Erwin Westers

Erwin Westers manages Horaholm, a 120-hectare regenerative farm on the north coast of the Netherlands, where he works alongside his father and wife. The family farm converted to organic in 2000, but Erwin soon felt that “organic wasn’t enough” — he wanted to grow food with minimal inputs and maximum nutritional value. In 2006 he began implementing regenerative practices, and in 2020 the farm became fully biodynamic (Demeter certified).

Today, Horaholm focuses on living soil systems, including undersowing and mulch-growing techniques, diverse crop rotations, advanced composting, mineral balancing, and on-farm biological preparations such as ferments and teas. The result is resilient soils and nutrient-dense vegetables. The farm also produces more than ten varieties of biodynamic vegetable and flower seeds, specifically selected to perform well in low-input regenerative systems.

Beyond his own fields, Erwin is co-founder of the Dutch Regenerative Alliance, a foundation that connects farmers, researchers, and practitioners to accelerate the transition toward regenerative agriculture in the Netherlands. He also works with leading German-speaking soil experts to help bring their pioneering insights — often under-represented in the English-speaking world — into wider European practice.