We started our experiences today by visiting a tulip farm in South Holland called De Tulperij. The farm is a small family-owned business that has been operating for three generations. The farm specializes in the production of flower bulbs such as Tulips and hyacinths. The farm does not grow the plants exclusively for their flowers, but rather for their bulbs which customers purchase and plant themselves. These bulbs can also be shipped all over Europe and the world.
While visiting the small farm, we were able to gain insight into how the bulbs are grown and how the traditional Dutch system of canals, dikes, and locks allows for flood control and irrigation. Canals surround the farm fields on three sides, and these canals have a natural flow that allows for rainwater to drain without flooding the land. The canals also continuously supply the ground with water, and because the plants are seeded in a soft sandy soil, water is naturally absorbed into the ground without the need for extra energy to be expended in its distribution.
We also learned about how vulnerable flower and bulb variants are. During the growing processes, certain flowers will develop diseases. These diseases often lead to flowers that are more visibly striking, but that are not viable in the long term. These flowers are extremely regulated and they musted be removed immediately upon discovery, or the farmer will incur a fine. Below is an example of a diseased flower surrounded by healthy ones.
Today we also had the pleasure of visiting a community in the north of Amsterdam called Schoonschip, which is the most sustainable floating community in Europe. The community consists of 30 floating structures that contain 46 homes that house 140 people, with most of those who live there being families. The community was started six years ago and is located on an old industrial canal at the site of a former aircraft builder.
The original residents of the project partnered together to get the proper permits and permissions to construct their homes, and then they established a set of sustainable standards that each home must meet, both in terms of construction and continued operation. For example, most of the homes are constructed out of different forms of wood, and they often include live roofs and walls of plants. The majority of the homes are heated and cooled using the properties of the water in the canal and they gain their power from a system of solar panels. Getting to explore the community was wonderful and we were able to see first-hand how partnership and compromise are integral to creating the sustainable communities of the future.
