Minutes of the Launching Meeting in Maribor, 27. - 28. September 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«

Slovenian Project No.: 2013-1-SI1-GRU06-05514 1

Duration: 1. August 2013 to 31. July 2015

Minutes of the Launching Meeting in Maribor, 27. - 28. September 2013

Day 1

Date: 27. 9. 2013

Topic: Launching Meeting

Location: The Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Duration: 9.00 - 19.00

Present: Uli Johaness König, Erik Frydenlund, Niels Jensen, Sandra Percać, Jasminka Iličić, Drago Purgaj, Danijela Kocuvan, Radovan Šuman, Boris Potočar, Silva Grobelnik Mlakar, Doroteja Ozimič, Liljana Šurlan, Vesna Čuček, Andrej Nose.

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.

External partners of the project

• The Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences
• Institute KON-CERT Maribor
• Chamber of Agriculture and Forestry of Slovenia, Agriculture and Forestry Institute Celje, Slovenia

The purpose and the objectives of the project

• Exchange of good and innovative practices in the manufacturing of compost preparations
• Meet leading experts and practises that create biodynamic method
• Training for farmers, gardeners and consumers about biodynamic products and self-care
• Pairing with of variety of cultural and economic environments in which operate BD organizations

Output of the project

• Project blog
• Preparation of e-publications: examples of good practice for dissemination of BD practises in compost preparations and affect the development of a commonnational / European view on this topic
• Post project on partner websites.

Project events

• 27. and 28. September 2013: Slovenia - introductory meeting
• 23. and 24. November 2013: Germany
• March 2014: Croatia
• May 2014: Denmark
• October 2014: Germany
• March 2015: Croatia
• May 2015: Slovenia - final meeting.

Grundtvig regulations

• "Lump-sum founded project"
• "Lump-sum" may be used to defry the costs associated with the implementation of the project
• eligeble costs: Mobility (plane ticket, train ticket, travel warrant for the car etc.), hotel, food, organisation of event (payment of lecturers, food, etc.), promotional materials (posters, flyer, copies, etc.)
• Assets required for the project should be used, otherwise returning
• Implementation of 12 mobility in partner organizations in Denmark and Germany (the presence of all the partners)
• For mobility in Croatia we have to wait for approval
• One person = one mobility
• Certificate of attendance: the most important proof of execution of mobility
• Accounts about the use of founds held in accounting (you don't need to show them the semi-annual or final report of the project)
• Mandatory use of logo Lifelong Learning Programme
• When publishing publications should be noted that the project is financed by the European Commission
• Publicity events within the project
• All documentation of the project must be kept for three years after the final transfer
• Deadline for the submission of the interim report: 30.6.2014
• Deadline for the final report: 30.9.2015.

Presentation of partners

Društvo za biološko-dinamično gospodarjenje Podravje

Mr. Drago Purgaj

Biodynamic economical society Podravje was established in January 2010 to promote a way of ecological healthy food production by using biodynamic farming methods. Among these making best compost and treating of manure practices in order to highlight better food quality and reduction of the nutrition losses is one of most important elements that gives basis to successful BD farming and also economical and quality sustainability.

To achieve these aims regular annual farming courses, seminars and workshops are organized. It is the only such association in SE region of Slovenia. The main target group are Slovenian farmers and gardeners from region Podravje, but also members of vulnerable groups and with specific needs are welcomed.

The Society has 120 members.

Objectives of the Society

• Integration with the global biodynamic movement, transfer of knowledge and mutual cooperation
• Establish close ties between unions and professionals (a group of BD preparations in agriculture section Goetheanum).

Centar Dr. Rudolfa Steinera

Mrs. Sandra Percać

Center Dr. Rudolf Steiner was created on the idea of preserving and sharing/spreading on, philosophy, precious work and legacy of Dr. Steiner. Center presented the Principal Sandra Percać. Honoring the fact that he was born in Donji Kraljevec, they feel they have a unique role in promoting his vision on biodynamic agriculture but also in all other fields of his life-long work and interest. Center is already engaged in organization of workshops, seminars, lectures and other relevant events, especially related to Biodynamic agriculture. They have successful cooperation with Slovenian BD colleagues. Successful workshops are extremely beneficial to a significant number of presently unemployed participants who aim self-employment through development of small individual farms.

BD Society in Zagreb

Mrs. Jasminka Iličić

BD Society in Zagreb was founded in year 2010. Mrs. Iličić and her husband have a 6,5 ha lot horticultural farm. They are receaving EU subsidies for organic production for 6 years. In practise, they showed that the BD works werry well. All teh knowledge they have, they share with those who are interesed. Mr. Alex Podolinski helps them. He visit them almost every year. They are very grateful for his help, because their farm raspidly develop and have better progress.

Foreningen for Biodynamisk Jordbrug

Mr. Erik Frydenlund

Association for Biodynamic Farming was founded in 1936 as Biodynamic Agricultural Association. In the organization they are working to enhance the development of biodynamic farming in Denmark by providing information on the background and practice of the biodynamic cultivation methods.

Their aim is to help creating a dialogue between all levels from farmer to consumer through thematic meetings, courses, study tours and exhibitions for professionals and consumers. They have contributed to creation of the he biodynamic rules for growing and processing - Demeter rules - that were drawn up by their Association in collaboration with Demeter International, which now includes biodynamic associations in approx. 40 countries. One of their main tasks is also helping farmers to achieve and maintain that high standard.

Mr. Frydenlund said, that hey have a lot of organic farmers. This number grows every year. They have less BD farmers, but BD farming is also growing in numbers. Organic farmers who have a good knowledge of organic farming are interested in new challenges, new solutions. So they need professional help. Control is conducted with inspection agency.

Forschungsring für Biologisch-Dynamische Wirtschaftsweise e.V.

Dr. Uli Johannes König

Mr. König presented Forschungsring e.V. which is the oldest scientific institution developing ecological agriculture (since 1946). Since the beginning they are carrying out workshops, seminars and congresses to introduce peoples into the fundaments of ecological agriculture and have national and international cooperation with relevant institutes and organizations from the field. They also organize two regular meetings per year in Darmstadt for an introduction in making the biodynamic preparations and an annual two-day conference showing the results of our scientific work. All BD farms have brand DEMETER.

They are active in three areas:

1. scientific work on soil fertility
2. handling compost to achive a good quality of the different products
3. food quality, food processing (they are using state of the art methods: image chromatography, psychological tests food: they have demonstrated that BD grain otherwise affect humans - energy rises)

A major challenge for scientists at universities is how to prove with material evidence effects of BD farming. In all universities, individual professors are interested in BD, except universitie in Kiel.

 

BD Asocciation Slovenia

Mr. Boris Potočar

Mr. Boris Potočar is a new president of BD Asocciation Slovenia. He congratulated project partners for the succesfull approval of the project. Some of BD organizations are working in the field of BD farming for decades. So it is important that project expose those organizations. Now is time for preparing strategies for rural development after 2013, that's why it is important, that every region in the Slovenia has opportunity for the development of BD farming. He considers that the BD asocciations are strong, if they work together. As new president his aim is to connect all societies.

The Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Dr. Matjaž Turinek

The Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences (FALS) is the leading institution in the field of higher education in the organic agricultural field of Slovenia. The first BSc study on organic agriculture started already in 2007, where nowadays around 30 students enroll in this study program every year. Students also hear about BD agriculture and its basics in the scope of basic courses on organic agriculture or also in an elective course (production of herbs), where the lecturer has a strong background in BD agriculture. In the scope of the study program students can choose their diploma topics very liberally, although at the same time sticking to the scientific and university rules. Therefore 4 BSc theses were made on the topic of biodynamic agriculture. Moreover, also one PhD was successfully defended in 2011, where the viability, environmental impacts and the quality of BD produced food were compared to the other production systems in Slovenia. 3 published scientific papers (with IF) were also one of the results of this trial. The long-term trial, on which the research part was based on, is still running. Next to that, winter lectures are organized every year in cooperation with BD colleagues from Slovenia and Austria with 4-5 whole day events. The topics covered range from human relations, to animals, soils, plants, medicine, etc. And the response of the farmers and small gardeners is also very positive – on a day 50-120 people would attend such an event, which is enriched by either Eurhythmy or other artistic activities. So in this sense FALS is a strong endorser of the development and research on BD agriculture practices in Slovenia and in the wider area.

Institute KON-CERT Maribor

M.Sc. Doroteja Ozimič

Institute for inspection and certification in agriculture and in silviculture Maribor is a certification body according to the standard SIST EN 45011 (accreditied by Slovene accreditation, CP-007) in the field of:

• organic agriculture and processing (inspection code is SI-EKO-001, logo is protected sign »Bio Slovenija)«;
• integrated production (vegetables, fruits, arable land, wine-growing);
• protected agricultural products.
• PEFC scheme.

Non-accreditied schemes:

• inspection of private standards Demeter and Biodar,
• certification of organic cosmetics, clening products and fragrances (our private standard),
• certification of organic growing of ornamental flowers (private standard).

In cooperation with LACON Institute they offer also:

• Inspection of private standard GLOBAL – GAP and GMO-frei agriculture.

In 2013 they celebrate 15 years of inspection and certification and 5 years of maintenace od accreditation certificate. During these years they awarded more than 42.800 certificates and they currently have 5.400 customers. The Institute has 16 permanent employees and many external staff.

Institute KON – CERT Maribor has other departments except inspection and certification. They are active in publishing, education, research, international projects, promotion, organization of fairs and conferences / seminars.

Their collaboration with the Slovenian Demeter farmers dates back to the beginning of the Institute. Institute carry out inspections at 30 biodynamic farmers in Slovenia. In the future, they will strive to continue to establish control of biodynamic production in Croatia.

Chamber of Agriculture and Forestry of Slovenia, Agriculture and Forestry Institute Celje, Slovenia

Mrs. Vesna Čuček

The Agriculture and Forestry Institute in Celje covers 11 LAU-1 units and 40 municipalities with 192.475 ha (80.305 ha of agricultural and 89.762 ha forest area). 87% of UAA is declared as LFA, there are approx. 15.100 agricultural holdings in the area.

Agriculture and Forestry Institute Celje as the leading organisation in the field of rural development in the region employs 100 employees. The Agriculture Advisory Service Department consists of 54 agricultural advisors and specialists. There are 7 advisors specialised in farm tourism and the supplementary activities on the farms. The advisors offer to the farmers: technological consulting, educating, business planning, assistance by applying for financial support in the field of agricultural policy measures, assistance by organising and operating of the breading organisations, organisations of producers and other forms of product and interest associations of farmers, as well as participation in different rural development projects on the regional, national or international level. Advisors also help organizing local and regional festivals, exhibitions, product evaluations.

The Institute organises several trainings, e.g. short informative motivation lectures, several day courses where the participants obtain knowledge necessary for acquiring national vocational training qualifications. The advisors of the Institute help the farmers with the development of these activities, and in that way they contribute to a wide selection of quality products from the farms and, moreover, to creation of employment opportunities on the farms.

The associates of the Cattle Breading Department control production of the cattle breading sector, deal with selection, pedigrees, reproductions in the cattle breading, selection of the cattle, sheep, goats and pigs.

On the territory of the Institute, there are 631 farms which have organic production. This is 6,7 % of all the farms in the territory of the institute. There are 3,6 % of organic farms in Slovenia. They advise this farms on all the field, help them prepare investment applications for EU founds, projects for basic agriculture production (projects for stables and other objects needen in the production) and also projects for supplementary activities (for objects for processing of products of animal origin or plant origin). They also provide professional help to the Association of organic farms Deteljica. This is the Association of organic producers in the region.

BD Asocciation Ajda Domžale

M.Sc. Andrej Nose

Ajda Domžale is one of the 13 biodynamic society from the central Slovenia and has been operating for almost 15 years. Society has more than 200 members (farmers and gardeners).

 

Discussion

Farmers in Denmark mainly using slurry, which is incorporated in soil. Very few people are makeing compost. Soil conditions are very low in Denmark, also in BD farms. Therefore, Mr. Frydenlund would like to improve the work in this area. He things that the plant is key to the solution, because it is generating energy by means of solar light. He sees problem in that, that organic farmers mostly get slurry from conventional farms. Making compost is for many farmers more work and expensive. Many people unfortunately do not realize how important role the soil have in the process of farming.

Mrs. Iličić said, when they started farming, they immediatly tackled making compost. The process of making compost takes time and you need a lot of material. In the beggining some things went wrong. It was very important to use green manures. With this they corrected state of the ground. In three years they have managed to perfectly enhance the soil. They also increase the humus content. Their work on the improvement of the soil has results. Vegetables have realy good quality and size.

Mr. Nose has a question, why is in BD allowd to use slurry from biogas plants. This slurry is a result of the anaerobic process. There was also the issue of the use of vegetable envelopes for the manufacture of BD preparations.

Mr. König told us that in Germany they have a lot of green compost which is produced in coposting and should not be used. 30 years ago they have found that it is possible to solve the problem of waste by composting. Farmers receive from biogas plant back 70 % of what they put inside. BD has a lot of solutions for environmental problems in Germany, and therefore hopes that the Government will listen to them.

Compost need a period of rest and should not be kept stirred. Therefore, machine that it is made in Austria and mix the compost pile 25 times, completly wrong thing. Very important question is how to cut losses? If there is 80 % of the losses, this is certainly not ecologically environmentally friendly. Preparations not solve any losses incurred due to loss of nutrients. The solution to the loss of nutritions: it is necessary to keep the substance that go out of the compost. We can provide a platform for compost consolidate the concrete withgrass pellets or asphalt. On the platform is certainly necessary to do parallel loads, no single mass with

a certain thickness. Without fertilizer or animal manure compost construction is not possible. Compost only from plant mass leads to a reduction in soil or humus, in the best case the preservation of humus.

Day 2

Date: 28. 9. 2013

Topic: Workshop

Location: Farm Purgaj, Vanetina 13, Cerkvenjak, Slovenia

Duration: 9.30 - 16.00

Present: Uli Johaness König, Erik Frydenlund, Niels Jensen, Sandra Percać, Jasminka Iličić, Drago Purgaj, Danijela Kocuvan, Radovan Šuman, Karl Vogrinčič, Vesna Čuček, Andrej Nose and other members of the Assocciation BD Podravje and other participants.

Workshop was very successfull. Groups of people have helped to make preparations. Between workshop Mr. König said that farmers in Germany, who has 600 ha, make manure from the Horn in 1.000 horns, filled by machine, not by hand. He said it is interesting to see how many people are making compost at the workshop in Slovenia. In Germany they have a lot of machines and one man. He aslo suggested that valerian preparate stir a little bit, not 15 minutes, that we don't lose energy. When we baried head with oark bark, he sugessted that at the end we cover head with plant material and also last layer. For baring horns we have to use live underground. Around the cave we should do the pit.

Mr. Frydenlund suggested it might be good to do the roof over cave, because we have a lot of rainfall.

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.