Legible Landscape

Legible Landscape is a land-art project in the area around the Marneslenk in the Pingjumer Gulden Halsband, Zurich in the Northern province of Friesland. LfM investigated this area and inrerviewed residents of the area. For example, a resident described that the landscape of his youth was particularly varied in terms of arable farming. He indicated that he missed colour, smell and structure in the landscape. The soil samples taken by the Groninger Institute for Archaeology also showed the presence of a large variation in old cultivated and industrial crops.

Legible Landscape is an experience path where plants are sown and harvested by residents of the Zuricher Oordpolder in consultation with LfM. At every bend, this meandering path takes you past new scents, colors and the biodiversity of the 'forgotten', contemporary and future Frisian agricultural crops that are grown at nose/eye level for this special sensory experience. For this purpose, two mini dikes have been constructed according to the 'HugelCultur' principle. This is a method in which the dikes are fed from the inside and kept wet with wood and compost. Between these dikes you walk on the shell path to the old barn where information and a QR code for the film about the project can be found. Welcome!

Partnerships and Salty vegetables

In 2024, De Utskoat Primary School from Pingjum and the Outdoor Class of Aeres VMBO and MBO Sneek helped with sowing and maintenance. Industrial crops of the future such as salty plants appear to do well on Leesbaar Landschap. Examples of these plants are: Sea kale, Sea aster, Sea banana, Sea fennel and Sea beet. The Salt Farm Foundation on Texel supplied these plants and shared knowledge for growing plants on salty soil.

From 2025

Art organisation the 'Laboratory for Microclimates' (Annechien Meier and Gert-Jan Gerlach) has been working on the LandArt art installation 'Legible Landscape' in Zurich (Fr) in recent years with the help of friends and residents on behalf of Stichting Gouden Land. From 2025, the maintenance of the project will be transferred to the residents of Zurich and the surrounding area, with an advisory role for LfM in the background.

Commissioned by Stichting Gouden Land with financial support from the Waddenfonds, Province of Friesland and Municipality of Sûdwest Fryslân. The location was made available by Wetterskip Fryslân.