Grower of speciality edible flowers, herbs and greens

Gelderland

19 reviews • Updated 11 months ago

NON-EU? WORK VISA REQUIRED Recently the Dutch labour inspection paid us a visit, and during that visit we learned that work exchange is considered work according to the law in the Netherlands. This means that to be able to do a work exchange here on our farm, you need to hold a visa that allows working in the Netherlands. If you do not have this, please do not apply because we cannot host you. If we do, we risk a hefty fine! No exceptions :) -- Welcome! Nice to meet you :) What do we do? We supply high end restaurants with edible flowers, herbs and greens grown here on the farm. Throughout the season we grow around 40 different crops for sale. In addition to this we grow what we like to eat (neat to have a veggie garden inside of a production farm, as our farm sadly is too small to grow vegetables commercially). We also supply herbs and mushrooms foraged out in the Dutch 'wilderness.' In addition to this, we host workshops in plant foraging, mushroom foraging, and shellfish foraging. There's a lot going on! This farm is truly unique. A wealth of flavours, smells, colours and textures. If you like food, and want to expand your horizon, then you really ought to come and see. We work with modern market gardening tools, using modern market gardening techniques. If you are into farming and want to experience a highly diversified farm churning out quality produce, then you really ought to come and see. We are happy to teach you all that you need to know. Farming experience is not necessary! We like to work with people that have a positive attitude, and are willing to learn and develop their farming skills. We work mostly outside, rain or sunshine, you just never know what the day will bring here in the Netherlands. You will harvest lots of flowers and herbs, help us stop weeds from taking over, tend to the animals, plant seedlings, clear beds that we have finished cropping, cook some of the staff lunches, preserve farm-grown produce and help with odd-jobs whenever they arise around the farm. Towards the end of your stay, you will be able to join on one of the delivery runs to see the amazing restaurants where our food ends up (and have a little taste if chefs are feeling generous), you will also be able to join on one or more of the foraging workshops, depending on spaces available. We have a morning coffee break, and serve a fantastic farm lunch with eggs from our chooks, great bread and farm-fresh veg and herbs. Accommodation is an old wagon converted into living quarters, whereas the kitchen, toilet, and shower are located in the main barn where we host our workshops. In the evenings you can take a dip in a phenomenal swimming lake nearby, or test your hand at cooking up some good stuff with what is around on the farm. In the weekends you get to explore the Netherlands! Sounds like a match? I am looking forward to hear from you!

Learning opportunities

Vegetable farming

Raising of other farm animals

Beekeeping

Wild foraging

Flower farming

Aromatic or medicinal plants, teas

Meat processing

Vegetable or fruit preservation

Methods or systems

No-till farming

Permaculture

Regenerative agriculture

Host type

Production farm

1.2 Hectares | 3 Acres

WWOOF-Verified

Accommodation

2 WWOOFers

Camper / RV

Cabin / Mobile-home

Children not accepted

Pets not accepted

Meals

Omnivore

Vegetarian

Length of stay

3-4 weeks

Over a month

Edwin

Member since 2019

Languages spoken: Dutch, English Response rate: 96% Response time: typically within 2 days

November 2025

Open

Planned visit

Closed

MapLibre | Protomaps | © OpenStreetMap

Gelderland

Nijmegen

Reviews

Anna

France • September 2025

Edwin accepted me at the Casa Foresta farm for a three-week stay in August. The days start at 7:30 a.m. with the head gardener giving a briefing, assigning the various tasks for the day to everyone. At 10:30 a.m., there is a coffee break, and lunch is at noon. Lunch must be prepared by the woofers present. The day ends at 3:00 p.m. Two days a week are devoted to harvesting various flowers and leaves to deliver to certain restaurants. Another Dutch person comes in for these two days. The rest of the time is spent weeding, removing plants that are no longer useful, and redoing the beds to replant other plants. I also had the opportunity to make syrup with blackcurrants harvested the previous month. If you stay on the farm, Edwin expects you to work 35 hours a week. He is quite strict and likes resourceful people who know to make decisions and take initiatives. When Edwin is not stressed, he is very generous and grateful. Otherwise, he likes to chat and share his knowledge (he knows a lot about mushrooms). At the end of my stay, Edwin gave me some jars of food he had made himself, and I was allowed to leave with vegetables from the garden. Thanks again for that ! Overall, it was pretty nice, but it can get repetitive if you stay longer. Especially since I was already quite used to this environment. Otherwise, the space is pretty, and there is a lake 5 minutes away by bike and another 15 minutes away where horses and cows roam freely.

Frederick

Netherlands • April 2025

My time at Casa Foresta was truly unique. In just 2 weeks I got to learn so much about edible plants and flowers, new cooking recipes and ideas that I hadn't heard about before. I have left this farm with a very positive view as I feel that I have grown at Casa Foresta, becoming more knowledgeable and resilient through the hours of daily work. Edwin's farm is one of a kind, it has been incredibly interesting to become a member of the team for a short period of time and live like one more amongst Casa Foresta. Even though it wasn't very easy at first to get accustomed to the pace of the farm, within a short period of time and support from other volunteers and employees you might surpirse yourself by how fast you can catch up! Overall, I had an amazing experience, eating delicious organic food, joining workshops, admiring the surrounding environment, and of course, learning a lot through the work.

Doris

Canada • December 2024

It has been a great 6 weeks WWOOFing experience at the farm! I was there for 4 weeks in summer and returned for 2 weeks in autumn. During 6 weeks I have learn much about herbs and edible flowers and their culinary potential. Rein was willing to share and explain the reasons behind tasks required on the farm, rational of bed layout and many more. He's always patient to an inexperienced farmer like me. Work can be physically demanding sometime(well...of course, farm work!) but getting to perform a variety of tasks offered me the opportunity to get the most out of my stay. (And still have time and energy to cycling around.) Lucky me, I was there at the right time and got to participate in different foraging workshops, headed to the shore for shellfish and into the woods for plants and mushrooms. Edwin encouraged me and made sure that I had a worthwhile time during this exchange. Thank you! It's the hard work that made unique farm happens and grows. It was a wonderful time to remember. There's always something more to learn! Love this WWOOFing experience and would recommend!

Soomin

South Korea • April 2024

It was my first time Wwoofing, and I loved it! Rein is kind and patient. Even if you don’t have experience in farming he will explain everything step by step. He tried to give me diverse tasks to enrich my farming experience. I got to feed animals(cat, chickens, ducks, and sheep), seed, harvest, weed, and prepare beds for plants. You will get to experience farming indoors and outdoors. Also, if you are lucky in the right season, Edwin will take you foraging! Edwin carries around vast energy, pushing things forward. I attended one of his workshops, and the walk in the park was extraordinary. I felt he was nature's spokesman, explaining not only the edible plants but also the animals and the history of trees. Indeed, it wasn’t easy in the beginning to adapt to all the physical activities of a farmer, but once I got used to it, everything became more fun! Last but not least, it was also lovely to eat fresh produce from the farm and discover new tastes!

Savevone

United States • January 2024

I volunteered at Casa Foresta in September and I highly recommend. There was a nice blend of cultural exchange, farm learnings, and independence. Also, there weren't many days with rain during this time, 🙌. That clay soil gets slippery when wet! This stay was my very first WWOOFing experience, so I wasn't exactly sure what to expect. Compared to other farms I've now volunteered at, the accommodations are nice (Hot shower, electricity, full kitchen, caravan for sleeping, acess to common area outside of with hours, bike, public transit nearby, decent location). The amount of cultural exchange is great 👍 Edwin and Rein make sure you get your fair share of Dutch and some Indonesian cuisine. Definitely take Rein's suggestions on spots to visit. Joren bakes some awesome breads and knows a lot about the local architecture. Joost knows bees. The local volunteers at the farm are top tier 👌 Daphne and Lisbeth are the best The skills that I picked up include harvest techniques to maximize shelf life, drying herbs, seeding, transplanting, various weeding techniques, low till, soup and sausage making, some mushroom and wild edible identification, some foraging, minor animal husbandry and beekeeping. Sometimes they aren't forthcoming with this info, so if you're interested in something, ask! The one thing I wish I'd known from the beginning is that I was expected to make lunch to share everyday and that there was a set meal schedule. Knowing upfront would have eased some anxiety

Salvatore

Italy • November 2023

I was at Edwin’s farm in March and April together with my fiancée Uma, and it was my first farm experience and I will bring it with me for ever. The work expected from you is around 6.5 hours a day, broken up by a tea break and a lunch break. The amount of things you learn, the stiffness of the rhythm and the well oiled routine are unmatched by other farms we have been at in the months following. If you consider to be a farmer, this is by far the best place where you can learn about the subject and be exposed to a real farming routine. Edwin is brilliant, creative, always expects the most from you but is very generous in giving back. I hope to be back to visit. Honestly, a must try, a specialized, and profitable market garden. I don’t know how things went after we left but I hope the foraging part of the experience, by far the most unique and remarkable, have stayed as a centerpiece of the wwoofing experience. Mind blowing that value can be created from everyday scenarios if you have the right eye for it. I’ve learned a lot and I want to thank Edwin, Valentijn (that left little after us) and Rein for our time there. I would say that it isn’t exactly what you would go for if you hope to have a very soft day, spend time in a family and bear little to no work load, but under the productive aspect of farming it is a challenge to not miss!