DESIRE Czech Republic

FULL Czech Republic: Apple Farm - Organic production

Dates: 10th July to 14th August 2008

Number of UK participants: 8

This is an opportunity to live, work and learn on a sustainable Czech small-holding for five weeks this summer. The placement offers participants the opportunity to gain or deepen knowledge and skills in the field of horticulture, to learn about self-sufficiency, sustainability, traditional techniques and uses of natural materials, dendrology, herbology and how to apply principles of the organic and permaculture systems. Beside that the placement includes opportunities for varied cultural visits, trips, sport activities and for meeting interesting people. The planned major project for this year's placement is to finalize a semifinished design for a strawberry garden and to finish the garden. That means to build boundary walls from limestone, construct raised beds, plant the beds with strawberry plants and create a rain water reservoir for irrigation. The placement is hosted by AppleFarm, a sustainable small-holding run by Kristyna and Rudolf Zidek.

Summer placement at AppleFarm - sustainable small-holding
in Czech Republic

AppleFarm - Introduction

AppleFarm is a 4-acre sustainable small-holding located about 100 miles east from Prague in the highlands of East Bohemia between the cultural and historical towns of Litomysl and Policka. AppleFarm is surrounded by extensive forests. The countryside in the area is varied - fields, meadows, woods and villages located in river valleys.
The farm consists of 250-year-old residential building, barn and organic fruit orchard (mostly young apple trees) mingling with patches of herbs, veg plots, compost heaps and hedges. The central spot on the farm grounds is a small amphitheatre from turf for educational and culture purposes.
AppleFarm's production is not based commercially; the aim is sustainability, self-sufficiency and organizing environmentally educational activities. All care for the land and crops on AppleFarm is being done in organic regime.
AppleFarm is run by Rudolf and Kristyna Zidek. Rudolf has got university degrees in agriculture and education. He works as a teacher. He specializes in organic fruit-growing and environmental education. Kristyna has got a university degree in education, she teaches English. She specializes in herbs and dendrology. They both have got years experience with sustainable way of living. On AppleFarm they follow organic and biodynamic methods of growing and apply principles from permaculture.
Rudolf and Kristyna take AppleFarm to be a place for passing on environmentally friendly experience; they organize workshops, educational placements and project teaching. Since 1999 they have environmentally trained several dozen participants from Great Britain, Ireland, France, Germany and Czech Republic.


Apple Farm (herb Garden)	Pruning Apple Trees	Making St John's Wort Oil

Previous Placements at AppleFarm
The main projects that were carried out at AppleFarm during 2005 were: restoration of the existing fruit orchard, realization of summer environmental placement and construction of a small amphitheatre. All the participants who came on the summer placement were eager to learn; it was joy to teach them and work with them. Because of their enthusiasm the amphitheatre was nearly finished over the summer which was unexpected. Long time upcoming plantation of young fruit trees and woody plants for future hedges was carried out over the autumn. However, 2006 brought new challenges. The aim was to re-organize the existing veg and herb gardens over the spring to make them more suitable for educational purposes. Another project for this year was to construct a system of pools with clay beds and thus support the ecological stability on the farm grounds. Aspirations that had roots in previous years were accomplished during the year 2007 at AppleFarm. Domestic and farm buildings were united concerning ownership and thus those can be used for the planned activities. The young extensive apple orchard started growing successfully.

In 2008 reconstruction works on the buildings will continue, training of the young apple orchard will begin and the designs of the already established veg plot, strawberry garden and herb garden will be improved. The major environmental and educational activity at AppleFarm for the 2008 season is planned to be the DESIRE placement for UK students with a belief that the programme will be as interesting for the students as it has been in previous years.

Read the report by Maisie Wake, a participant in the 2005 placement on Apple Farm


Preparing Compost Material	Making Clay Bricks	Picking Mullein for Syrup

Activities for the 2008 Placement at Apple Farm
APPROACHES: introduction to the principles of organic and permaculture systems
STRAWBERRIES: how to create and maintain a strawberry garden
HERBS: how to create and maintain a herb garden, identification, care, culinary
and medicinal properties, processing (teas, syrups, oils)
CLAY: plastering, brick, tree balm making
COMPOST: how and why to build compost heaps
SCYTHING: how to prepare and use a scythe
VEG: growing, harvesting and processing, constructing raised beds
FRUIT ORCHARD: design, planting, shaping, pruning, mulching, feeding,
propagation, harvesting, processing fruit
HEDGE: planting, laying, weaving
LIMESTONE: building paths, walls and decorative stone sculptures
COOKING: wholesome recipes using home-grown herbs and vegetables, baking in a
traditional bread oven
DENDROLOGY: learning to identify trees and shrubs; properties and uses
WOOD: building, collecting, chopping, carving, hewing
COUNTRYSIDE: walking, wild berry picking and mushroom hunting


Drying Herbs	Scything	Clay Plastering	Tree Identification

Background
Accommodation: There are bedrooms, standard bathroom, separate toilet, washing machine, workshop with library.
Catering: There is a large kitchen and dining room in one, which serves also as a lounge. Food is cooked partly from the farm's produce. It is mostly vegetarian but could be modified for vegans as well as for carnivors.
Transport: Participants will use public transport or will be transported by cars. The nearest bus stop is about 15min walk from the farm, the nearest train and bus stations are in Policka (5miles).
Weather: Climate is continental with warm summers, although colder days with showers of rain may occasionally occur.
Please note: Participants need to bring warmish clothes, good outdoor footwear
and a sleeping bag!


Making Pottery	Picking Herbs	Stacking Firewood

General priority for all the activities within the placement is that each activity is organised in such way to be safe and manageable for the participants. We would like the placement participants to feel free at the family atmosphere of AppleFarm. We believe that the participants will find the knowledge and skills they will gain and practically try out during the placement useful in their future lives.
The placement is funded through an EU scheme, Grampus Heritage (sending organisation) and AppleFarm. Costs of return travel to the farm from the UK and basic food and accommodation are covered for the participants whilst on the placement.

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