Visit to Babatpuszta

Matthew and colleagues started Nyitott Kert Alapitvany to make an organic demonstration farm within the Gödöllō Agricultural University (now MATE). The site chosen was Babatpuszta, an old Grassalkovich stables and hunting lodge, then mostly conventional animalhusbandry demonstration farms (geese) from the middle of the last century. Sadly the past decade or so has seen the activities dwindle to a stables and event venue with only a handful of staff. 

Because at Zsámbok our water issue seems critical, we are looking around to see where we could be growing organic vegetables on a field scale with good irrigation and storage infrastructure. Matthew thought it was worth a call to the university, and sure enough, we had a meeting sorted. 

The site sits in a valley — a few degrees cooler than the surrounding landscape, sheltered by forests in a way that the open plain is not. There are challenges - mostly with woodland wildlife coming into the garden to enjoy some tasty vegetables and cool water (who can blame them?). So the fencing is critical. The well was used daily until three years ago, needs testing but looking good. The system needs a new water tank and the storage cellar needs roof repairs. But overall not a hopeless undertaking.

Visiting after so many years was surprisingly emotional, bringing up lots of memories for Matthew and I. Inside the olf farmhouse which has seen better days, old photographs are still on the wall. The young fruit trees. The new timber chicken shed. A beautiful horse (Kényes) pulling a tool between rows of crops. There was real energy there.

I spent many summers at Babat as a boy — bored weekends and what seemed like endless weeks of 'character building' summer work experiences. At the time I appreciated payday at the end of a long week and little else, but now I recognise it was about more. You don't forget a place where you learn what honest work feels like and I've used that drive ever since. It's nice to come full circle.

As we build the future of Zsamboki Biokert and the box scheme, we need to build good supply of produce all year round. Diversifying from a single site might seem counterintuitive, but it's agile and responsive - qualities we must develop to grow healthy, sustainable food in the face of an increasingly uncertain climate.