– Days full of highlights –

The FAF #5 in Utrecht was powerful experience, with lots of great talks, moments of joy together with great people, learning about building alternative food systems and taking down the destructive ones. Grounded who gave us their beautiful space and supported us with a lot of logistics helped a lot to make this possible. The workshops were as abundant as the flowers in the fields which were listening together with us the stories, facts and imaginations. 

On Friday we kicked of the FAF #5  in Utrecht with a farm tour to the CSA Tuin Kansrijk where we learned about their philosophy and way of cultivating food and learned from their trials and errors they generously shared with us. In the evening the online talks given by FIAN Belgium on the newly set up Landbouwbrigades Belgium (here you can find the talk) and the Agroforestry Experimental Farm Xfarm in Italy showed resistance and alternatives against the corporate agriculture system. And what could be a better way to end the first day of a Food Autonomy Festival than collecting food that would otherwise go to waste and join and learn from the amazing Dumpster Divers in Utrecht.

Saturday – Education, sun, people, food, music – everything you need for a good live

On Saturday morning we all gathered early to prepare the location to welcome our lovely attendees and other participants. The location at an old fort was amazing and in no time the infostand, self made beer brewery, the workshop spaces, the kitchen, a cozy chillout space and many more things were set up. We started the day with envisioning food systems for degrowth and protecting and cultivating Dutch peat lands and from that moment onwards the workshop spaces were not going to be empty for the majority of the day. There was a buzzing energy of people coming to learn and exchange about natural fertilizers and bees. While the first workshops were happening, Taste Before You Waste Utrecht was busy cooking and so we had a tasty lunch to nourish us for all the workshops to come. In the afternoon we discussed different responses to the climate crisis and transforming the food system as well as learning about the Sluit Vion! campaign and coming together for a reading group on making veganism more intersectional. The last workshops of this day were on DIY Food Distribution prepared by the Food Coop VOKO and a Story Sharing on a Food Forest. 

Throughout the day when there was a moment to spare you could also check out the freeshop corner, the anarchist library and zine stand by The Barricade or make your own Wormhotel! And in the ArtLab you could surrender to the sensorial Food Experience and explore your artistic side in the scanography workshop. After the FAF they turned their art into artivism with a little stickering and postering action at Albert Heijn!

Not visible at first sight because it was happening off site, there were people joining  the Traveling Farm Museum for a Tour to a microgreenery and you could take a walk with people from Amelisweerd Niet Geasfalteerd through the forest to learn more about the past and present of resistance against the expansion of the A27.

In the evening Your Local Pirates blessed us with their inspiring, heartfelt revolutionary songs and the sun was wrapping us and the flowers around us in golden light as we enjoyed our dinner. In the meanwhile Beatreece’s Circus was preparing for their performance which left many of us speechless. With trapez, aerial silks, dance and fire they told a story of oppression, the toxic system we are seemingly locked in but also a story of hope, of strength and collective liberation. 

A big thanks to all the people who helped us in the weeks leading up to, during, and after the FAF. Thanks to all those who contributed with a workshop, talk, care or otherwise, those who cooked and performed and also all of you who came to attend the festival. This would not have been possible without all your energy & enthusiasm!

Find the report on the Amsterdam FAF here.

Find the report on the Wageningen FAF here.

If you are interested to read more about the workshops that were given throughout both weekends, click here.

A huge thank you to ALERT youth fund for supporting us financially! You can support their important work here.

Thank you also to LUSH for their financial support!