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Biohof Berkhöfel Naturkultur

Lat: 6.205160179974326, Lng: 51.73052854513808
Berkhöfel Naturkultur
Uedemer Straße 196, 47551 Bedburg-Hau, Nordrhein-Westfalen

The Berkhöfel Naturkultur organic farm in the district of Kleve aims to process food regionally and seasonally while preserving and recreating valuable habitats.

It cultivates 50 hectares of orchards and pastures as well as two agroforestry systems covering a total of 5.5 hectares. The orchards, arable land, and grassland are grazed by the farm's own sheep.

2022 Creation of the first agroforestry system with pear, apple, and plum trees in combination with arable farming and sheep grazing. The aim is to produce fruit while also exploiting the advantages of woody structures in arable farming: shade for grazing animals, windbreaks, habitat for beneficial insects, while maintaining the status of arable land and efficient cultivation.

Since 2023, Berkhöfel Naturkultur has been a cooperation partner of the Agroforestry Real-World Laboratory in the TransRegINT project at Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences. As a practical partner for apple rootstock research on drought tolerance and site adaptation of apple rootstocks and noble varieties, the apple high and low stems are planted on weak and strong-growing rootstocks in agroforestry tree strips at Berkhöfel Naturkultur.

The establishment of further agroforestry systems on the farm's own land is being considered.

Contacts:

Hendrik van Aken (kontakt@niederrhein-destille.de)

Anna-Lea Ortmann (anna-lea.ortmann@hochschule-rhein-waal.de)

Agroforestry system type:

Agrosilvopastoral system (woody plants/ arable crops and livestock)

Size of agroforestry system area(s) (in ha):

5.5

Percentage of area under trees/shrubs (in %):

16.7

Establishment (date):

Jan 1, 2022

Farming sectors:

  • Arable farming
  • Livestock farming
  • Fruit growing

Tree species:

  • Apple (Malus domestica)
  • Plum (Prunus domestica)
  • Pear (Pyrus communis)

(Intended) use of trees:

  • food production (e.g. production fruit/nut)

Livestock species in the agroforestry system:

  • sheep (incl. goat)

Main crop types in the agroforestry system:

  • field grass

Motivation/rationale for establishing or maintaining agroforestry system:

  • establish ecological balance
  • Higher productivity
  • Diversified product range
  • Protective effect for livestock