Community driven food and farming systems
4 days
Why this study trip?
As a farmer in the United Kingdom, you are responsible for feeding the country. The challenges on the farm, in the business and in the market are considerable. The long food chain between producer and consumer does not always guarantee a good income for the business.
But what if consumers and farmers organise things differently and work together to create a resilient, community-driven food system; to create businesses that work with nature, provide citizens with fair food, restore the soil, landscape and biodiversity, and offer farmers a decent income? From 14 to 17 October 2026, you can learn about this during a four-day inspiring study trip in the Netherlands.
You will learn from inspiring entrepreneurs who have started doing things differently, locally, together or even on the initiative of citizens. The conversations with them will give you new energy, ideas and lessons to take home with you. We will meet pioneers in areas such as citizen-farmer cooperatives, new forms of financing, self-harvest gardens and land funds. They will share their honest stories, with all their ups and downs. There is room for up to 27 participants from the United Kingdom.
Guided tour
The tour will be led by Douwe Korting. Earlier this year, he spoke on this topic at the Oxford Farming Conference 2026 (Check his talk here). Douwe himself has extensive experience with Community Driven Farming and developed this trip.
The travel program
Wednesday 14 October
You will travel to the Netherlands independently. You can easily travel to the Netherlands by car, but Boxtel is also easily accessible by train via London and Brussels. Would you prefer to take the night ferry from Harwich? A bus transfer is available from Hoek van Holland. Are you flying to Eindhoven Airport? A short transfer is also available from there.
The three-course dinner will be followed by an inspiring presentation by Geert van de Veer. This pioneer and entrepreneur is working on the development of Plaats De Kleine Aarde, was one of the founders of the now 25 cooperative Herenboeren farms that feed 9000 people, and involves citizens and farmers in numerous disruptive ways in making the food system more sustainable.
Thursday 15 October
We will be up early today as it is a travel day. We will visit two former dairy farms in the province of Gelderland. The first farm (Burgerboerderij De Patrijs) was still a conventional dairy farm in 2022. The farm was purchased through crowdfunding, among other means, and since then the entrepreneurs have been working with their team, members of the cooperative and customers to transform it into an agro-ecological community farm with e.g. producing their own cheese.
Half an hour’s drive away is Erve Kiekebos. Here we have lunch with products from the land and receive a detailed explanation of how this company is organised on the basis of triple ownership. During a knowledge tour of the company, the entrepreneurs explain how they, as a cooperative, want to connect farmers and citizens, and the countryside and the city, and how they are financing the transition on 18 hectares of land.
Friday 16 October
After breakfast we drive to Herenboeren Goedentijd, near the city of Tilburg. Here we learn all about this cooperative mixed farm, which is co-owned by around 200 households: from its start-up, vision and organisation to its financing and the roles of the farmer and the members.
In the afternoon, we will visit a pick-your-own garden in Cromvoirt, a village near ‘s-Hertogenbosch. Two young entrepreneurs started this garden in 2023. It now has around 300 subscribers. Part of their business case is solidarity-based payment.
In the evening, Alex Schreiner will give a presentation. She is chair of CSA Network The Netherlands. The CSA Network stands for direct (short chain) and long-term connections between farmers/producers and citizens, with a fair and stable income for farmers/producers and a sustainable, healthy and responsible product for the affiliated citizens.
Saturday 17 October
After breakfast we drive a short distance to the first cooperative Herenboeren farm in the Netherlands, located just outside Boxtel. This is where the model was developed that has now been rolled out at 25 locations nationwide. Here we will meet representatives of the initiators, the board and talk to the farmer and members. We will also see how the harvest is done and witness the weekly harvest collection by the members/owners of he farm.
We will finish here around noon, marking the end of this trip.
- Full Board
- Private touring coach with private driver throughout the trip
- Transfer from either Hoek van Holland or Eindhoven Airport
- Overnight stay at Plaats De Kleine Aarde in a 4–5 bedroom (single rooms available with supplement)
- All excursions and entrance fees as listed in the programme
- Tour guidance by Douwe Korting
Wednesday 14 October 2026
€ 845,- per person
For this tour we will welcome you at Plaats De Kleine Aarde, a green oasis in the town of Boxtel. This inspiring green space was partly financed by crowdfunding and will be our base for four days. There is a choice of different room types.
- Trip to and from Plaats de Kleine Aarde, Eindhoven airport or Hoek van Holland
- Personal expenses
- Travel and cancellation insurance
- Reservation fee: € 25 per booking
- Tips for guide and driver
- Single room: € 150 (12 rooms available)
- Double room: € 50
Minimum number of participants
This tour requires a minimum of 22 participants and has a maximum capacity of 27 participants.
Additional information
- The latest registration date is 14 July 2026 (three months before the start of the tour).
- A valid passport is required for this trip.
