Toon and Lies Klomp
In 1980, Toon and Lies Klomp started a small farm. At first they earned their living from pigs, bulls and a few vegetables. After building a small greenhouse, they began growing more and more forgotten vegetables. After a lot of experimenting, the Klomp family has settled on the following vegetables:
About 10 years ago, Toon and Lies came across an unusual kind of cabbage: cavolo nero. Out of curiosity, they ordered cavolo nero seeds, and the cabbage grew very well. That is how their passion for ‘forgotten vegetables’ began. The harvest of forgotten vegetables usually starts in September and runs through to February, but the work goes on all year. There is sowing to be done, and lifting is often done in stages.
Toon and Lies try to grow as sustainably as possible. For example, cabbage is grown on the same plot only once every five years. This way, soil organisms that are harmful to cabbage do not get the chance to damage the roots. The spacing between plants is also wider than usual. This lets more wind through, so the plants dry better and less mould develops. Klomp also practises circular farming and works mainly without machines.
