At the heart of this program are the pilot farms, that each represent a prevailing agricultural model of Greece. Together with each farmer we designed the transition of his or her farm from a degenerating monoculture to an abundant and resilient regenerative farming operation.
On this page you find an overview of the Pilot farms. You can click on each farm to read about the conversion in detail. Read through the descriptions, plans and videos and get inspired on how you can transform your farm as well. And we are by your side to support you in this.
ON THE MAP
Location of each farm
Find a farm in your area and arrange a visit. More farms will hopefully appear soon on this map. The farms are not in the map with their exact location to protect their privacy, visit can be arranged with all the farms.
THE PILOT FARMS
MARKET GARDEN PILOT FARM
WHO
Christos Kontomanos &
Franziska Felger
LOCATION
Nessonas, Larissa, Greece
DATE OF CONVERSION
25 - 26th of November 2021
KEY DATA
Land size: 1,6 ha
Annual Rainfall: 500mm
Soil: Silt Clay, compacted, very poor in organic matter
Existing cultivation on the site: almond monoculture
Transform the almond monoculture into a diverse successional agroforestry operation including market gardens, fruit trees and bushes, grazing poultry, as well as support species. The agroforestry products will be commercialized primarily in the local area. One of the main focus is to increase soil organic matter as to reduce water needs. We will achieve this by using compost tea, effective micro-organisms, and other amendments as to boost soils fertility. Soil health will be reflected on nutrient dense food production.
GRAINS AND LEGUMES + MARKET GARDEN PILOT FARM
WHO
Natasa Antari & Alexandros Karatzas
LOCATION
Trikala, Greece
DATE OF CONVERSION
27-29th of November 2021
KEY DATA
Land size: 3,5 ha
Annual Rainfall: 450mm
Soil: Silt clay soil
Existing cultivation on the site: Grains
The grain and legumes production will be converted into an alley cropping system, meaning that tree lines consisting of timber, fruit trees or support species will be added into the fields as to increase overall production and ecological impact. Wind breaks and hedgerows will be planted to protect from wind stress. The added biodiversity will support the system overall through attracting beneficial insects and other animals. Different strategies for increasing the soil fertility will be proposed and we will focus on increasing the organic matter content of the soil.
Their market garden operation will be converted into a system inspired by syntropic agriculture following natural successions that lead a simple system into a forest consisting of different layers of plants.
GRAPES PILOT FARM
WHO
Giorgos Foufas
LOCATION
Loutraki, Greece
DATE OF CONVERSION
1-2nd of December 2021
KEY DATA
Land size: 0,9 ha
Annual Rainfall: 480mm
Soil: Sandy soil, fast draining, high salinity
Existing cultivation: grapes
The grape cultivation will be converted into a complex agroforestry system. Further a food forest will be designed and implemented increasing the farm's self sufficiency and resilience through added biodiversity. Hedgerows will be reinforced, acting as windbreaks and living fences, protecting the farm from the drying of the wind and pollution from neighboring lands. Fire retardant living fences will be added to the farm.
OLIVES PILOT FARM
WHO
Gerasimos Gatzelias
LOCATION
Aigies, Gythion, Greece
DATE OF CONVERSION
10-12th of December 2021
KEY DATA
Land size: 6,7 ha
Annual Rainfall: 900mm
Soil: sandy, well draining, good top soil
Existing cultivation: Kalamon and Koroneiiki olives
In this slopy land with a difference in height of 100m between the highest and lowest point of the farm, consisting of many terraces this transition is particularly interesting. We will focus on transitioning the olive monocultures into a complex agroforestry system, adding other fruit trees, support species and shrubs to the tree lines. Further the borders of the land will be planted with fire retardant plant species like prickly pears or others.
POMEGRANATES PILOT FARM
WHO
Charis Basiliou
LOCATION
Sparta, Greece
DATE OF CONVERSION
4-6th of December 2021
KEY DATA
Land size: 4,6 ha
Annual Rainfall: 650mm
Soil: Clay
Existing cultivation: Pomegranates
The pomegranate and olive cultivation of this farm will be converted into a complex agroforestry system by adding other crop producing plants and support species to the tree lines, complementing the existing trees. Further a market garden operation will be added between the tree lines, diversifying his farm and adding economic and ecological resilience to his farming operation. The soil fertility and water infiltration will be supported through subsoiling and the applying of self-produced biofertilizer and seeding of green manure like lugume species, grasses and taproot plants.
OLIVES WITH GRAZING ANIMALS PILOT FARM
WHO
The Southern LIghts team
LOCATION
Skala, Greece
DATE OF CONVERSION
13-15th of December 2021
KEY DATA
Land size: 1,4 ha
Annual Rainfall: 900mm
Soil: Very poor and compacted soil
Existing cultivation: Olives dry farming with uncontrolled grazing animals from neighbors
The land is very degraded because of overgrazing, the soil is very shallow and covered with rocks. A condition and setting found not only throughout Greece but the whole Mediterranean area.. The rocks in the terraces will be placed in a way that supports rainwater harvesting and keeps humidity into the soil. Support trees and shrubs will be planted in between the existing vegetation. The land will be fenced to control grazing of the animals and turn the cause of degradation into a force of regeneration. Manure from the stable will be spread all over the land to speed up the regeneration process. Fire retardant living fences will be planted and green manures will be seeded on the terraces.
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