The Farm - The People - The Area
Christos Kontomanos joined the cob.gr organization that was initiated by his father 20 years ago, after having finished his agronomy degree, bringing in the farming operation to the project. The organization is working since 20 years on natural building techniques with many experimental buildings and DIY applications on site which attract a broad audience. Now Christos is teaching regenerative farming all over Greece, which greatly increases the impact of this pilot farm. Further with the production they sell, they reach a broad audience of conscious consumers. The area is characterized by depleted soils due to intensive cotton cultivation which also had a very negative impact on the water table.
Key concept
The almond orchard has been diversified and transformed into a successional agroforestry operation including fruit trees and bushes, grazing poultry, as well as support species. The agroforestry products are being commercialized primarily in the local area. One of the main focuses was to increase soil organic matter to reduce water needs. We achieved this by using compost tea, effective micro-organisms, and other amendments to boost soil fertility. Soil health is reflected in nutrient-dense food production.
The transition in Detail
BEFORE THE CONVERSION
2 plots of almond monoculture lacking healthy soil and water retention capacity
AFTER THE CONVERSION
The almond treelines were interplanted with other trees belonging to a different layer than the almond which are medium layer. Trees of the high layer like fig or the emergent layer like poplar or eucalyptus were added, and the low layer has been diversified as well.
Tree lines
For crop
Nuts: Almond, Pecan, Walnut, Hazelnut
Fruits: Apricot, Fig, Mulberry, Juneberry, Cherry, Sour Cherry, Grapes, Plum, Pear, Elderberry, Blackberry
For Timber
Pawlonia
Poplar
Black Maple
Eucalyptus
For organic matter production
Poplar
Pawlonia
Paper Mulberry or Sophora Japonica
Black Maple
Catalpa
Chalef/Eleagnus
Between tree lines
For organic matter production
Pampas grass
Miscanthus
Green manure (depending on season)
