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.
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
