ponedeljek, 23. junij 2014

Minutes of the 4th Meeting in Donji Kraljevec/Croatia, 6. - 8. June 2014


 
 
 
 

 
Grundtvig Learning Partnership Project

»Adult education strategies in making best compost and treating of manure practices in order to highlight better food quality and reduction of the nutrition losses with regards of social, initiative and entrepreneurship key competencies«

Croatian Project No.: 2013-1-SI1-GRU06-05514 4

Duration: 1. August 2013 to 31. July 2015


Minutes of the 4th Meeting in Donji Kraljevec/Croatia, 6. - 8. June 2014

 
Partners of the project

  • Germany: Forschungsring für Biologisch-Dynamische Wirtschaftsweise e.V.
  • Denmark: Foreningen for Biodynamisk Jordbrug
  • Croatia: Centar Dr. Rudolfa Steinera
  • Slovenia: Društvo za biološko-dinamično gospodarjenje Podravje.
Day 1

Date: 6. 6. 2014

Present: Uli Johannes König, Erik Frydenlund, Sandra Percač, Jasminka Iličić, Ivan Kosak, Drago Purgaj, Sonja Mauko Purgaj, Danijela Kocuvan, Radovan Šuman, Karl Vogrinčič.

Topic: Biodynamic agriculture today

Location: Donji Kraljevec, Sport Hall

Duration: 18:00 – 21:00

Summary:

Alex Podolinsky has given a basic lecture on building humus „in situ“ with preparation 500 prepared with compost preparations. He has emphasised the importance of differentiation between organic matter and properly made compost that has colloid structure and provides essential nutrients to plants under the management of Sun. He has also clearly shown the possibility to measure quality of humus in soil with use of chromas. Alex has drawn attention that conventional management of the soil hardens the surface of the soil and makes it lifeless, with no air nor possibility to take in rain. He has suggested that the influence of conventional soil management might be the reason for repetitiveness of flooding in developed countries. The only long term solution for healthy soil is BD management of the soil, with which Alex made fertile thousands of hectares of soil in Australia.


Day 2
Date: 7. 6. 2014
Present: Uli Johannes König, Erik Frydenlund, Sandra Percač, Jasminka Iličić, Ivan Kosak, Drago Purgaj, Sonja Mauko Purgaj, Danijela Kocuvan, Radovan Šuman, Karl Vogrinčič.
Topic: Future of BD agriculture in Croatia, Workshop: Compost preparations
Location: Donji Kraljevec, Sport hall, Rudolf Steiner Center garden
Duration: 10:00 – 20:00
Summary:
Jasminka Iličić from BD Association „Yarrow“ has given a  short overview of the state of BD growing in Croatia. She has emphasised the problem of low level of knowledge of BD practice in Croatia and challenges that small number of growers determined to practice BD are encountering. She has also emphasised the differences between biodynamic and ecological practise, which is currently disregarded in Croatia. She stated that only through BD practice we can build the compost and manage living, healthy soil.
Making compost preparations
Drago and Uli during both days explained the meaning of the preparations to many participants of this workshops, their influence on the soil and the plants (food). They have presented how the preparations are made. The participants asked a lot of questions about this preparations, Drago and Uli answered them all. The participants also helped with the procedures both days so they were learning by doing it themselves.
Rudolf Steiner's Recommendations in the Agriculture Course
The preparations should be stirred by hand. A machine should not be used. This is because the stirring of preparations is a process as intimately connected with the life of nature as that of seed formation.
Enthusiasm brought to the work strengthens the effectiveness of the preparations, less substance is then needed!
Machinery can be used for spraying; indeed special implements and technology need to be developed for this purpose.
Horn Manure (500)
Horn manure is used to stimulate soil vitality and encourage plants to connect with the specific conditions of their growing site. It also encourages deeper rooting systems, increased earthworm activity and a better retention of soil moisture. It is an ingredient in root dips (used in transplanting), in tree paste (to feed fruit trees) and can be used as a seed bath treatment.
When to use
Horn manure is always applied in the late afternoon or early evening to coincide with the in-breathing cycle of the day. Mild overcast days should be chosen where possible. Heavy rain, high winds and frosty weather should be avoided and during dry sunny spells spraying should be delayed until close to sunset.

It can be used several times during the year. It can be applied to all areas in February and March and also in October or November. It is recommended wherever crops have been sown or transplanted and can be used on grassland after cutting or grazing. Spraying an area three times in succession, with the same stirring, has proved beneficial as have repeated applications during times of drought.

Water Only the best available water should be used. Tap and well water need to stand for a few days before being used. Occasional vigorous stirrings during this time will rid mains water of its chlorine content. Rain water can also be used but if collected from roofs care should be taken to avoid the first (usually polluted) storm waters. Water from tiled roofs is preferable. The water should be heated until it is hand warm (35-38 degrees centigrade) over a wood fire or using a boiler. Where this is impractical, boiling water may be added. Warmed water is important since warmth brings more activity to living processes.

Stirring When the vessel is ready, the preparation can be taken and gently rubbed between thumb and finger in the water to help it dissolve. If a bucket is chosen, stirring may be done with the bare hand or with a stout stick. The method of stirring is important. Stir the water vigorously until a deep crater is formed in the rotating liquid. Then reverse the direction of stirring to create a seething chaotic turbulence before gradually forming a crater in the other direction. Once this is achieved the direction of stirring should again be reversed. This rhythmic process should be continued for an hour. After one full hour the liquid is allowed to settle before being poured through a sieve into a backpack or machine sprayer.

Spraying out

On a garden scale the stirred preparation can be applied with a simple bucket and brush. A hand brush made from natural fibres is best. This allows droplets of water to be sprayed out over the ground. The technique is to walk briskly over the garden or field while rhythmically spraying once to the right and once to the left so as to lightly cover the ground with water droplets.

The application of biodynamic preparations often presents farms with a major challenge - they may have too few staff or inadequate technology. A common response is to consider mechanising the stirring process which apart from adversely affecting the quality of the preparations, does not generally solve the problem. A qualitatively better approach is to optimise the stirring and spraying operations and so enhance the efficiency in applying the preparations. A significant amount of time can be saved by reducing the amount of liquid to be sprayed out. Thus instead of the usual 40-60 litres per hectare it is possible to spray as little as 5-10 litres per hectare. This means that 200 litres of hand stirred preparation could be sprayed on up to 40 hectares.

Date: 8. 6. 2014
Present: Uli Johannes König, Erik Frydenlund, Sandra Percač, Jasminka Iličić, Ivan Kosak, Drago Purgaj, Sonja Mauko Purgaj, Danijela Kocuvan, Radovan Šuman, Karl Vogrinčič.

Topic: Workshop: Compost preparations

Location: Donji Kraljevec, Rudolf Steiner Center garden

Duration: 10:00 – 20:00

Summary:

Plants used for making biodynamic preparations
The plants used for making biodynamic preparations can be easily grown in the garden or are else readily available as common wild plants many of them occurring in profusion on areas of waste land. Some care is of course needed in these situations to ensure that chemical sprays are not being used and that the ground is not contaminated with industrial waste. It is likewise best to avoid areas close to busy main roads.

Dandelion – Taraxicum officianale
The dandelion is a very common plant that grows in meadows, along wayside verges and in the garden. The flowers are usually collected from the wild although the plants can be specially cultivated. The ideal is to collect the flowers on the biodynamic holding itself. They usually flower between the first week of April and first week of May. The plant may flower at other times but in insufficient quantity for a worthwhile harvest. A grassy area filled with the golden dandelion heads make for an easy and enjoyable harvest.

The flowers should be picked in the morning when the sun is shining as soon as the flowers are open usually after about 10.00. Flower days should be chosen. Cloudy days are no use since the flower heads stay firmly closed. The golden flower heads are picked without the flower stem as soon as they are fully extended but before the central florets have opened. This means that there should be a compact disc of unopened florets in the centre of the flowers. Once fully opened the flowers rapidly form seed and cannot be used.

The flowers can be collected in a bucket but should not be left in it for long since they soon start heating up and spoil. They should be laid out thinly in a warm dry place. A sheet of newspaper laid out on the floor in the house is ideal so long as it is out of direct sunlight. They dry very quickly and can be stored in a paper bag until ready to use. Quick drying (helped by a warm room) means that the flowers retain their colour and do not go to seed.

Stinging Nettle – Urtica dioica
Stinging nettle is present around most human habitations and is a plant with a diversity of uses. For the biodynamic nettle preparation, the plants should be allowed to grow until they come into full flower. The plants are the cut to ground level (no roots) and allowed to wilt in the sun for an hour or two. A hole is then prepared n which to bury the nettles in the garden choosing an open site and good soil.

Because the material will reduce considerably during fermentation, care must be taken to ensure that it can be found again. There are many ways to do this. One effective way is to dig a hole, place a bottomless cardboard box in it and then fill in the gap between box and soil (2

inches) with leaf mould. The nettles are then put inside the box and pressed well down. They are then covered with a layer of leaf mould before covering everything with soil. The preparation is usually made in June. It should stay in the ground for a whole year and is then carefully removed (perhaps half an inch is all that remains) and stored in the preparation store.

Chamomile – Matricaria recutita
Chamomile is a quick growing annual herb that is easily grown in the garden. Plants sown in August and allowed to overwinter produce flowers in early summer. A spring sowing will flower a bit later. The best crop tends to be before midsummer.

Afterwards they can be spoilt by the presence of flower weevils. The plants thrive on poor and fairly compacted soil.

When the plants are in full flower, flower heads can be picked singly and laid out to dry. For picking choose a flower day and a time when the plants are dry. They can also be be picked in the afternoon. It is best to pick the flowers every day as soon as they are fully open. Picking is very time consuming but it is surprising how many can be picked if half an hour is allocated each day. As with dandelion, the flowers should be immediately laid out to dry in a warm place out of direct sunlight. The dried flowers can then be stored in a paper bag until needed.

Horsetail – Equisetum arvense
The biggest challenge with horsetail is finding the right variety. The correct species is the one most frequently found in old gardens or on waste land. It has a creeping underground root system and stems which are more or less hard. This contrasts with the giant horsetail whose stem is hollow. Another unsuitable species is the woodland horsetail which has finely divided fronds.

The whole of the upper part of the plant is harvested (no roots) preferably around midsummer when it is in full growth (a second cut is possible later too). The plants should be laid out in thin layers to dry as soon as possible and should be turned daily. They rapidly start sweating and will turn yellow if not dried quickly enough. Once dried the can be kept in a Hessian or paper sack until needed.

Valerian – Valeriana officianalis
Valerian can be found growing wild in moist areas often along river banks. It is also very easily grown in the garden where it produces a majestic plant up to six foot high. Again it is the flowers which are harvested. Flowering takes place around midsummer. Choose a flower day and harvest in the morning. The majority of the florets should be fully open. Pick the whole head together with all the flower stalks. The harvested flowers should then be processed immediately.

The flowers should be put through a mincer to break up all the cells. They are then tied up inside a piece of old sheet and the juice is squeezed out. A practical way of doing this is to squeeze the pack in a vice and collect up the resulting juice. The juice should then be stored in a bottle with a screw-top lid and kept in a dark and frost free place until needed (for over a year if necessary).

An alternative method is to pack the freshly picked flower heads into a jar, fill it with rain or spring water, screw the lid on and leave it outside in the sun for three weeks. In this time the juice will be extracted into the water. It can then be strained and stored as before. This juice needs to be used fairly quickly (within a few months)

Yarrow – Achillea millefolium
Yarrow can be easily grown in the garden as an attractive perennial plant. It also grows freely throughout the country on dryer banks and wayside verges. Unpolluted areas away from main roads should be chosen. Flowering takes place from mid-summer onwards.

The flower heads are picked as soon as all the florets are open. It doesn't matter if some of the outer ones are already forming seed. Fruit days are recommended for this harvest. The heads can be cut with scissors or plucked off by hand. It is good to take as little of the stalky material as possible. They can also be picked with stalks but these must be removed later once the plants are dry. The flowers are then laid out to dry in a warm place out of direct sunlight and like the other herbs stored in a paper bag.

Oak bark – Quercus robur
Oak bark can be collected from a living oak tree in different ways. One of the simplest methods is to take a surf form and scrape off bark shavings from the surface of the trunk or branch of a tree. It is also possible to break of lumps of bark from a newly felled branch and grind them up into a kind of rough flour. The oak bark can then be stored in a tin until required.

Storage of Compost Preparations
Each of the preparations (apart from valerian) should be placed individually in a container with a loose fitting lid. Unglazed earthenware pots are best but glass jars or ceramic containers will also do. These pots should then be placed in an untreated wooden box and surrounded on all sides with peat. Valerian should be stored in its bottle or another dark glass bottle. It can be kept in the peat box with the other preparations or stored separately in a cool dark place.

The box should be stored under cover in a cool, dark and frost-free place away from the injurious influences of electro-magnetic and microwave radiation (phone masts etc.) as well as other potentially toxic influences. Peat is used because it has the property of being a radiation barrier. Since these preparations work through their radiating power, peat is an ideal material for preventing the dissipation of their properties during storage. When stored in this way the preparations will maintain their vitality for more than a year.

The six compost preparations are used to treat garden compost, manure piles, deep litter beds, liquid manure and slurry. Their purpose is to regulate the many organic processes taking place inside an active compost heap. Each preparation has its own unique function in relation to the various soil nutrient processes. Working together they help to bring harmony, balance and stability to the soil.


Croatian Project No.: 2013-1-SI1-GRU06-05514 4
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.
This publication reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.



Rudolf Steiner Center garden, Donji Kraljevec




Alex Padolinsky
 
Rudolf Steiner Center garden, Donji Kraljevec

Partners of the project at Donji Kraljevec

petek, 30. maj 2014

Agenda for the 4th Meeting in Donji Kraljevec/Croatia, 6th – 8th June 2014










Grundtvig Learning Partnership Project

»Adult education strategies in making best compost and treating of manure practices in order to highlight better food quality and reduction of the nutrition losses with regards of social, initiative and entrepreneurship key competencies«

Croatian Project No.: 2013-1-SI1-GRU06-05514 4
Duration: 1. August 2013 to 31. July 2015

 
Agenda for the 4th Meeting in Donji Kraljevec/Croatia, 6th – 8th June 2014


Day 1

18:00              Gathering and wellcome
18:30 - 19:30 Biodynamic agriculture today – Alex Podolinsky
19:30 - 22:00 Working dinner

Day 2

9:00 - 10:00 Welcome to all partners
10:00 - 10:45 Future of BD agriculture in Croatia – Jasminka Iličić
11:00 - 11:45 Biodynamic on the way to its source – Drago Purgaj
12:00 - 12:45 Seed varieties as cultural heritage – choice for quality
13:00 - 14:00 Lunch

Workshops: Compost preparations
14:30 - 15:30 Planting herbs for compost preparations
15:30 - 18:00 Making compost preparations – Uli Koenig & Drago Purgaj
20:00 - 21:00 Working Dinner: Sekem initiative – Agri – culture in Egypt and in world


Day 3
 
10:00 - 12:30 Making compost preparations - Uli Koenig & Drago Purgaj
13:00 - 14:00 Lunch
15:00 - 18:00 Making compost preparations - Uli Koenig & Drago Purgaj


Partners:

Slovenia: Društvo za biološko-dinamično gospodarjenje Podravje (Project No. 2013-1-SI1-GRU06-05514 1)
Germany: Forschungsring für Biologisch-Dynamische Wirtschaftsweise e.V. (Project No. 2013-1-SI1-GRU06-05514 2)
Denmark: Foreningen for Biodynamisk Jordbrug (Project No. 2013-1-SI1-GRU06-05514 3)
Croatia: Centar Dr. Rudolfa Steinera (Project No. 2013-1-SI1-GRU06-05514 4)



This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.
This publication reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

ponedeljek, 14. april 2014

Minutes of the 3rd Meeting in Donji Kraljevec, Croatia


 
Grundtvig Learning Partnership Project

»Adult education strategies in making best compost and treating of manure practices in order to highlight better food quality and reduction of the nutrition losses with regards of social, initiative and entrepreneurship key competencies«

Croatian Project No.: 2013-1-SI1-GRU06-05514 4

Duration: 1. August 2013 to 31. July 2015


Minutes of the 3rd Meeting in Donji Kraljevec/Croatia, 28. - 30. March 2014

 

Partners of the project

  • Germany: Forschungsring für Biologisch-Dynamische Wirtschaftsweise e.V.
  • Denmark: Foreningen for Biodynamisk Jordbrug
  • Croatia: Centar Dr. Rudolfa Steinera
  • Slovenia: Društvo za biološko-dinamično gospodarjenje Podravje.

Day 1

Date: 28. 03. 2014

Present: Uli Johannes König, Ulrike König, Meike Oltmanns, Erik Frydenlund, Neils Jensen, Sandra Percač, Jasminka Iličić, Ivan Kosak, Drago Purgaj, Sonja Purgaj, Danijela Kocuvan, Radovan Šuman.

Topic: Welcome and introduction of the newcomers to the project

Location: Donji Kraljevec, Small conference room, Hotel Kralj

Duration: 19:00 – 21:00

Summary:

Chief of Donji Kraljevec Miljenko Horvat, welcomed us to the Rudolf Steiner's birthplace. He explained that he is also a conventional orchardist, growing apples on 30ha. He also explained that he sees the future of agriculture heading into ecological growing, as the only long term direction that enables survival.

Sandra Percač, Head of Rudolf Steiner center, reflected on development of BD in Croatia. It is still in infancy phase, with 15 small farms engaged in BD production.

R. S. Center is responsible for developing BD farming. Their task is to implement courses in Croatia , at their location in Donji Kraljevec and elsewhere, to encourage people who think the same way to connect and create working groups that might grow into Associatiations of BD farmers. The Centre is also responsible for the education of consumers BD food. She noted that around 4000 copies of Moon calendars are sold in Croatia, yet most users are not familiar with the fundamentals of BD farming, nor with compost preparations and other BD practises.

Drago Purgaj has already held several BD introductory courses in various areas of Croatia. The last course was attended by quite a few agriculture professors, so it has been adopted for their easier understanding. One of the course participant emphasised that more and more students of Agriculture are expressing curiosity about BD, and that was the initial reason for her attendancy.

Bernardina, Agronomist from Istria, presented the initiative from Istrian BD Working Group, some of which are wine growers and producers of olive oil. She shared a power point presentation about pests in olives and the difficulties caused. Due to these problems in production, they have started to look for solutions in BD farming.

Jasminka pointed out that it is very important for farmers to get answers to their questions and support with BD, since there is very little practical knowledge in Croatia. BD Association „Yarrow“, chaired by her husband Zeljko, works in Zagreb and is very active. At their farm farmers can see how things work and look in practice. Most farmers still want recipes for problems, but Jasminka pointed out that this approach alienates them from the farm: many answers are found through observations of the needs of the soil and plants. She also mentioned a co-operation with the local General Practice family doctor who is actively educating population on the importance and benefits of healthy food growing and consuming.

During the meeting, it was pointed out by Ulrike König that BD farming should not be identified with production only, since it represents GROWING. The main difference between the BD farming and agricultural production lies in the fact that manufacturing, production is a process with an end in mind, while BD farming is opened process of continuous growth.

Sandra announced that next meeting will take a place on 90th anniversary of Rudolf Steiner's course in Koberwitz.

Day 2

Date: 29. 03. 2014

Present: Uli Johannes König, Ulrike König, Meike Oltmanns, Erik Frydenlund, Neils Jensen, Sandra Percač, Jasminka Iličić, Ivan Kosak, Drago Purgaj, Sonja Purgaj, Danijela Kocuvan, Radovan Šuman.

Topic: Workshop: BD compost preparation

Location: Rudolf Steiner Center garden, Donji Kraljevec

Duration: 9:00 -13:30

Summary:

During the morning, all participants engaged in „on hand“ experience of making compost heap. Workshop was led by Dr. Uli Johannes König, who gave detailed explanations of all the important parts of the process, including the expected consistency of the good compost and its final use

Topic: influence of compost preparations and manure in fruit growing

Location: Cirkovljan, at Donja 37

Duration: 13:30 – 17:30 visit to Aronia plantation

Summary:

Robert Rezek and Bojan Dominić own 1 ha plantation aronia, organically grown and BD method applied. Row spacing is 5 m. Now the seedlings aged 1 year and a half. Left to 25 shoots per shrub to 2 m final height .

They explained how they manage the soil, when they apply compost and compost preparations and how they solve challenges with insects in BD manner.

When Alex Podolinský visited their plantation, he advised that as aronia is ruled by Mars, it required higher beds. They provided detailed explanations on the soil preparation for planting and specifics of growing near the swamp – having soil rich in humus, yet highly acidic and wet (10 -12% humus , pH 8)

Day 3

Date: 30. 03. 2014

Present: Uli Johannes König, Ulrike König, Meike Oltmanns, Erik Frydenlund, Neils Jensen, Sandra Percač, Jasminka Iličić, Ivan Kosak, Drago Purgaj, Sonja Purgaj, Danijela Kocuvan, Radovan Šuman.

Topic: Visit to Vermicompost making plant – contribution of worms to compost making

Location: Vermicompost farm, Kotoriba

Duration: 9:00 -11:00

Summary:

Ivan Kosak produces humus with 500 families of Californian worms, since 1981. Farm consists of the production and storage area. Production area is on the concrete floor, with neat rows of organic material, mainly cow manure, thet is processed by Californiain worms. Ivan explained all the phases and details of the production. After the production, compost is stored in the covered heap where it further rippenes until packaging.

Topic: Visit to BD vegetable producing farm – Soil and Compost preparations influence on food quality

Location: Farm of Jasminka and Željko Iličić , Bukovina 2, Sveti Petar Čvrstec

Duration: 12:00 -15:00

Summary:

6 ha farm was bought in 2008. In 2009 they planted 2 ha of blackberries and were interested in BD. They were visited by Alex Podolinsky in 2010 and are mentored by him since. They used green manure, ripper and BD compost preparations in order to cultivate and enrich soil. After improving the quality of the soil, they started growing vegetables, and now have the whole area of the farm under full production. They regularly use 500P and compost to work further on improving soil quality. They offer practical advice to any farmer interested in BD

Croatian Project No.: 2013-1-SI1-GRU06-05514 4

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.
This publication reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.


 
Rudolf Steiner Center garden, Donji Kraljevec



Vermicompost farm, Kotoriba




 
Farm of Jasminka and Željko Iličić,Bukovina 2, Sveti Petar Čvrstec, Croatia

Partners of the project

nedelja, 23. marec 2014

Agenda for the 3rd Meeting in Donji Kraljevec/Croatia, 28. - 30. March 2014


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Grundtvig Learning Partnership Project
 
»Adult education strategies in making best compost and treating of manure practices in order to highlight better food quality and reduction of the nutrition losses with regards of social, initiative and entrepreneurship key competencies«

Croatian Project No.: 2013-1-SI1-GRU06-05514 4
Duration: 1. August 2013 to 31. July 2015


Agenda for the 3rd Meeting in Donji Kraljevec/Croatia, 28. - 30. March 2014


Day 1
19:00 - 21:00 Welcome to Donji Kraljevec – working dinner

Day 2
9:00 – 10:00 Welcome to all partners
10:00 - 11:00 Overview of activities in Croatia
11:00 – 11:30 Break
11:30 – 13:30 Workshop – Compost preparations
13:30 – 14:30 Lunch break
14:30 – 15:30 Visit to Rudolf Steiner Centre and R.S. birth house
15:30 – 17:30 Visit to Aronia farm – influence of compost preparations and manure in fruit growintg
20:00 Dinner and Discussion

Day 3
9:00 – 10:30 Visit to Vermicompost making plant – contribution of worms to compost making
10:30 – 11:00 Coffee break
11:00 – 12:30 Visit to BD vegetable producing farm – Soil and Compost preparations influence on food quality
12:30 – 13:30 Lunch break
13:30 - 15:00 Overview of meeting and plans for the following meeting agenda

Partners:

Slovenia: Društvo za biološko-dinamično gospodarjenje Podravje (Project No. 2013-1-SI1-GRU06-05514 1)
Germany: Forschungsring für Biologisch-Dynamische Wirtschaftsweise e.V. (Project No. 2013-1-SI1-GRU06-05514 2)
Denmark: Foreningen for Biodynamisk Jordbrug (Project No. 2013-1-SI1-GRU06-05514 3)
Croatia: Centar Dr. Rudolfa Steinera (Project No. 2013-1-SI1-GRU06-05514 4)


This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.
This publication reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

sreda, 11. december 2013





Grundtvig Learning Partnership Project
»Adult education strategies in making best compost and treating of manure practices in order to highlight better food quality and reduction of the nutrition losses with regards of social, initiative and entrepreneurship key competencies«

German Project No.: 2013-1-Sl1-GRU06-05514 2
Duration: 1. August 2013 to  31. July 2015

Minutes of the 2nd Meeting in Darmstadt, 23. - 24.  November 2013


Partners of the project
  • Germany: Forschungsring für Biologisch-Dynamische Wirtschaftsweise e.V.
  • Denmark: Foreningen for Biodynamisk Jordbrug
  • Croatia:  Centar Dr. Rudolfa Steinera (confirmation pending)
  • Slovenia: Društvo za biološko-dinamično gospodarjenje Podravje.

Day 1

Date: 23.11.2013
Topic: Best practies in making compost and treating manure – results from scientific work
Location: Forschungsring e.V., Darmstadt and Dottenfelderhof, Bad Vilbel
Duration: 9:00 – 21:00
Present: Uli Johannes König, Meike Oltmanns, Erik Frydenlund, Birthe Holt, Sandra Percać, Jasminka Iličić, Ivan Kosak, Drago Purgaj, Sonja Purgaj, Danijela Kocuvan, Radovan Šuman, Vesna Čuček.
Afternoon (Dottenfelderhof/Bad Vilbel): Ansgar Voortmann, Matthias König

Summary:
Visit of “Forschungsring für Biologisch-Dynamische Wirtschaftsweise e.V.” in Darmstadt one of the world oldest institutes for ecofarming. Dr. König introduced the beginning of work in the early fiftieth as a place for scientific research as well as for fundamental work in ecofarming especially biodynamic. Contacts to nearly all of the german Universities with an agricultural faculty exists.
World wide activities have been carried out over decades to improve the world wide DEMETER-movement.
In the morning Dr. König held a presentation with the theme Best practies in making compost and treating manure – results from scientific work”. Working with compost or manure means that you have to know first, what for the compost/manure will be: fertilizing, cultivation or planting soil or compost extracts for plant protection. Answering this question the treating of manure/compost will change. Which techniques are available on farm, only small scale handycraft or machinery equipement? Which losses from the material have to be expected and how can they be reduced? Which different qualities of compost can be reached depending on the materials beeing used for making compost? Which effects of the biodynamic preparations could be shown in practies and science?
Different qualities of manure and compost and routh materials were demonstrated on nearly 100 samples.

In the afternoon a visit of the manure storage and compost making of a public demonstration farm (Dottenfelderhof) took place. The farm shows a wide scale of activities in organic farming reaching from milk, grain and vegetable production on 180 hectar farmland to education, breeding and research work. The management of manure of different animals (cows, pigs, sheeps, horses, poultry) is a great challenge on such a large scale farm. Farmer Ansgar Voortmann mentioned that making stable manure is the solution for cattle manure, composting for all other manures and green material or organic waste from the farm. 3000 cbm compost per year are produced consisting of 1000 cbm shrubb cuts, less than 1000 cbm rest manure, the rest volume are waste products from the farm. The farm uses a compost turning machine. The turning proceeder is carried out 7 to 10 times per compost. The conversion of material to finish compost takes about 3 months. Application of biodynamic preparations was discussed.
Farmer Matthias König showed the storrage of the biodynamic preparation on the farm and discussed the special proceeder of making and applying them.

In the evening was a discussion looking to the result of the day, specially the questions comming out of the farm visit:
  • How is it possible to make 3000 cbm of compost with all the components?
  • How to handle 1800 cbm of manure from the stable?
  • The more than 150 working people on the farm are a challenge!
  • The big amounts of preparations (e.g.800 horns) for such a farm.
  • The intensive use of preparations in the stable.
  • Why is the humus content after decades of organic agriculture only on a 1,7% level? Is it the result of 100 year suggar beet production before convertion?
  • It should be possible to lift it up to 4 %.

Day 2

Date: 24. 11. 2013
Topic: Is there a need for animal manure to approve soil quality?
Location: Forschungsring e.V., Darmstadt and Hofgut Oberfeld, Darmstadt
Duration: 9:00-16:00
Present: Uli Johannes König, Meike Oltmanns, Erik Frydenlund, Birthe Holt, Sandra Percać, Jasminka Iličić, Ivan Kosak, Drago Purgaj, Sonja Purgaj, Danijela Kocuvan, Radovan Šuman, Vesna Čuček.
Afternoon (Hofgut Oberfeld): Thomas Göbel

Summary:
Mrs. Meike Oltmanns held a lecture with the theme “Is there a need for animal manure to approve soil quality?” The development even in ecological agriculture is leeding more and more to a speciallization of farms. Cash crop agriculture with out cattles is the result, based on an organic clover manuring system. Compared with cattle manure this system is not able to keep the humus content of soil on a stabil level, as world wide mega studies show. Looking to the climat influence a rising up in humus content is the challenge! What is the special quality of farm manure? What is the influence of the clover gras rotation?
Dr. König showd the special quality of the digestion system aof cattles compared with other animals: the possibility to convert straw and gras into manure. The function of cows in ecological agriculture is not only to produce milk and meet, but also to create this high quality manure! This is eveb an interesting question looking to the discussion of vegetarian or vegan farming without taking care of animals in the farm.

Looking back to the 1st meeting in Maribor we discussed the making of preparations and the compost. There is a big difference between the rules in Germany and Slovenia concerning the possibilities of storage of manure and compost.

Planing next meetings: the next dates are
  • 29./30. March 2014: Croatia
  • 30./31. August 2014: Denmark
  • September/Oktober 2014: Germany
  • March 2015: Croatia
  • May 2015: Slovenia - final meeting.

In the afternoon we visited a new biodynamic farm in Darmstadt (Hofgut Oberfeld). The farmer Thomas Göbel gave us an introduction into the history of this farm and the conversion to biodynamic agriculture. This farm is situated direct outside the border of the town surrounded three side by woods. It is a totaly public project, pushed in the beginning by many people from the town. In this year they got a new stabel for cattles. Chicken are hold on transportable stables on field.

Projektpartners at Forschungsring



Observing compost samples

 
Dottenfelderhof

 
Compost making at Dottenfelderhof

 
Dottenfelderhof: storage of preparations


 
Hofgut Oberfeld, Darmstadt


Slovenian Project No. 2013-1-SI1-GRU06-05514 1
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.
This publication reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.