farm.
On the north side of the foreseen food forest are the Buurserbeek and Needse Achterveld nature reserves, on land that is owned by the State Forestry Administration and Water Authority Rijn and IJssel. Food Forest Achterhoek will be a rational food forest, focused on agricultural food production. In the process, twelve hectares of land will be transformed into one of the largest private food forests in the Netherlands. A small portion, about one hectare, will be open to the public, allowing recreational visitors and professionals to learn about numerous edible species and the agro-ecosystem of the food forest.
Twelve acres of land will be transformed into one of the largest private food forests in the Netherlands
The first wind hedges of the food forest were planted in December 2021. In Spring 2022, the design was finalized and orders were placed for the 2022-2023 planting season. While preparing for planting, consideration is given to ways for limiting damage by deer and rabbits. The planting material for “Food Forest Achterhoek” is partly funded by Trees for All.
