Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
better than the dominating systems with respect to resource use including
labor and environmental impacts, and at the same time increase resilience.
1.2 FARM AND FOOD DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM—EMPIRICAL DATA
The case study farm is a small stockless organic unit of 6.36 ha of which
5.58 ha are cropped and a total of 0.78 ha is used for field margins, park-
ing area and buildings. The box-scheme distribution system supplies veg-
etables to 200-300 customers on a weekly basis.
Data for 2009 and 2010 were collected by two one-day visits at the
farm and follow up contacts in the period 2011 to 2013. Data included all
purchased goods for crop production and distribution, as well as a com-
plete list of machineries and buildings. The vegetable production was es-
timated based on sales records of vegetables delivered to consumers for
each week during 2009 and 2010 and subsequently averaged to give an
average annual production (Table A1). For the years studied, about 20%
of the produce was sold to wholesalers. In our analyses, this share was
included in the box-scheme sales.
1.2.1 PRODUCTION SYSTEMS
Forty-eight different crops of vegetables are produced (Table A1) and sev-
eral different varieties are grown for each crop. Crops are grown in three
different systems: open field, intensive managed garden and polytunnels,
and greenhouses. The open fields are managed with a 7-year crop rotation
and make up 5.09 ha of cropping area. The fields are characterized by a
low-fertility soil with a shallow top soil and high stone content. The gar-
den is managed with a 9-year crop rotation and the cropped area is 0.38
ha. In the garden only, walk-behind tractors and hand tools are used for the
cultivation. The greenhouse and poly-tunnels make up 0.10 ha.
The farm is managed according to the Stockfree Organic Standard [22],
which means that no animals are included in the production system and the
farm uses no animal manure. The farm is in general designed and managed
with a strong focus on reducing external inputs (e.g., fuel and fertilizers). An
