Case study: Farm Smėlynė (Smėlynės ūkis)
Photo acknowledgement: www.facebook.com/smelyneukis
- General public
- Outdoor
- Farm, Workshop / training
- Lithuania
Farm Smėlynė (Smėlynės ūkis)
Farm Smėlynė in Lithuania is a regenerative farm established in 2015 that not only produces agricultural products but also contributes to the restoration of natural ecosystems. Upon acquiring the farm, owners Laurynas Kaučikas, a biologist and plant scientist, and his wife Justina Kaučikienė, who has a background in chemistry, discovered that the soil was overused and over-fertilised, making it unproductive. To regenerate the soil, they started stockbreeding, which not only produced meat but also improved soil health. The owners share updates about their farming practices and soil regeneration efforts on their farm’s Facebook page, which has 3.4K followers, and a dedicated soil improvement page with over 1K followers. Laurynas Kaučikas also gives lectures on soil regeneration upon invitation.
Objective
The primary objective is to disseminate knowledge about sustainable farming and the importance of soil regeneration to other farmers, environmentally conscious people, and the general public.
Approach
The farm’s approach is practice-oriented, presenting sustainable farming and soil regeneration within the context of daily farm life. This initiative is noteworthy because it stems from a private endeavour driven both by commercial interests and the scientific backgrounds of the owners. The practical grounding of their shared knowledge, based on day-to-day farming experiences, adds significant value to their educational efforts.
Link for further information
https://www.facebook.com/smelyneukis?locale=lt_LT (Farm Facebook page)
https://www.facebook.com/dirvosgerinimas?locale=lt_LT (Facebook page on soil improvement run by the Farm)