An Apple hen Handbook for organic farmers
Fruit and animals can go well together in practice
Henry Ford said “Coming together is the beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success”. Within the framework of the H2020 MIXED Apple hen project in Austria they are in different phases of this saying. Their “Apple hen farmers" are already working together - constantly improving the Apple hen project and increasing their knowledge.
A well-known Moravian-Austrian proverb says: "Knowledge is the only good that increases when it is shared" (Marie Freifrau Ebner von Eschenbach). It was time to take the next step and start a new coming together to spread our farmers knowledge of keeping laying hens in their organic apple orchards.
The Austrian team in MIXED took benefit from their international network and held an international meeting together with the Austrian Demeter Association to present their project. They welcomed participants from Holland, South Tyrol, Germany, Austria and Slovenia. Though it was one of the hottest days of the month, lively discussions and reflections took place. And last but not least, as Socrates already recognised that a good meal brings good people together, an excellent egg dish of apple chicken eggs was served by the Apple hen pioneer farmer, Irene Trummer. Nicely surrounded by buzzing bees and crowing roosters.
The Austian team gave new interested parties an important output of the research project: An Apple Chicken Handbook. Take a look:
> Read more about the Austrian network