 Our enterprise is one of few remaining agriculture farms in the district of the city Leuven (Belgium), and the only one in the municipality of Putkapel, which has a population of 4500. We are steadily becoming a rare species (shouldn’t they be protected ?).
We only farm arable land and there are no animals on the farm. Running a farm near a city means we work on smaller plots, at times surrounded by gardens or houses, near busy traffic conditions. Hence we have to give utmost consideration to neighbours and surrounding residents. We also ensure that the streets remain free of mud and soil stuck to the tires when leaving the fields.
At times we face difficulties caused by the incompatibility of the width of the modern farming machines with traffic humps and narrow roads in the village streets, we are fortunate the Police of The city of Leuven has always been considerate.
Since 1997 the company is a partnership, named “Geleyns Josse en Johan” (father and son). The family’s daughter, Anja Geleyns, migrated 11 years ago to Malaysia, her husband’s website can be found at links (Prom-ad).
Over the years we have specialized ourselves in the cultivation of consumption potatoes and marketing them to the consumer.
Our farm abides by the relevant regulations while respecting the environment. To that effect we utilize a non-turning erosion plough, apply computerized crop conservation and preservation techniques.
Whenever possible, we try to follow the principles of “durable farming” (see text below).
Besides potatoes we also grow sugar beets, thus giving you your cube sugar in your coffee, and kernel corn used to produce animal feed among other applications.
We cultivate about 90 hectares on a yearly basis, 5% of the acreage lies fallow, conform to EU regulations.
durable agriculture?
A dictionary states that something that is durable is strong and lasts a long time without breaking or becoming weaker.In actual fact, its survival until now, confirms that agriculture has always been durable.There are those who insist that only ‘bio-farming’ is durable; however in our opinion contemporary agriculture, respecting current norms and regulations, is equally durable. In reality, agriculture that is economically deficient and ecologically unachievable, cannot survive.
For us 'durable agriculture’ implies :
* Agriculture must provide healthy food for the world population
* Employment in the agricultural sector needs to be preserved, providing a realistic income as well as a future to farmers.
* Agriculture needs to ensure the agro-ecological environment remains pure, leaving behind as few residues in the soil as possible.
Agriculture should not be isolated but needs to be fully integrated in society.
Should there be any errors please inform us.
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