Guest post – Johannes Enssle, farmer at Großhöchberg CSA
Together with Eyal Drimmer and Christoph Hinske, we just started to work with the ecosynomics framework in our farm-community in Großhöchberg, a little village in the south of Germany.
We grow biodynamic demeter vegetables and started this year with building up a community supported agriculture (CSA) farm cooperative. We are two core farmer families joined with other families and individuals who support us.
I find it striking how well the ecosynomics approach helps us in understanding our situation as farmers and as a community better, and how it helps us in overcoming obstacles in our way. In fact, for me, ecosynomics is not only a science or a method, it is somehow a path that guides us.
We started, together with Eyal Drimmer, to make the first steps in our own Harmonic Vibrancy Move. Working with Eyal Drimmer, the plan is now to expand the process, by applying for funds for a larger, 2-3 year project. The project would take a closer ecosynomic look at the performance of other CSA-farms in Germany and identify the agreements and mechanisms for CSA-farm success. We want to implement and validate this knowledge then in our own farm-community and share it within the German CSA-network, so that this knowledge can be multiplied.
At this stage, we are still looking for funding and are quite optimistic that we can find a foundation or donor for this soon. If you have an idea where we could or should apply, we are thankful for suggestions. Please send them to us at gaertnerei[at]grosshoechberg[dot]de.
If you want to see more about our farm and community, visit www.grosshoechberg.de.
