Welcome to our series where we shine a spotlight on the fascinating individuals who make up the vibrant tapestry of the Beijing community. We’ll delve into the lives and stories of those who contribute to the richness and diversity of our city. Join us as we celebrate the unique talents, passions, and journeys of these remarkable individuals who call Beijing home.
My name is Morten Holm. I grew up in a tiny ‘outlying’ country (Denmark) in a family that was more out-sick than homesick, and which pursued a childhood packed with budget European camping trips, among others. This installed an open mind and appetite towards the great outside world. My initial work in architecture was doing projects across Europe, Japan, and finally China in 2009 – in other words, curiosity brought me here.
What do you do for a living?
I am a partner in an urban design and architecture company focused on sustainable design, working since 2002 with Chinese projects. But, in the Beijing family community, I’m better known as Morten from FunFamFarm. Considering that our projects sometimes take three, four, five, 10 years to complete, I often find myself reflecting on how our design over time promotes and enables the green transition of our societies, something we put to a full-scale test on the farm. It’s a small project, but with a big impact, transforming a large family orchard to a Danish model nature school showcasing a sustainable lifestyle – walk the talk, so to speak. The Danish Embassy hosted the official opening 2.5 years ago celebrating the Copenhagen-Beijing Sister City 10th Anniversary.
We strive to see the farm as a 1:1 example for our students and visitors in a circular design, circular food, and circular farming. Currently, I spend – together with our amazing educator team – most of my time bringing the best of “learning beyond the classroom” to the families of Beijing. As we are located in Shunyi (next to Dulwich School) a mere 30 min drive from downtown, our nickname is “Urban Oasis.” We are the back garden of citizens to enjoy team building, birthday parties, and “recreational learning”/life skills.
Tell us about the members of your family.
We are a mixed Copenhagen and Beijing family. Our two grown-up daughters (age 20) are now attending university in Copenhagen. They define such a great promising independent female power of that generation, enjoying the holistic and free further education system here.
Both my wife and I have been working as entrepreneurs for most of our lives, but doing the farm is the first time we have worked together more or less full-time. Happily, we are a great match, not just in our personal life but also in our business skills.
She is out of a generation of Chinese women who are hard-working, striving, and yet absorbing so much change in a generation like no one before them. She is fantastic in operation/management while I am better off in marketing/sustainability.
But having young children in the big city is challenging. Paired with my Danish upbringing, ideas for a nature school was born.
Tell us a bit about FunFamFarm and what people can do there.
We brought the best of nature schools, edible landscapes, farm-to-table canteen, play-based learning to our farm, and seasonal activities from Denmark to the outskirts of Beijing. The orchard boasts a 15-year-old treasure of 8,000 trees including cherry, apple, peach, apricot, walnut, and Sichuan pepper, along with seasonal planting, and forms the base of activities that may be starting in the field/orchard picking material for food class, moving on to nature and crafts classes in a meaningful day-cycle.
This creates interdisciplinary real-life and hands-on learning proven to enhance retention more than other learning strategies. We have furthermore developed wood and design classes, ASA activities, collaboration with schools doing on-campus school gardens, etc.
What do you love the most about living in Beijing?
I never become tired of just meandering around in the hutongs that have surpassed the bussing changes of the city, both as an architect admiring the perfect human-scale streetscapes, slow life, and, to a large extent, still-authentic livelihoods for better and for worse, and with my wife as a “Lao Beijing” refreshing her childhood memories growing up in a tiny shared courtyard.
Can you share one of your favorite memories about life here?
Wheeling the girls around Houhai Lake buckled up in the front of our Copenhagen cargo bike in early summer morning, enjoying steamy buns for breakfast, the steamy weather, and buying lotus flowers from street vendors – all while observing the neighborhood wake-up to an early morning and their daily routines.
What’s one place you’d like to recommend to our readers if they want to go somewhere to enjoy a unique weekend with their family?
Both towards the west and north the surrounding mountains have conserved slow life and unspoiled nature. Take a two-hour leap northeast out of town to the Gubei mountains in Pinggu District. The small villages are hidden deeply in unspoiled valleys. Enjoying simple fresh farm food, overnight homestays/camping, followed by the joy of splendid sunrise hiking on the unrestored weathered down Great Wall and wild chestnut orchards beats anything else around here.
And, of course, a visit to FunFamFarm is an unforgettable experience. Starting May 20 we start the Cherry Festival – self-picking cherries from tree to mouth in seconds. With 3,000 trees and four varieties, there will be enough for any cherry-loving family in Beijing, and it’s just a 30-minute drive from home!
Check out Cherry Festival for yourself. Take a trip to FunFamFarm!
Find it:
Litian Road South 7, 101317 Shunyi District
顺义区天竺镇李天路南7号院，畈畈畈生态农园
Images: Morten Holm
