Fruit-growing Partners
An overview of the Augustin Fruit Farm cultivation areas and those of its Partners
(Please click on map to enlarge)
Red: Augustin Fruit Farm
Yellow: Heinrich Quast Fruit Farm
Orange: Gunda and Hartwig Quast Fruit Farm
Green: Prigge-Clever Fruit Farm
Light Blue: Rolf Meyer Fruit Farm
Dark Blue: Lührs Fruit Farm (recently converted, supplies from 2011/12 onwards)
Pink: areas belonging to the Augustin Farm Assistant, Jörg von der Beck
The Heinrich Quast Demeter Fruit Farm
Heinrich Quast is Katrin Augustin's brother and his farm is situated in close proximity to the Augustin farm in Hamburg-Neuenfelde. With its 6,000 inhabitants, Neuenfelde actually belongs to "Altes Land", but was incorporated into Hamburg in 1937.
Heinrich Quast cultivates 33 hectares of land, which are almost exclusively home to an abundance of apple trees. Part of the estate is situated directly on the dike of the Elbe, at a height 2,5 mm above mean sea level, which is still relatively high for "Altes Land" region.
The remaining property stretches out to the South in the direction of the moor, from behind the main buildings, where they are then partly located below sea level. The conversion of the farm to organic agriculture took place in 1995, Demeter standards followed in 2001.
The fruit farm has been in the Quast family for approximately 180 years. An organic way of thinking had already been prevalent, even before the conversion to organic farming. Consequently the first wind turbines were erected on the estate as early as 1993.
They were subsidised and opened by the former senator for environmental affairs, as the first wind farm in Hamburg. The three wind turbines generate more energy every year than all the Augustin partners put together. The innovations continue: Heinrich Quast is planning to further develop the utilisation of regenerative energy on the farm.
The hot water dipping facility, which is used by all the Augustin partners, is located on the farm. In order to improve their shelf life, the individual apples are dipped into hot water, at a temperature of approx. 50° C, for 3 minutes.
The Gunda and Hartwig Quast Demeter Fruit Farm
Gunda and Hartwig Quast's Fruit Farm, who is also Katrin Augustin's brother, is situated in Jork-Borstel, in direct proximity to the dike, which runs along the Elbe River. Gunda and Hartwig Quast took over her parent's farm in 1989, after it had been leased to other farmers for a longer period of time. The years which followed were marked by the rejuvenation of fruit cultures and a renovation of the main building. A conversion to organic farming then followed in 1998 and in 2001 they started working according to Demeter standards.
Today Gunda and Hartwig describe their times of conventional economics as "controlling the forces of nature".
For them the cultivation of organic apples is working "together with nature", and the support and optimisation of plant growth. In so doing "organic" remains exciting, then and even more so today.
Today Gunda and Hartwig Quast cultivate 37 hectares of land. The main varieties, as on the farms of the other partners, are Elstar, the Jonagold group and Holsteiner Cox.
They also produce a few varieties of early apples. As on all the other farms belonging to the Augustin group, the apples can be stored in the farms own modern ULO storage facilities.
The Prigge-Clever Demeter Fruit Farm
Since their conversion to organic farming in 2002, the Prigge-Clever Fruit Farm GbR has been managed by Heiner Prigge and Michael Clever.
Prior to this, Heiner Prigge cultivated the farm according to guidelines stipulated by integrated production. Strictly speaking, the Prigge family has been occupied with fruit farming based in Hamburg-Neuenfelde since 1936.
The Prigge-Clever Fruit Farm, with its farm buildings and a large part of its agricultural fields, is situated in Neuenfelde. Since their conversion, additional leased areas have been added to this. These are primarily located in the districts of Königreich, Ladekop, Moorende and Hove in the Jork municipality. The business cultivates a total of 48 hectares.
Since 2005 the business is based on cultivation according to Demeter guidelines. Since this time Susanne Clever has been responsible for the production of compounds.
Also by means of Michael Clever's experiences and insights, which he gained through his work in the pomicultural research station, the Prigge-Clever Fruit Farm GbR endeavours to expand its range of fruit varieties. Therefore, in addition to apples, pears, plums and cherries are also cultivated according to Demeter guidelines.
Rolf and Beke Meyer Demeter Fruit Farm
Rolf and Beke Meyer cultivate the orchards of Rolf's parent's farm in Jork-Höhen, in close proximity to the Elbe. This location has a positive effect on the development of the fruit and their taste. Since 2006, the business has been run according to Demeter guidelines.
Rolf and Beke arrived at the principle of organic farming, by observing the self-regulatory mechanisms present in nature. Added to this were positive experiences with homeopathy, which aroused their curiosity of Demeter. The increasing interest among customers in Demeter apples, provided them with an additional impulse.
The 15 hectares of farmland consist primarily of loamy clay soil. The early apple variety Ambassy and the main varieties Elstar, Jonagold, Jonagored, Holsteiner Cox, Gloster und Boskoop are cultivated here. A special feature on the farm is the hectare of double flowering plums, which are particularly popular among customers, due to their size and their intense flavour.
The harvested apples are stored in the farm's own, modern ULO storage facilities and are only removed directly prior to being marketed. As a result, flavour, freshness and especially firmness are retained for a long time, which also represents an increased health factor.
The Jörg von der Beck Demeter Fruit Farm
Jörg von der Beck, born in 1985, completed his training as a horticulturist on the Augustin Fruit Farm, during which he specialised in pomiculture and finished at the top of his class. Today he continues to work fulltime for the Augustins, where he contributes 100 % of his time to the business and has become a true "cornerstone". In order to qualify himself further, Jörg will begin attending the school for master pomiculturists in autumn 2010. As a sideline, he cultivates his own 3 hectares of land.
His farmland is situated directly behind the house where he resides, a mere 2 km from the Augustin Fruit Farm. Therefore it is only natural that these areas are cultivated with the Augustin Fruit Farm's farming equipment.
In 2005, while still a student, Jörg von der Beck converted his farmland to cultivation according to Demeter guidelines. Today these cultivated areas are mainly taken up by the Jonagored variety Marnica and 20 % by the early apple Delbar-Ambassy.