Schank Haff: Farming that starts and ends with healthy soil
Schank Haff pays close attention to the health of its soil, including the symbiotic relationships between mycellium and plant roots - Photo by Lisa Tsumakova
BROUGHT TO YOU BY ETIKA
Jos Schank with his herd of pastured dairy cows
In the open countryside of Hupperdange in northern Luxembourg lies a pioneer in organic farming, Schank Haff. Run by father and son team Jos and Alexander Schanck, the 100-hectare dairy and vegetable farm has been using organic and Demeter practices for over four decades.
Schank Haff primarily produces milk and cheese from its 45 dairy cows, who enjoy grazing on lush green pastures and wintering on local grains. The farm also cultivates potatoes, carrots and wheat, all grown without pesticides or synthetic fertilisers.
FARMING THAT REGENERATES THE SOIL
Instead, Schank Haff uses biodynamic agriculture under the Demeter label, which takes a holistic and regenerative approach to soil health. Based on organic farming methods, there is a strong focus on preserving the vitality of the land through preparations such as active manure that reinjects beneficial bacteria into the soil.
Maintaining healthy, living soil is a key aim of biodynamic agriculture. “Soil consists of so many bacteria and fungi that are extremely important,” explains Jos.
Jos Schank explains that as conventional farming moved towards industrialisation, farmers began abandoning traditional manure and using synthetic fertilisers in its place. “Making manure yourself is a complicated process that takes time and effort,” he says. “But soil consists of so many bacteria and fungi that are extremely important, and some of these fertilisers destroy everything on the field,” he laments. “In organic farming, we stay true to the original and right processes.”
TAKING THE SLOWER, CIRCULAR WAY
Biodynamic agriculture takes a circular approach to farming, viewing the farm as a single autonomous organism. Unlike conventional agriculture, which requires purchasing inputs such as synthetic fertiliser, Schank Haff has everything it needs to sustainably continue the farming cycle: fields of healthy soil are rotated each year, first used for cattle grazing, then to grow wheat, then potatoes, peas, carrots, and so on. At the end of each growing season, the team revitalises the fields with high-quality fertiliser, or ‘superfood for the soil’ as Jos calls it, made by carefully aerating compost and manure in a rotating machine, which allows highly beneficial fungi and bacteria to grow. “This whole process is circular; nothing goes to waste,” he explains.
“Hedgerows act as a skin that protects the animals, the fields and the whole ecosystem,” explains Jos
Another essential part of this holistic approach is the use of hedgerows as borders between fields. A traditional visual feature of the countryside, hedgerows have nearly disappeared in recent decades as farms have increased the size of their fields to maximise efficiency. In contrast, over four kilometres of them grow across Schank Haff’s land. “Hedgerows act as a skin that protects the animals, the fields and the whole ecosystem,” explains Jos. A boost to biodiversity, the bushes provide a winter home to birds and insects, which then feed on pests in the summer. “In conventional farming, insects are seen as a disadvantage. But we need to take care of them, too,” he says.
Jos also works with other farms to share and exchange grains and reuse resources to further reduce waste and farm autonomously. He is open about the challenges of taking a circular, nature-focused approach but he believes in the result.
“There is more work, no doubt about that. We are doing it the slow way, but there is a reason for us to do it: we want healthy food.”
TOWARDS A FUTURE OF ORGANIC FARMING
After building up its specialised organic-compliant infrastructure over time, partly through financial support from etika, Schank Haff is still going strong 40 years after winning their first environmental award in 1983. For Jos, this is “living proof that organic farming also works in the north of the country.”
He has observed a gradual societal change in recent years, with people becoming more conscious of what they consume. “With Covid, consumers became more interested in organic farming as they were stuck at home and had more time to think about and research the food they eat,” he says, noting that consumers are the key factor in the viability of organic agriculture.
However, with the current economic crisis, people are again looking to save money, which puts farmers under pressure, especially in the face of competition from abroad. Jos sees organic farming as a win-win solution for both producers and consumers, but he believes we need new business models to make organic farming more attractive.
Alexander (left) and Jos (right) Schank work together on the farm. Jos would like to see more small-scale farmers start up in Luxembourg.
Rather than expanding existing farms, Jos would like to see policies encouraging more people to take up organic farming on a smaller scale, something he believes would lead to a stronger community with greater public awareness and support. “Our current mindset is completely wrong regarding farming and our future. It should never be about size; it should always be about quality. Let’s move away from the conventional industrial influences and go back to our roots,” he says.
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Find Schank Haff’s milk and cheese in local supermarkets under the BioG label.
ABOUT ETIKA
etika is a non-profit association founded in 1996 that aims to promote alternative finance and accompany the transition towards a more sustainable world. It provides access to credit for initiatives that work towards more sustainable and solidarity-based social, economic and ecological models as well as the promotion of human rights and sustainable development. Learn more at etika.lu