Working in the field –

“Just continuing as we are is not an option” – that was the message of the World Agriculture Report published in 2008, which is probably the most intensive scientific examination of global agriculture to date. In short, we need to urgently reconsider how we cultivate our earth – not only because of climate change, which has been posing substantial challenges to agriculture for many years, but also to address societal problems such as poverty and hunger.

Agriculture is not only the foundation of our culture, but also the foundation of all economic activity. In the same way that agriculture – in the true sense of cultivating the land – serves the earth, an exactly equivalent economic activity of cultivation should serve social relationships. This is one of the reasons behind STOCKMAR maintaining a connection to entities such as Kattendorfer Hof organic farm for many years, for example; to support action that is both human-scaled and future-fit, whether on the field or when rendering beeswax.

Biodynamic agriculture has faced considerable challenges since it was first established. As the World Agriculture Reported also pointed out, “small is beautiful” – smallholder structures ultimately come out as the best guarantors for food security and sovereignty. But “small” also means family-managed agricultural businesses that have to wrestle to survive. Creativity is required, to create processes that safeguard harvests into the future and in the face of weather conditions that are only becoming more difficult to predict. Stable networks are needed too. Kattendorfer Hof has established an economic community that not only secures its continued existence but also gives something back to the community. Which is why STOCKMAR – and many other places – regularly receives family-sized produce deliveries. But contributory agriculture gives the community back a great deal more than even this: it provides the opportunity to participate in an agriculture for the future.

If we want to design a future-fit society, we need a shared will to leave old pathways behind and seek out new routes of mutual assistance. For this reason, we are striving to increasingly use regional production facilities for our manufacturing processes where possible. And in the same way, we are also striving to keep our microorganism here in Kaltenkirchen healthy – through biodiversity outside our own front door, species-appropriate beekeeping in the STOCKMAR garden, and an electric charging station on the premises which is not restricted to the company fleet, but available to any car from the neighbourhood. And also with fruit and vegetable boxes for our employees. We are very grateful that we have been able to collaborate with our neighbours at Kattendorfer Hof for many years!