The Lighthouse
A working farm where horses replace tractors — and teach others to do the same.
What it is
Near Enschede, a 3–5 hectare demonstration farm shows a viable low-fossil-fuel future. Horses do the plowing, harrowing, mowing, and carting. Regenerative practices build the soil.
This farm is currently in development. The land, the horses, and the workshops described here are the vision we're building toward — and we're looking for board members to help make it real.
Interested in shaping this project? Get in touch / link to contact
How It Works-Horses + Regenerative Practices.
Horses do the work.
Horses handle the full range of work — plowing, harrowing, mowing, carting — replacing fossil fuels with grass-powered labor. Lighter horses and single-horse hitches show how smaller operations can integrate horse power without a large draft team.
Regenerative systems replace synthetic inputs.
Rotational sheep grazing, an orchard with understory grazing, pasture-raised chickens and ducks, garden plots, hedgerows, ponds, and biodiversity plantings. Manure, compost, and cover crops gradually rebuild soil fertility.
Modern horse-keeping.
Track systems, herd companionship, and constant forage keep the animals healthy and willing partners — not worn-out tools.
Learning by Doing
Paid workshops, demonstrations, and training days for farmers, students, and the public. Topics include:
- Horse training for farm work
- Regenerative grazing
- Animal care and horse-keeping
- Soil health and low-fossil-fuel farm design
Built to Last
The farm is supported through a combination of earned income, grants, subsidies, and donations. Revenue streams include:
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Workshop and training fees
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Garden plot rentals
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Wool and egg sales
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Partnerships with care facilities
This mix keeps the farm focused on its core mission: horses, regenerative agriculture, and education.
What we are doing now
In its current phase (2026), The Lighthouse is focused on pilot projects and collaborations, learning by doing and gaining real-world experience together.
Right now we are actively looking for BOARD MEMBERS.
The Lighthouse projects
The Lighthouse functions as an umbrella project until it finds its permanent site.
It takes shape through a small number of connected, real-world initiatives that explore learning, land, and community in different ways.
Right now (2026), the Lighthouse has two main project streams: community-based gatherings (a women’s group) and a small-scale regenerative comparison plot project.
Enschede Sister Circle 2026
The first project of the Lighthouse is a bi-monthly women’s group hosted in collaboration with a local nonprofit (FRIDA book cafe). Started in January of 2026, this group focuses on connection, reflection, and shared learning, and forms part of The Lighthouse’s community-building work.
More info about Enschede Sister Circle on the website, CLICK HERE
Comparison Plot Project 2026
Three plots, same crops (corn, sunflowers, squash, peas, flowers) — but managed differently: conventional tillage, heavy mulch, and living roots.
This garden is about observing, comparing, and learning what the land can teach us.
It's the first step of The Lighthouse's broader vision for ecological stewardship, starting now even before the permanent home is built.
Follow along with this project CLICK HERE
Why Twente? Why Horses?
Conventional arable and dairy farms in the Netherlands rely heavily on fossil fuels and synthetic inputs. Many farmers know things need to change — but it's not always clear what a viable alternative looks like in practice.
This farm is a place to learn, experience, make mistakes, and share. We're figuring out what a lower-input, horse-centered farm can look like — and we're doing it openly, so others can learn from both our successes and our failures.
Mission
To create a place where people:
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Learn by doing
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Understand natural systems
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Contribute to land restoration
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Apply these principles in other contexts
Principles
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Work with natural systems, not against them
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Build soil, biodiversity, and resilience
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Integrate animals as functional parts of the ecosystem
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Reduce and remove fossil fuel dependence
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Share knowledge openly
About the Founder, Noa
My background brings together community-based work, education, and years of tending to land and animals. I studied natural horsemanship along with equine behavior and psychology. I have spent years independently learning about regenerative agriculture and ecology.
I do not present myself as a soil scientist or agricultural consultant. My role at The Lighthouse is to act as an initiator, host, and facilitator—creating space where people can engage directly with the land and where those with practical expertise can share their knowledge in ways that are accessible and applicable.
The Lighthouse comes from a continuing fascination with how land, learning, nature, and community shape one another. When people learn through lived experience—especially in community—it transforms the way they care for the places around them.
Who this is for
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People who want to learn practical land skills
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Volunteers
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Professionals (ecology, agriculture, education, construction)
Current needs
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Hands-on help (setup + land work)
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Knowledge and guidance
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Core contributors-BOARD MEMBERS
Current Board Needs
I'm looking for 3-4 people to fill these roles. You may cover more than one, or we may find multiple people for one area:
Legal / Governance
Experience with Dutch Stichting setup, ANBI application, nonprofit governance
Finance / Treasurer
Nonprofit accounting, budgeting, financial reporting, grant compliance
Agriculture Advisor
Practical knowledge of regenerative agriculture, grazing systems, soil health
Fundraising / Communications
Grant writing, crowdfunding, donor relations, social media strategy
Click here for more information about joining the BOARD
Learning together, in community, helps turn environmental concern into practical action
Get in touch
If you’re interested in collaborating, sharing knowledge, or learning together, please reach out. I look forward to hearing from you!
Contact Founder and Director of Operations, Noa,
via email at theLighthouseNL@gmail.com
or by WhatsApp 0628120767
