Extending the season
For grower/entrepreneur Ulrich Osterloh, energy and labor go hand in hand in many areas. Human hands continue to be indispensable on his German strawberry farm, but where mechanization and automation offer promising opportunities, the issue of energy also comes into play. “In both areas, sustainability is a key word,” says Osterloh. “We have to use fossil fuels and water efficiently and economically. But you also have to cherish good staff, because by binding them to you for a longer period you acquire knowledge and skills that result in a better performance and thus a better end product.”
The possibilities for saving energy would appear to be more limited on an outdoor farm than in a greenhouse horticulture company. Nonetheless, even in Visbek all the technical possibilities are being fully exploited or are being investigated; both because of their own convictions and on account of government measures. “Our energy consumption is monitored constantly. We are also open to switching our tractors from diesel to electric, for example. Installing solar panels is also an interesting option.”
Energy is not cheap in Germany. This has led Osterloh to look at alternatives such as biogas or residual heat from local industry. “Bringing forward the start of the harvest season is one of our goals over the next few years. Heat is essential in order to guarantee the quality of the strawberries, but that heat must come from inexpensive, green energy sources.”
