Volunteering in Amsterdam-Noord

Grow with us in Amsterdam-Noord

Learn to grow mushrooms on a working city farm. From Monday to Friday you work with our crew on the NoordOogst terrain.

Apply

Why we do this

Tuintje van Adam has grown mushrooms in the city, for the city, since 2020. They go fresh to more than fifty Amsterdam restaurants and to our neighbours.

We want to become a permanent part of Amsterdam's food system, and we're not doing it alone. With a close crew of volunteers, more Amsterdammers learn how their food grows in the city.

What you'll do

  • Inoculate substrate bags
  • Harvest and sort
  • Clean and prepare the grow rooms

It's physical work in cool, humid rooms. Where mushrooms grow and are harvested, you wear an FFP2 mask. Machines and steam stay with our own team.

What you'll learn

  1. Starter

    first month

    Harvesting, sorting, cleaning, hygiene and safety.

  2. Grower

    months 2 and 3

    Inoculation, spotting contamination, what each species needs. Then you get your certificate.

  3. Crew lead

    from month 4

    You open and close the day and help newcomers find their feet.

What you gain

  • Knowledge of the whole growing process, from people who do it every day
  • Mushrooms to take home, and coffee and lunch at the farm
  • A certificate after three months

A day at the farm

Monday to Friday from 10:00 to 18:00, at Meteorenweg 272 on the NoordOogst terrain. You book blocks of 2 hours and stack them up to 8 hours in one day; this is what a full day looks like.

  1. 09:45Coffee and a catch-up
  2. 10:00Day plan: who does what
  3. 10:15Work
  4. 12:15Lunch together
  5. 12:45Short lesson, then back to work
  6. 18:00Clean up and close

How it works

  1. Apply

    It takes a few minutes.

  2. We read your application

    We read every application ourselves and reply within 3 working days. Then you sign the agreements and book your first day.

  3. Your first day

    With a buddy who shows you the ropes for your first days.

  4. Book your own days

    From then on you pick your days in our calendar.

Something else?

Good at content, photography, design, tech or events? Choose 'A project with my skills' in the questionnaire and tell us what you'd like to do. We'll agree on a concrete project together, with a start and an end.

Questions

Do I need experience?

No. Curiosity and a wish to work with your hands are enough.

How much time does it take?

That's up to you. You book blocks of 2 hours, from Monday to Friday, and stack them up to 8 hours in one day. Coming regularly is the best way to learn the craft, but it's not a must. You can always stop.

Do I get paid?

No, volunteering with us is unpaid.

Do I need to speak Dutch?

No, English is fine.

Can I come on Saturdays?

At the farm we work from Monday to Friday. On Saturdays we run workshops and sometimes need help there.

I have asthma or allergies. Can I join?

Check with your GP first: mushroom spores can cause symptoms.

From what age?

18 and up.

How does my first visit go?

Your first visit starts at 10:00 with a safety briefing: where the emergency exits, the first-aid kit and the fire extinguisher are.

How do I cancel a day?

Give your booking back in My bookings in the club. Up to 24 hours before, that is free; giving it back later or not turning up counts as a strike. At three strikes in three months, booking is paused.

Apply

You apply in our volunteer club: log in with your shop account or with Google and fill in a short questionnaire.

Go to the application

Questions? Email us at info@tuintjevanadam.nl.