GulleGaard Zelfoogstboerderij

The Kruisbos has been a CSA self-harvesting farm in Kalmthout since 2018, and since 2025 we have called our field GulleGaard. GulleGaard is possible because it can rent land from De Landgenoten. De Landgenoten buys agricultural land to rent to organic farmers. In this way, they give organic farmers the opportunity to start up, expand, secure or make their farms more sustainable without having to bear the increasing financial burden themselves. To purchase these lands, De Landgenoten collects, donations from sympathisers and money from shareholders.
GulleGaard operates according to the principles of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). Here, farmers and consumers form a community. In exchange for a member contribution, participants receive a share of the harvest. The farmers provide healthy, ecologically sound vegetables and fruit.

Since GulleGaard is a self-harvesting farm, the contribution in kg/year to objective ‘Crops and animal products‘ is unknown.

Crops and animal products

• Follow the natural production seasons: no heated and/or large-scale greenhouses; follow natural growing/milking/breeding seasons, …
• Promote short and local supply and production chains, with as few imports as possible.
• Use biodiversity-inclusive production methods: rotation of crops/fruit trees, mixed cropping, agroforestry/ecology, no pesticides or chemicals, organic/rational production, nature-based solutions, …
• Develop the land by incorporating biodiversity and provide an area dedicated to biodiversity (e.g. additional flowerbeds, permanent plant cover, no tillage/mowing/management in specific areas, insect hotels).
• Have respect for and/or improve the environmental and ecological characteristics of the area.
• Incorporate these practices into the surrounding environment (e.g. promote ecological continuity) to reduce their negative impact on the land.

Farmers take care of soil management, planting and seeding, weeding and hoeing.