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.
THE PILOT FARMS
ALMOND 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.
OLIVES PILOT FARM
WHO
The Southern LIghts team
LOCATION
Skala, Greece
DATE OF CONVERSION
since April 2015
KEY DATA
Land size: 2 ha
Annual Rainfall: 900mm
Soil: Clay sand soil
Existing cultivation: Olives and Citrus fruit cultivation (organic since 1985)
KEY CONCEPT
This farm is organic since 1985 with hundreds of years old olive trees that were cultivated from by the grandparents of the owner. In 2015 then the transition to agroforestry happened first unintentioned, through the grafting of all the citrus trees and the sudden high exposure of the ground to sunlight. Soon after due to the freeing up of space in the farm, the third generation owners planted a diverse and dense experimentary food forest among the citrus and olive trees, experimenting with a high diversity of plants ranging even to subtropical species. In the meantime olives are still harvested the same way as before, while the high diversification and the resulting market approach through the owner's family business in organics (Silver leaf) is particularily interesting.
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
KEY CONCEPT
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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