We prepared 2 itineraries (choose one and tell us your decision on February 4, 2020 at registration point):
- Field visit – Slovenia – South East – Dolenjska region
- Field visit – Slovenia – South West – Notranjska region
Departure site for the field trip will be from bus stop Mirje (bus line no. 9 in the direction Barje P+R). The bus stop is located just opposite of the Faculty of Arts. On Figure is location of the bus departure marked with no. 4.
Field visit 1 – Slovenia – South East – Dolenjska region
Wednesday, February 5, 2020 from 8.30 to 18.30
Organized by S. Uhan and B. Lampič (Faculty of Arts, UL), M. Mavsar (regional Advisory service)
Hilly Dolenjska region with its thermal belt is more famous for wine growing than for orchards, but this old tradition of growing fruits is gaining popularity again. On the other hand, due to relatively low self-supply with vegetables and small average farm size in Slovenia, vegetable farming is a promising business model for new entrants in Slovenia. We will visit three specialised farms: (i) vegetable farm, (ii) fruit farm and (iii) wine farm, each offering diversified products through the well-interrelated production, processing and selling phases. We will also visit the biggest education centre in agriculture and tourism in Slovenia (GRM Novo mesto) and a social enterprise working under a collaborative brand called “Dolenjska delights”.
Key topics: vegetables, orchards, wine growing, food processing, supplementary activities on farm, collaborative branding, cooperation, education, tourism
Agenda
8.30 bus transfer (meeting point: bus stop Mirje)
9.00 Vegetable farm Ostanek
Newbie: Damjana Ostanek Heric
Location: Male Pece, Šentvid pri Stični
Keywords: fresh and pickled vegetable, young successor, new business model
11.00 Fruit farm Uhan
Newbie: Aljaž Uhan
Location: Rodine pri Trebnjem
Keywords: family farm (two generations), diverse seasonal fruit, fruit processing, laying hens, beekeeping, short food supply chains, access to land
12.30 Dobrote Dolenjske /Dolenjska Delights
Contact person: Barbara Jerovšek Volek
Location: Trebnje
Keywords: collaborative brand, high-quality products, own production, social enterprise
14.00 Grm Novo mesto – Center of Biotechnics and Tourism
Contact person: Helena Jurše Rogelj
Location: Sevno, Novo mesto
Keywords: education, theoretical knowledge and practical skills
15.30 Wine farm Colnar
Newbie: Janez Colnar
Location: Črešnjice pri Trški Gori, Otočec
Keywords: viticulture, wine making, young successor, vineyard tourism
19.00 at latest return to Ljubljana
Map
Farm details
Vegetable farm Ostanek
Newbie: Damjana Ostanek Heric
Location: Male Pece, Šentvid pri Stični
Keywords: fresh and pickled vegetables, young successor, new business model
Links: https://kmetijaostanek.si/, https://www.facebook.com/kmetijaostanek/
Vegetable farm Ostanek, located near Šentvid pri Stični, is managed by young farmer Damjana. After receiving degree in agricultural studies, she took over the family farm in 2014 and reoriented it from livestock to vegetable farming. They cultivate 6 ha of arable land and grow more than 20 sorts of vegetables. Their main crops are peppers (mainly for pickling), followed by legumes, pepperonis, lettuce, pickles, sour cabbage, turnips, etc. Damjana is in charge of vegetable processing, while the other family members help on the field. The share of vegetable processing activity is increasing steeply every year and is becoming dominant. They are planning to stop selling fresh vegetables in the future to process all of them. Their marketing channels are very diverse: more than 30 cooperative stores, wholesalers, on-farm store, markets, local schools and kindergartens. Two full-time job positions on the farm have been created since Damjana took over the farm. The aim is that all family members could live by selling vegetable products. They renovated an old stable into modern premises for processing, storage and sale, seedlings and vegetables are grown in 10 greenhouses. Due to the limited amount of land, further development of the farm is directed towards intensitivity. Vegetable production and processing require a lot of manual labour, therefore they intend to introduce smart farming.
Fruit Farm Uhan
Newbie: Aljaž Uhan
Location: Rodine pri Trebnjem
Keywords: family farm (two generations), diverse seasonal fruits, fruit processing, laying hens, beekeeping, short food supply chains, access to land
Links: www.sadjarskakmetijauhan.com/, https://youtu.be/KKh6-J6rmKA, www.instagram.com/sadjarska_kmetija_uhan/?hl=en
A family farm Uhan with a diverse offer of fruits and fruit products is located in a village near Trebnje, slightly raised from the ground of the valley. The farm is managed by two generations (parents and son). In 2000, they reoriented a middle-sized livestock farm into fruit farming. At the beginning they grew mainly apples. With a new marketing strategy (to provide seasonal fresh fruits during the whole year) and considering the environmental causes (extreme weather conditions, e.g. spring frost) they started increasing resilience of the farm by growing all kind of fruits: apples, peaches, cherries, pears, strawberries, plumbs, walnuts, chestnuts, etc. They cultivate 10 ha of orchards now, but obtaining the land was not easy. Their orchards are protected by anti-hail netting and have irrigation from a farm-owned well. They sell most of the fruits fresh, the rest is processed into various juices, apple vinegar, marmalades and dry fruits. All products are sold in short supply chains (on-farm store, daily market in Ljubljana, local schools, kindergartens, elderly houses, etc.). As supplementary activities on-farm they keep a bee house with 35 bee families and a mobile house in orchards for 200 laying hens. All products from the farm have the High-Quality of Slovenia certificate.
Dolenjska Delights
Contact person: Barbara Jerovšek Volek
Location: Trebnje
Keywords: collaborative brand, high-quality products, own production, social enterprise
Webpage: www.dobrote-dolenjske.si/
Dolenjska Delights is a collaborative brand connecting more than 70 farmers/suppliers from Dolenjska region, each offering their own high-quality and innovative, but traditional products. The selection of appropriate agricultural products is carried out in cooperation with culinary, wine, ethnology, beekeeping and other experts. They also have their own production place which we will visit. It all started as an EU-funded project (LEADER measure) for promoting the traditional cuisine of Dolenjska region in 2012. Now they are operating as a social enterprise, focused on their own production. Their aim is to produce high-quality products with fine design. They sell online, in boutique shops in Trebnje and Ljubljana, and to big retailers such as Mercator, DM drogeri-market in Slovenia and Zadruga Pliberk in Austria.
Center of Biotechnics and Tourism
Contact person: Helena Jurše Rogelj, principal of Vocational Collage
Location: Sevno, Novo mesto
Keyword: education
Webpage: www.grm-nm.si/,
Grm Novo mesto – Center of Biotechnics and Tourism (GRM), is a center that comprises the Secondary School for Agriculture and Biotechnics, Secondary School for Gastronomy and Tourism, Vocational College and Inter-company training centre that manages school property, food production facilities, House of culinary and tourism and shops with local food. Within GRM operates also Development Research Institute, which is the core facility for regional development in the area of agriculture, rural development, care and nature protection and tourism.
GRM educates 1.200 students at the secondary level and on the 6 and 7 Bologna Level (college), employs 180 people and owns and manages 250 ha land. Through profitable activities (agricultural production, food processing, animal breeding, marketing, tourism, recreation, landscape management, environment care, as well as school shops and a restaurant), the students receive theoretical knowledge and practical skills. GRM stimulates pupils and students towards seeking options to deploy their own working place in rural area or self-employment. The ultimate goal is a development of rural areas in its widest form, progress of agriculture, higher competitive, environmental care and maintenance of cultural and natural heritage. GRM also develops study programmes for lifelong learning.
Wine farm Colnar
Newbie: Janez Colnar
Location: Črešnjice, Otočec
Keywords: viticulture, wine making, family succession
Links: www.colnar.si, www.facebook.com/vinskakletcolnar/
Wine farm Colnar is located in Trška Gora district, a famous wine district in Dolenjska region. After gaining experience abroad (wine cellar Kieler in Luxembourg), Janez took over the family wine farm in 2014. He has started modernizing the process of wine making and has doubled the production so far (from 5 to 10 ha of vineyards; from one sort of wine to seven sorts of wine in 2019). Their most famous product is cviček, a typical wine of Dolenjska region. This region is also getting popular for vineyards cottage tourism. Colnar’s family hosts small groups in their vineyard cottage/cellar and offers delicious traditional food followed by wine tasting (of course). They will also prepare a treat for us.
Advisory Service (Institute of Agriculture and Forestry Novo Mesto)
Contact person: Martin Mavsar, a specialist in agricultural technology, fruit growing and processing
Keyword: advisory service
Webpage: www.kmetijskizavod-nm.si/
With its decentralised organisational structure, the Institute of Agriculture and Forestry Nova mesto, South East Slovenia (being a part of Chamber for Agriculture and Forestry of Slovenia) is a public advisory service supporting the farms of Pre-Alpine, Dinaric-Karst and Sub-Pannonia region. Mr. Martin Mavsar is a specialist in agricultural technology, fruit growing and processing and he is advising farmers in Dolenjska region and on national level. He is keen to agriculture modernization and transfer of knowledge/information among farmers. Since 2010, regional Institute of Agriculture and Forestry Novo mesto organizes an event called the “Technology Day”. Institute offers workshops and on-farm counselling, and works closely connected with the farmers. He will enrich our field visit with sharing his view on supportive environment for new entrants in agriculture in Slovenia.
Field visit 2 – Slovenia – South West – Notranjska region
Wednesday, February 5, 2020 from 8.30 to 18.30
Organized by I. Potočnik Slavič and J. Sitar (Faculty of Arts, UL), D. Zadnik (regional Advisory service)
Notranjska region is strongly determined by karst character (no surface water) and areas with natural constraints. Farms are usually small and practice cattle breeding, although some new developments have occurred over the last years. We will visit two newbie farms: the first is practising organic cattle breeding being supplemented with diversification towards the pedagogic farm; the second is specialised into organic cow milk production. Our programme will bring also interesting examples of supportive environment for newbies: formal (agricultural circles at the primary school) and informal (volunteering centre offering support to local farmers).
Key topics: milk production, cattle breeding, diversification, education, networking, volunteering
Agenda
8.30 bus transfer (meeting point: bus stop Mirje)
9.45 Farm Slavec
Newbie: Gregor Slavec
Location: Knežak
Keywords: organic cattle breeding, diversification, pedagogic farm
11.30 Farm Jeriševa
Newbie: David Vičič
Location: Zarečica
Keywords: organic cow milk production, various selling channels, planned processing
12.45 Primary school Podgrad
Contact person: Tamara Urbančič
Location: Podgrad
Keywords: agriculture circles, cooperation with other stakeholders, agriculture as a career
15.15 Park Istra
Contact person: Petra and Janez Matos
Location: Kastelec
Keywords: local embeddedness, volunteering, informal support of farmers
19.00 at latest return to Ljubljana
Map
Farm details
Farm Slavec
Newbie: Gregor Slavec
Location: Knežak
Keywords: organic cattle breeding, diversification, pedagogic farm
Links: www.zadomace.si/listing/slovenia/ilirska-bistrica/knezak/mlecni-izdelki-1/kmetija-slavec/ (farm offer); http://dso-ilb.si/index.php/kmetija-slavec/ (cooperation with Senior home Ilirska Bistrica); http://www.las-snezniknanos.si/projekti/izbrani-projekti/3-poziv/ureditev-kmetije-razvoj-novih-programov-in-odprtje-dopolnilnih-dejavnosti (LEADER project partnership)
Gregor inherited a farm form his grandparents, and as a newbie manages a mid-sized farm (8 ha UAA) in the village of Knežak (Notranjska region, Slovenia). He is a young successor (financed by the Rural Development Programme measure), economist by primary profession and would like to become full-time farmer. Karst terrain asks for organic farming and provides possibilities for cattle breeding (10 autochthonous Slovene cows and 20 goats, several donkeys), hens, raspberries (with 660 plants is one of the bigger producers in the region) and bees (30 beehives). In this circumstances he recognized the need for further diversification: he sells meet occasionally, offers riding and field trekking with donkeys, he built a barn to host visitors who like animals (mostly kindergartens and schools, but also residents of senior home), sells milk, honey and mead (registered also supplementary activity on the farm). He cooperates with the LEADER Local Action Group »Med Snežnikom in Nanosom«. He envisages developing further into pedagogic farm. He has many ideas, energy and enthusiasm, but he would need more stable environment for his farm.
Farm Jeriševa
Newbie: David Vičič
Location: Zarečica
Keywords: organic cow milk production, various selling channels, planned processing
Links: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Biom1WmYAE8
David is a newbie as he inherited a farm from his uncle (2012). He left his previous job, moved to the farm with a family and they have started farming. A conventional farm (30 ha of UAA – out of that 25 ha represents grassland) was turned it into an organic farm (also with the financial means provided by the Rural Development Programme measure or young successors). He started with suckler cows, and then decided on dairy cows (over 30). He sells milk to local public institutions (mainly schools), people buy organic milk on the farm doorstep, and sells also to the wholesaler (Ljubljanske mlekarne – part of Lactalis Group). His farm is in the village of Zarečica, pastures in the Dinaric-Karts region are around the farmhouse and village. His son is finishing vocational farming education and has an interest in developing farming tradition. They are thinking about on-farm processing (yogurts).
Primary school Podgrad
Contact person: Tamara Urbančič, teacher at the Primary school Podgrad, LEADER project officer
Location: Podgrad
Keywords: agriculture circles, cooperation with stakeholders, agriculture as a career
Webpage: https://www.rra-zk.si/mma/nasazena52015036038pdf/2019022109035307/?m=1550736231 (interview with Tamara); http://podgrad.splet.arnes.si/ (Primary school Podgrad); http://www.las-snezniknanos.si/slo (LAG Med Snežnikom in Nanosom)
Tamara has designed a well-known and well-accepted format of »agriculture circles« on primary schools around Ilirska Bistrica (Notranjska region, Slovenia). She wants to encourage children to work with animals, but also to focus on preparation of healthy, seasonal and local food (nation-wide competition »Golden Ladle«, where the pupils won the first prize for several times). As a member of Local Action Group she works with and stimulates different stakeholders, her organization is a lead partner in several projects. Tamara works as a network broker, also trying to bring international perspective into primary school education. With her approach – by designing school gardens, taking care of »school animals«, keeping up with traditions (skills for using spinning wheel), collecting the seeds of autochthonous plants, she has motivated lots of kids in primary schools in rural areas to enrol in her circles, and during our field trip you will meet the kids, they will cook for you at the Primary School Podgrad. These young people quite often decide to make a career in agriculture.
Park Istra
Contact person: Petra and Janez Matos
Location: Kastelec
Keyword: local embeddedness, volunteering, informal support of farmers
Webpage: http://parkistra.com/en/
Petra and Janez hold university degree in Geography, but the life of their family is devoted to sustainability, charity and volunteering. They leased and have been renovating former military object and have transformed it into international volunteering centre: since 2014, they have hosted more around 1000 volunteers from 53 countries. But it is also important how are they embedded in the local community: they are helping local communities (cleaning of riverbeds and maintaining stone walls), helping farmers (with planting and harvesting, pruning vineyards and olive groves, picking herbs for herb processing, weeding, picking tomatoes and fruits from abandoned fields/fruit trees and donation of these products to homeless, setting fences for crop protection), supporting local events, helping charities, people and animals in need, workshops and lectures for youth, internships, etc. They received the highest Slovene national award (2019) for outstanding achievements in the field of volunteering. Lately, they have been addressed for advice from either elderly farmers or young families who are looking for the available farms to start as newbies.
Advisory service (Institute of Agriculture and Forestry Nova Gorica)
Newbie: Darja Zadnik, advisor for rural development
Keywords:advisory service
Links: www.kmetijskizavod-ng.si/, https://www.kmetijskizavod-ng.si/oddelki/oddelek-za-kmetijsko-svetovanje/, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WX3seb6H_2o
With its decentralised organisational structure, the Institute of Agriculture and Forestry Nova Gorica, SW Slovenia (being a part of Chamber for Agriculture and Forestry of Slovenia) is a public advisory service, supporting the farms of Alpine, Pre-Alpine, Dinaric-Karst and Sub-Mediterranean region. Mrs. Zadnik offers professional counselling to the farmers of Postojna and Pivka (Notranjska region) where the traditional orientation into cattle breeding is being combined with several new attempts into the farm diversification. She observes more entrepreneurial spirit among the new generations of young successors, also their initiatives towards processing, marketing and cooperation. Over the last decades she has observed the process of forest overgrowing, but nowadays the that market-oriented farms of this Dinaric-Karst region are lacking available UAA, and farmers daily report on issues with game and wild animals. By participating in several projects the institute cooperates with the primary schools, offers workshops (for example interactive strategic management, on-farm counselling), has been a partner of international cross-border projects (Slovenia-Italy), etc. Mrs. Zadnik is aware that the existing counselling system is mostly designed for the needs of existing members of farming community, and consequently not addressing the needs of newcomers. However, she is willing to develop the supporting environment in this direction.
