A group of friends from Burin village did not have any previous experience in agriculture, but shared a vision for changing their economic realities and job dependencies as well as a patriotic conviction to protect their village lands from the surrounding illegal Israeli settlements. This is particularly relevant considering their village’s vulnerability to daily settlers’ attacks and aggression. This is how the idea behind Land Lovers' farm was sparked. The initiative succeeded and the farm was expanded with dedication and belief of its members in cooperative work and connection to the land.
The farm (Land Lovers) was started in January 2017 when one of the members provided an area of his land for wheat cultivation. Settler aggression, and ruining of crops by wild boars, affected the progress of the farm but it did not succeed in deterring them from continuing their work and fulfilling their vision. They deducted part of their monthly incomes from their original jobs to expand and build greenhouses on nearby lands they had rented. Within a period of two years of continuous and diligent work, the area of cultivation extended from one and a half dunums to 14 dunums, where they cultivated many crops including thyme, sage, tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchinis, cabbage, cauliflower, and leafy greens. The farm relies on rain-fed and irrigated agriculture and is gradually seeking to achieve an integrated, diversified and chemical-free production.
The founders of the farm -Mohammad, Mamoun, Jafar, Hisham, Basheer, Waheeb, and Ghassan- believe in the importance of finding direct channels to market their products, stemming from the principle of fair prices for both producer and consumer, in addition to strengthening the relationship of trust between the farmer and buyer. The farm invites those who are interested to visit and harvest crops themselves in addition to marketing the products in Burin and neighbouring villages (Asira Al Qibliyah and Huwara) at a price lower than the market price. Also, when possible, they deliver orders via their Facebook page to areas like Ramallah.
The farm, like many farms in Palestine, faces challenges related to the high cost of water, so they decided, as a partial solution, to install a 350 cubic-meter rainwater farm pond. Also, to overcome time constraints related to their commitment to day jobs, the owners connected the farm with electricity to enable them to work at night, which reflects their dedication and belief in the idea.
The farm welcomes visits of all interested persons, volunteers, and buyers with great love and generosity.
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Product Availability: Year-round
Volunteering opportunities: During planting preparations, planting and harvesting times, as well as marketing.
Product Selling Points:
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On-site.
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Huwara: Kiosk on the main street, in addition to a number of groceries in the town.
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Asira Al Qibliyah: Seasonal produce sold at a kiosk in front of the town Mosque.
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Via Facebook.