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Frank de Koning

Hi, my name is Frank de Koning and I grow organic and biodynamic (Demeter) tomatoes, peppers, aubergines and bok choy under the transparency system of Nature & More. Wild Wonder tomatoes are my specialty. Thank you for buying my vegetables!

I own three greenhouses in Tinte, a small town in the south-west part of the Netherlands, close to the famous Delta project. This huge construction was built to protect the south-west part of the Netherlands from the sea, since we live below sea level here. In 1989, I started growing conventional vine cucumbers and tomatoes. However I realized that conventional production on rock wool did not give me the quality I was looking for. Changing to organic cultivation was therefore a natural choice. I specialize in growing unusual and heirloom varieties of tomatoes which we call “Wild Wonders”. It’s a mix of varieties from all over the world. They’re a big hit and a great way to bring the idea of biodiversity to peoples attention. All my produce is packed in compostable materials from renewable sources!

The marketing of my products takes place via Nautilus Organic.

Interview with Frank de Koning

N&M: Can you tell us something about switching to organic methods?
Frank: In the beginning it was hard to achieve a successful result. It took much longer than we anticipated before we could achieve a balanced ecosystem in the soil as well as in the greenhouse. You can imagine that the production results were disappointing in the first year and we lost a lot of money. But now we achieved this balance which is essential to make the plants and the soil stronger and more resistant. It is more enjoyable to grow on real soil instead of rock wool and not to rely on chemical products.

N&M: And how are your results now?
Frank: We are doing great. We managed to get healthy plants for four years in a row. As a result the yield is high and the tomatoes are nice in shape and have an excellent flavor. We also had good results with growing tasty peppers last year. At the moment we are growing 7 different varieties of peppers and 20 different varieties of tomatoes. They all have their particular color, shape and taste.

N&M: Why did you start with the Wild Wonders project?
Frank: After originating in South America, tomatoes spread throughout the world. You can imagine that the tomatoes in Siberia or in Asia are very different from the tomatoes here. But in the supermarket you always see the same varieties. Back in 2003, we selected 58 different varieties from all over the world. Eventually we chose ten of the smaller varieties and that’s how “Wild Wonders started!

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soil

Organic greenhouse cultivation means: real soil. A healthy soil is the foundation for a healthy food chain. No fertilizer or chemical pesticides or herbicides are used, so the soil is full of life and biodiversity. Frank keeps the soil healthy with crop rotation and application of compost. The benefits of compost use are huge. Water management of the soil is improved. Biodiversity is increased. Diseases are suppressed. And good composting means carbon sequestration, which reduces greenhouse gas emission. In short, composting creates a fertile soil and is good for the climate.

True Cost of Food - pears

Conventional cost: € 1.163
Organic benefit: € 254
=> Organic benefit for society: € 1.417

* Cost comparison per hectare per ye

biodiversity

Organic farming stimulates animal biodiversity. No synthetic insecticides are used, which is much better for bees and other insects. The use of compost increases the number of micro-organisms, earth worms, spiders and all kinds of insects in the soil. Frank keeps lice under control by introducing insects into the greenhouse that will eat the lice. Lady bugs, parasitic wasps and predator mites are some of his best helpers. An insect with a very different function is the bumble bee.

These hard workers pollinate the flowers of the tomato plants. Bumble bees are much more effective in the greenhouse than honey bees since they can work at lower temperatures and need less light. They are very disciplined workers too! As far as agro-biodiveristy is concerned, Frank de Koning’s farm is organic, so it’s GMO-free. He grows “Wild wonder” tomatoes which are a mix of ten different varieties of plants, from the 18th century “Brown berry” from Russia to the light yellow “Snowberry”.

individual

Tomatoes are a valuable source of food minerals and vitamins, particularly vitamins A and C.
Red bell peppers have more than twice the vitamin C of a green pepper. Bell peppers are a good source of Vitamin A.
Eggplants are a very good source of fiber.
Bok Choy is rich in folic acid and vitamin K.

Every year 20.000 to 340.000 farmworkers die of pesticide poisoning and 1 to 5 million farmworkers get sick from it. In organic cultivation no chemical-synthetic pesticides are used and significantly less pesticide residues are found on organic products in the store. Research indicates (Fantke & Jolliet, 2016) that this also has a health effect for consumers. In short, we can say with confidence that organic fruits and vegetables, on the average, are healthier. And that also goes for our organic tomatoes and bell peppers.

society

Individual development and empowerment leads to freedom which is the basis for all progress. One of the most important key performance indicators under “Freedom” is employee training. Frank: “When a new employee joins us, he or she is accompanied by a more experienced worker and consequently learns about all aspects of the business”. When it comes to the individual tasks that need to be performed Frank is flexible: “Generally we have people who are specialized in a specific field but everyone in the team knows that if they want to work on a different task that that can be arranged. A good atmosphere, a motivated team that work respectfully with each other, are the key to success.

I am very proud of the fact that many of our employees have been working here for a very long time and that once people come here, they stay !” When it comes to the local community, Frank likes to get involved: “Local schools come here to learn more about growing tomatoes, we sponsor the annual 4 day village festival and we also actively participate with the “kom in de kas” (visit the greenhouse) activities, whereby curious locals can learn about what happens inside the greenhouse”. Since Frank works according to Dutch and EU labor legislation, human rights issues, equal payment etc. are fully respected and adhered to.

climate

Frank is continuously looking for ways to limit his use of fossil fuels. He uses a Combined Heat & Power system that saves a lot of energy. Since CHP was first implemented in the late eighties, the concept has changed little: electricity is produced for the national grid by burning fuel; the resulting heat is used to heat the greenhouse. Additionally, the C02 is pumped into the greenhouse, where it is taken up by the plants for nearly 100%, avoiding emission. Frank also uses special screens in his greenhouses which help keep the warmth inside. The fact that no fertilizer and chemicals are used, also saves energy. A full life cycle carbon assessment was carried out in 2008.

CO₂-footprint (2008):
Tomatoes 2.869 kg CO2e/kg
Peppers 4.348 kg CO2e/kg

What does this mean
The footprint shows the amount of greenhouse gas emission for one kilogram of fruit, for the whole production process: from the greenhouse to the store. The average CO2 footprint for fruit is 3.4 CO2 / kg, according tot the Food Climate Research network. If you drive 10 km to work and back in a small car every day (Volkswagen Polo), you use 2.6 kg CO2 (depending on the age of the car).

water

Franks crops are irrigated with pure rainwater that is managed in a remarkable way. Frank collects the rain water in large basins. These are managed organically, with plants, snails and fish! This biodiverse system cleans and vitalizes the water, instead of sterilizing it. Frank installed six interconnected basins to implement this innovative system. The crops love it! (see the featured story about water for more info about this method).

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True Cost of Food - pears

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