The experimental farm

One of the projects in the Field will be an experimental vegetable field ran by a group of plant science students. Their intention is to put the theoretical knowledge gained by their study into practice in the Field.

The soil in the Field had been heavily disturbed (and mixed with building sand) due to all the construction over the past few years. As a result the soil currently has poor structure and low fertility. This however offers a wonderful opportunity to gain first-hand knowledge and experience about soil regenerative growing techniques.

The students have chosen to focus on six families of vegetables and will have a mix of varieties in order to see what does well in the Field. They will highlight varieties of the Fabaceae (Leguminosae) family because of the nitrogen fixing potential and because 2016 is the international year of the pulses. In addition to experimenting with different varieties they will also be experimenting with innovative fertilization techniques and plant-plant interactions.

If you are interested in learning more about what these ambitious students are planning or want to be involved in one of the experiments, send an email to wageningenstudentfarm@gmail.com

You can also find out more about Wageningen Student Farm by checking out their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/wageningenstudentfarm/.