From Soldier to Soil Steward

After a career in the military, Howard Koster was searching for a path that aligned with his values. Initially, he considered working in nature conservation, but after diving deeper into the topic, he realized that to feed a global population of 9 billion, we must shift our food production systems to work with nature—not against it. At the age of 36, he took action, enrolling in a master’s in Organic Agriculture at Wageningen University.

A Farm That Belongs to the People

For many new farmers like Howard, the biggest barrier to entering agriculture is access to land, which is both expensive and requires significant financing. Thanks to the grassroots citizen cooperative Land van Ons, Howard and his partner were able to take over 25 hectares in the Duffelt, in the eastern Netherlands, near the German border.

The ownership structure of de Biesterhof ensures that the farm remains dedicated to its mission rather than individual financial gain. Similar to a Community Land Trust, the farm is not privately owned for profit but held for the benefit of the community and the land itself. As part of this model, Howard and his two core team members receive a transparent fee for their labor, ensuring fairness while maintaining full accountability. This approach reassures supporters that any contributions—whether through voluntary work or donations—go directly toward the farm’s growth, rather than into personal profit, now or in the future.

Turning a Dairy Farm into a Food Forest

Since taking over the farm, de Biesterhof has been radically transformed from a conventional dairy farm into a regenerative farm that produces food for human consumption with a strong focus on plant-based proteins. They operate a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) market garden, providing fresh vegetables to their community. They have also implemented an 8-hectare alley cropping system, integrating plum, hazelnut, and apple trees with 36-meter-wide strips of arable land, and have planted over 8,000 trees in hedgerows. Currently, they are in the process of planting a 5-hectare food forest, further enhancing biodiversity.

While de Biesterhof holds organic certification, they implemented regenerative practices such as no-till because they believe farming is a never-ending journey of continuous improvement. As Howard puts it, “From increasing biodiversity to decreasing the use of fossil fuels, regenerative agriculture has been a more inviting journey. It’s offered us the opportunity to challenge ourselves to do even better and have an even greater impact.”