Congratulations to Katrin and Dierk Augustin!
Augustin, the Demeter fruit farm in Jork in "Altes Land", won the 1st prize of the "Förderpreis Ökologischer Landbau 2010" (sponsorship award for organic farming)
Statement of the jury
Short film Augustin Fruit Farm
The first prize of the "Förderpreis Ökologischer Landbau" was presented to the Augustin Fruit Farm on 22 January 2010 by Federal Minister Ilse Aigner, within the context of a festivity at the International Green Week in Berlin. They were awarded for their excellent achievements regarding nature conservation, landscape architecture and resource conservation.
The energy strategy, which was implemented in 2008, was regarded as particularly innovative. The system, by means of which the waste heat from the cold storage for fruits is used to heat offices, hallways and living areas, is a new feature. During their first year of operation they were already able to utilise energy amounting to 76,000 kWh, by means of this type of heat recovery. This means that more than half of the required energy could be generated in this way. Consequently the environment was spared emissions of approx. 14,500 kg of CO2. The remaining heat required is generated using a newly installed wood- chip heating stove, which is fed with wood from the farm orchards instead of natural gas. As this fuel is CO2 neutral, the environment is spared a further 11,400 kg of CO2 emissions. The system was developed as a pioneering system, with state-of-the-art and particularly energy efficient technology, and is designed for modular extension.
Exceptional efforts in cultural design and landscape architecture are always particularly looked up to in the fruit-growing industry. As a result Dierk and Katrin Augustin have created flowering patches on their farm. These include a large variety of flowering plants such sunflowers, mallows, buckwheat, wild carrots and phacelia. These patches are home to an abundance of useful insects, which set out into the orchards from here. There they contribute to a natural balance and play a beneficial role in maintaining the health of the trees.
Key areas in landscape architecture and nature conservation on the fruit farm are the frost- protection irrigation tanks, which are designed in the form of biotopes. These also provide a habitat for a large selection of indigenous plants, animals and useful insects. The floral patches connect the individual biotopes with each other to form a unified system, providing the farm's beneficial organisms with paths by which they can travel to the orchards.
Two birthdays are to coincide this year: the Augustin Fruit Farm is celebrating "20 years of organic farming" and the "Förderpreis Ökologischer Landbau" is also celebrating its anniversary this year, by being awarded for the 10th time. By means of the "Förderpreis Ökologischer Landbau", the German Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection offer an annual award for businesses that save on natural resources, have put particularly innovative approaches into practice or carried out exceptionally sustainable concepts for their entire business.
Agricultural enterprises or business associations in Germany of any kind, which are committed to the pursuit of organic farming, can apply for the "Förderpreis Ökologischer Landbau". The selection of prize-winners is carried out by an independent jury appointed by the German Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection. It is composed of representatives from organic farming, consumer and environmental associations as well as the scientific sector.
Statement of the jury
Short film Augustin Fruit Farm