Södervidinge Farm - Farm description 1998

Södervidinge farm is situated east of the township of Kävlinge in the west of the province Skåne. The farm is owned and managed by Per Nordmark, graduate in farm management science and business administration. The farm is situated in dominating flat country and has previously been farmed by Per’s father, Olof Nordmark. The farm has changed emphasis from traditional crop growing to become more and more concentrated with vegetable cultivation on open ground. Since 1987 the farm has, in project form, cultivated aromatic plants, such as wormwood, for flavouring and seasoning of flavoured Scandinavian vodka. "Snälleröds Besk" is one of the products using aromatic plants grown on Södervinge farm.

While the cultivation of vegetables is extensive it should also be pointed out that traditional crop crowing also occupies a large part of the farm area. The backbone of the company is vegetable production, principally leek, celeriac and stem celery. Chive and parsley are several other specialities cultivated as well as the previously named wormwood.
The farm comprises an area of 90 ha. The fields are well situated around the farm centre. The arable fields border the creek Välabäcken, which forms a part of the Saxån-Braåns small river system. It is important to limit agriculture’s environmental effect on this coastal water system with its importance for fish spawning for different fish species.

Area: 83,9 hectares, cultivation + protective zones
Soil: 3-6% organic matter, loam.

The farm includes a well constructed building and facilities for washing and packaging vegetables. An important part is the cold-storage room which allows the possibility for always supplying fresh produce.

Profile for Södervidinge farm
* plant production on dominating flat country
* considerable crowing of vegetable crops
* special crops including several types of aromatic plants, mostly wormwood
* protective zones along all water courses
* dam construction for collection of drainage water and creating a resource for irrigation

Accomplished measures
Emphasis is placed upon accomplishing measures within all areas where the surrounding society demands confidence in product quality as well as the production environment. It is important to document which measures and improvements have been taken. The following measures can be shown for Södervidinge farm:

Safe handling of chemical pesticides
It is important to handle pesticides safely at all times. All pesticides are stored in a secured storage room. The floor is watertight with a high doorstep leading from the storage room. This allows spillage to be collected in case of broken packaging. Filling is either carried out on a biobed, which has been in use for three years, or in the field where any eventual spillage is biologically broken down. Personal protective clothing is important and that it be worn at all times, in addition that all personal have authorisation for use of chemical pesticides.

The spray program is adjusted to actual conditions through participation in forecast and warning services. It is important to be able to exclude treatment in the case of low pest intensity, likewise to carry out treatment when necessary. This is especially important in the case of special crops whose value is very high - often > 100.000 kr / ha.
Risk for wind-drift must always be observed in order to protect the surrounding environment.
This is especially important in addition where treatment is often carried out alongside susceptible and very valuable and crops. More important is the application of precautionary measures as treatment is often carried out near buildings and houses.

An important measure concerns the protective border zones established along the creek Välabäcken - a tributary to Saxån-Braån which discharges into the passage of Öresund. A 6 m wide protective strip has been established along the watercourse to protect it in connection with the spreading of plant nutrients and the use of chemical pesticides.
After spraying the sprayer is initially cleaned in the field if the soil is considered having a high biological activity. Finally the sprayer is cleaned on the biobed. It is important that residue substances in the tank or under the sprayer come into contact with an environment high in biological activity. After treatment and cleaning are carried out the sprayer is stored on the biobed or under cover. Use of resistant seed varieties are prioritised wherever possible.

Protective watercourse zones
Protective zones alongside creek Välabäcken have permanent cover and can be utilised as access and transport roads in connection with different crop maintenance functions. Another positive character of the protective zones is that they can be used as turn-lands which give the possibility of reducing soil compaction. The farms profile of several different special crops leads to a large number of tractor passes.

Similar protective zones are now being established on several other farms in the area. It is important with combined action in order to fully take responsibility for the water-course environment. In several places Per has planted trees and berry bushes which give shelter and food for wild animals.

Plant nutrient control
Fertiliser spreading is adjusted to actual yield. Soil mapping and soil nutrient line mapping form the basis for applying a more suitable plant nutrient supply. It is important to adjust the supply of plant nutrients to anticipated yield. Climate and other growing conditions can result in yields being significantly lower than what was anticipated when planning the level of plant nutrient supply. In this circumstance it is important to be able to judge the need for the supply of extra nutrients, likewise if these can be excluded. Södervidinge farm, like the other pilot farms in Odling i Balans, uses soil testing in order to adjust, as far as possible, the level of plant nutrient supply. At present, soil profile tests are being taken for determining the content of heavy metals and as a basis for doing an introductory heavy metal balance on the farm. The farm uses mineral fertilises low in cadmium content.

A valuable feature is that mineral fertilisers are spread using an precision-spreader. This technique has a very small - non-existent - risk for spreading plant nutrients on land or water outside the field.

Dam for collecting drainage water
A dam has been built on Södervidinge farm allowing for the collection of drainage water which is then utilised as a plant nutrient resource, which otherwise risks being transported out to the creek Välabäcken. The dam creates an important irrigation resource which is of great value in respect to the cultivation of the many different vegetable crops grown on the farm. A private dam allows room for different actions in comparison to being limited to water withdrawal, together with responsibility for the water environment, when water is drawn from the smaller creek Välabäcken. The dam has an area of approx. 1,2 ha and forms an important aspect in improving the natural environment and increasing biological diversity.

Waste disposal / handling of motor fuel
Large amounts of waste arise in association with crop production - in several cases what could be considered as environmentally dangerous. In is important that waste be recycled. Waste oil, oil filters, as well as plastic from large seed sacks are all routinely collected on Södervidinge farm. Empty pesticide containers are rinsed three times before being left for disposal at assigned areas.

Cultivation of willow avenues
An old and majestic willow avenue leads up to the farm. It is pruned every four years. Plantation of new trees has been carried out in gaps.

Checklist
Södervidinge farm, as one of the pilot farms involved in Odling i balans, carries out a detailed documentation of different improvement measures. A checklist is used to describe the farms status. Together with use of different environmental indicators, the checklist provides a description and documentation on improvements undertaken in different areas.

to increase the extent of establishing catch crops for better management of plant nutrients
to increase the safety of fuel storage by casting a cement caisson under the bulk fuel tank
to successively change over to biologically based oil
to value material and energy balance in connection with an extensive use of packaging