Joining on the grapevine… 

Since the disruption of the food system, cooperative farms started to gain the upperhand in the Netherlands. Eindje Coop was one of the operating cooperative farm system in the city and suburbs of Eindhoven. The Netherlands has been producing more and more grapes due to climate change and 2028 was a big year, as Eindje Coop planted a large produce in 2024 and promised a large harvest for the coming year for everyone to enjoy.

Farmer Henk took a walk through his vineyard and plucked out one of the grapes and spat it out. It tasted sour. Upon further inspection, he found out that 90% of the produce didn’t taste good. Something must have gone wrong in the growing process.

Henk started to freak out: “Oh no! There will be a run on the grapes due to the limited availability. Is there any way to fix this? Who should receive the 10% of the good grapes that are left? Investors? The company that uses these grapes to make grape juice? The kids that haven’t tasted a grape before? It will be another year before the Grand Global Import will be there!”

As if distributing the remaining good ten percent wasn’t challenging enough, customers who received newsletters and updates about the upcoming grape harvest were beginning to raise voices and protesting amongst themselves to push the coop into fixing the situation.

At some point, people organized and started gathering around the farm of Farmer Henk, unhappy and disappointed. Shocked and in awe, Henk was trying to convince people to remain calm and that they could fix the situation. As he was talking to the crowd, someone shouted: “It’s not Henk’s fault, and it is all of our problems. Let’s fix this together and not let this produce go to waste!”

Suddenly, multiple voice started to come above:

“I can make raisin bread out of the sour grapes.” said a baker.

“Wait, I can roast the grapes! It will make them more sweet!” said the local chef.

“We can make pickled grapes, beer, kombucha, marmelade, or anything that involves fermentation!”

Together everyone has a large meal, with the locally made raisin bread, marmelade, pickled grapes and grape kombucha.