Origin
What started as a search for a motorhome shelter grew into a thriving project. Who could have predicted that? Rob certainly didn't.
During a cycling trip in 2016, he stumbled upon a piece of land near Maarschalkerweerd. The beauty of the land immediately caught his eye, even if it was somewhat deserted. He decided to knock on the door with a simple question: could he not only park his motorhome here, but also grow vegetables? The answer was yes.
From then on, something special happened. The place had a certain magic; whoever came there felt it. Rob started sowing the first plants as a hobbyist and without realising it, he laid the foundation for the Urban Farm.
"I bought a hundred pieces of all kinds of vegetables. Whether I knew what I was doing? No, definitely not. I saw a butterfly and thought: hey, what fun! But that's so not nice at all, it eats half your crop."
His sons often came along to the garden and were amazed. "Does a tomato taste like that? And that carrot, why does it still have green on it? In the supermarket, it's just orange!" Rob laughed and jokingly called them 'Stadsjochies'. And then the penny dropped: city boys learning to grow crops - it sounds unlikely, but it's exactly what we set out to do. Thus, Stadsjochies was born.
Urban Farm
What started as a city garden grew into a full-fledged cultivation company. Chefs soon knew where to find us for our cresses and in the following years, the 1.6-hectare site developed further.
We work with four cultivation methods: seasonal vegetables and herbs grow in the open field and in our unheated greenhouse. In our vertical farm we grow cresses, and in the permaculture tea garden we grow tea herbs and edible flowers. In total, we grow as many as 140 different crops.
Castle restaurant
Between 2018 and 2021, we were exclusively a cultivation company, but soon the desire to do more grew. Besides supplying the catering industry, we also wanted to introduce others to our products. Why not create a place where people could experience 'The taste of real' for themselves?
This is how the idea for our own tasting room was born. We renovated the old greenhouses and made space for a greenhouse in which we could establish a restaurant. In August 2021, this dream became a reality with the opening of our 'Glasshouse Restaurant'.
Here, we serve conscious dishes using homegrown products and local farmers. All with one aim: to reduce the ecological footprint and let our guests enjoy pure flavours, straight from nature.
Greenhouse shop
Our mission does not stop at the Closet Restaurant. We want not only to inspire, but also to facilitate. At Stadsjochies, nothing goes to waste.
From brewing our own beers to fermenting vegetables for the greenhouse shop, everything gets a use. Here, you can take home a piece of our Urban Farm and cook for yourself with ‘The taste of real’.
Making the extraordinary accessible, for everyone!