STORA JULEBODA is a KRAV certified farm on sandy soils, located on the coast between Åhus and Kivik and covers 100 hectares, divided into orchards, pastures, forest and cropland. Being next to the sea and the forest gives the location mild autumns but with a risk for late spring frost, when humidity sweeps in over the orchards. The farm is run by Anna and Marcus Callenbring, with help from their daughter Clara and a returning, seasonal working family. The former apple orchard differs a lot from the others in the region, (Kivik) famous for apple- and cider production. Here they grow apples, pears and plums, sea buckthorn, raspberries and american blueberries, hops , blackberries, black currants, rose hips and rose quince. Between the trees, priority is given to stinging nettles (Urtica dioica), fireweed (Camaenerion angustifolium), Phacelia (Phacelia tanacetifolia), white goosefoot (Chenopodium album), white clover (Trifolium repens), meadow-sweet (Filipendula ulmaria) and dandelions (Taraxacum). In this environment, the natural enemies of insect pests, such as ladybugs and birds, thrive.
“In apple orchards 4 insects are doing harm, but there are several beneficial, and with a high variety of perennials, the latter are attracted”, Marcus explains, and adds that they are fortunate to have a special ant living in the apple orchards that eats the larvae of the codling moth, a big problem in organic fruit production as they bore into apples and eat the cores.
The 40 hectare apple orchard, with twenty different varieties of table apples and cider apples, are cut by Clara Callenbring in 3 weeks, at the beginning of the year.
Climate change is resulting in warmer days earlier in the year, with earlier flowering and fruit setting, and, at the same time with possible cold, “frost nights” until May, which put the harvest at risk. To avoid this, ploughing in the tree alleys to let in warmer air, burning hay bales, and circulating the air using a huge gas-powered fan on a circulating tractor is a somewhat hectic and demanding job required, but is apparently making a difference, raising temperatures from minus three degrees to plus two. The group discussed whether it would have been appropriate to use apple varieties with later flowering.
GRAZING
Species rich woodland pastures and natural meadows, once defining the Swedish landscapes, have decreased significantly in the last century, due to the decrease in extensive grazing, despite it being essential for animal (and human) health, and crucial for national biodiversity goals. Huge socio- economic changes would be required to enable and encourage more mid and small scale animal husbandry with greater numbers of landraces, adapted to survive on natural pastures.
At Stora Juleboda, a number of conventional pigs for meat and some of the Berkshire heritage swine breed are kept, and let in where they are needed at work; to clean out land before sowing or planting new trees, or diligently turning the soil over and eating invasive weeds, such as couch grass (Elymus repens) and white goosefoot, and thus inviting other species to get a chance to establish in the orchard.
In
traditional orchards, apple tree roots are looked after by cutting, as
they are considered to get too invasive with time. At Juleboda, the pigs
offer this service for free. Being grafted onto A2 rootstocks, they are
very robust and can withstand a lot, including weed competition. Thanks
to their presence in the orchards, the voles are kept away.
The Berkshire pigs live outdoors all year around and have good resistance to cold temperatures and simple nutritional requirements. Thanks to their presence in the orchards, the voles are kept away. The pigs are fed apple leftovers from the cider production. When they have finished their assignment, they graze in the forest.
Chickens and sheep are also part of the work-rotating livestock. According to the family’s research, the same number of animals were kept on the farm in the 17th century as today. The moving of the sheep is done from the horseback. During the dry summer months, the sheep are moved every day, there are a total of 32 fenced areas.
Regenerative grazing is about keeping and moving animals through pastures to improve soil-, plant- and animal health. Time is key, how long they are kept in one place, and for how long the pasture will be left to recover. This mimics wild grazing herds whose natural behavior is to be in constant movement, instinctively keeping out for predators. This allows for plants to grow deeper roots, which reduces soil erosion (from overgrazing), and creates stronger resistance to drought; when the animals leave enough cover, water movement slows down during heavy rains, and this increases absorption. Deeper roots can also absorb more nutrients which decreases contaminants in groundwater and reduces the need for fertilizer and pesticides. As animal feed and welfare is provided through forage, this grazing method significantly lowers expenses for farmers. “Our pigs feed significantly more on herbs than is commonly understood”, Marcus notes.
“Stinging nettles saved the farm economy a year with late spring frosts” - Marcus Callenbring
One of several projects underway on the farm is to develop new cultivars of blackcurrant for selling, along with varieties of apple developed at the farm in collaboration with the Department of Plant Breeding, SLU.