Tulip time

EcoTulips founders Jeroen and Keriann come out the farm to plant more than 25,000 organic bulbs.

The cut flower industry is infamous for drowning their product in pesticides, fungicides and other chemicals. Bulb production is just as toxic to environmental and human health. Jeroen and Keriann Koeman are working to change all that—awakening the American bulb-buyer to a new way of gardening. They started EcoTulips a few years ago, importing their first organically-grown bulbs in 2009. More recently, they’ve partnered with us on the Your 2 Cents program to help grow more organic farmers.
 
This past fall, we welcomed them out to the farm to plant 25,000 organic bulbs. Rodale Institute staff worked side-by-side with Jeroen and Keriann to get a few thousand in the ground before an unseasonable storm dumped eight inches of snow on our fields!

EcoTulips bulbs waiting to be planted.

Prepping the beds.

Adding the bulbs.

Keriann and Jeroen.

Neatening the rows.

Rodale Institute staff work side-by-side 
with Jeroen and Keriann.

 
Jeroen's family explains the traditional Dutch method
for tucking in the bulbs. From left to right: Jeroen, Jan Koeman (father),
Nic Langedijk (uncle), Mieke Koeman (mother), and Truus Langedijk (aunt).

Jeroen, Jan and Nic dig a trench, line up the bulbs, move the board
back one board-width and dig another trench, using the dirt from
the second trench to cover the bulbs in the first trench.
The process is repeated until the bed is planted.

We’re looking forward to being able to sell organic EcoTulips bulbs to our visitors and planning our very own Tulip Festival sometime in April. The date is dependent on the weather and when the bulbs decide it is time to bloom!

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