Laaerbergbäuer*inner & Earth-Procession

Citizen garden

Introduction

The Laaerbergbäuer inner gardens are an initiative that aims to develop horticultural activities mainly based on permaculture techniques. Their activity is closely related to the values of cooperation and social integration. The annual Earth Procession, held in September, is an act of communal expression of the gardeners.

Activity Topic

Implementation of community outreach activities

Organisation

LaaerBergBauerinnen – Farming Together at Laaer Berg

Legal Status

NGO

Year of Establishment

2016

Location

Klg Zum Acker Parz., 1100 Vienna, Austria

The LABER association has been in existence for about 8 years. Membership costs 110 € per year. They meet monthly to agree on all the activities to be carried out in the garden.

Activity Description

Aims and Outcomes

LaaerBergBauerInnen is a community initiative in Vienna that promotes sustainable urban agriculture in the Laaer Berg area. Its mission is to encourage local food production, educate the community about ecological agricultural practices and strengthen social cohesion through collaborative activities in the field. The organisation is dedicated to growing a variety of fruits and vegetables, involving volunteers, students and local residents in the process of planting, caring for and harvesting the crops.

The main peculiarity of these gardens is that it practices a modality called CMA (Community Made Agriculture). Investment and ongoing costs are covered by membership fees and/or funding. The association draws up an annual cultivation plan by mutual agreement and grows fruit and vegetables together. This means that the areas are not divided among the members as in the ‘community gardens’, but that each type of vegetable is only grown once and collectively.

The annual Procession of the Earth is a time to connect with the rest of the district’s entities and to highlight the value of what is being done and strengthen ties with the community, while at the same time carrying out an artistic activity that includes the reproduction of old traditional decorations made with vegetable elements.

Implementation Steps

The activities of LaaerBergBauerInnen are usually structured the following way:

Planning: Identifying suitable areas for cultivation and establishing partnerships with schools, local organisations and interested volunteers.
Land preparation: Clearing and conditioning the soil, installing irrigation systems, including a rainwater harvesting pond, and preparing the plots for planting.
Crop selection: Choose fruit and vegetable varieties adapted to the local climate and community preferences.
Planting and care: Sow seeds or plant seedlings, and provide the necessary care, including watering, weeding and pest control.
Community education and participation: Organise workshops, open days and events to engage the community and educate about sustainable agricultural practices. This includes the annual celebration of the Earth Procession.
Harvesting and distribution: Harvesting the produce grown and distributing it to participants, the local community or through community markets.
Evaluation and improvement: Analyse the results obtained, collect feedback from participants and make adjustments to improve future activities.

Advantages and Benefits

Innovation: Implementation of sustainable agricultural practices and the creation of green spaces in urban areas. Development of Permaculture, an agricultural modality consisting of a type of multiple agricultural design system, based on the patterns and characteristics of the natural ecosystem. It develops self-regulated agricultural systems inspired by natural ecosystems.

Social impact: Strengthening of the local community, promotion of environmental education and improvement of the quality of life of residents. Great importance is given to the participation of local social initiatives, such as Charitas.

Economic sustainability: Generation of fresh, local produce that can be shared, contributing to the local economy and reducing dependence on imported food.

Required Competences and Skills

Knowledge of sustainable agriculture: Understanding of ecological practices, crop management and soil conservation. Organisational and project management skills: Ability to plan, coordinate and implement community activities. Effective communication: Ability to educate and motivate the community, facilitating participation and collaboration. Teamwork: Ability to collaborate with volunteers, local organisations and other stakeholders. Adaptability and problem solving: Ability to face challenges and adapt to changes in the environment or community needs. Artistic ability and creativity: Development of the Earth procession, creating installations and decorations, and incorporating traditional knowledge of similar activities in rural Austria.

Evaluation

The success of LaaerBergBauerInnen’s activities is based on their ability to promote community participation: they are able to mobilise a certain number of volunteers, schools and organisations involved in the activities. This includes the knowledge gained by the participants and changes in attitudes towards sustainability, which has an educational impact. On the other hand they are also able to develop good agricultural production: with quantity and quality of the harvested products, in many cases local varieties that they strive to maintain and recover. The main thing is the satisfaction of the participants, the improvement they feel in their own individual lives and in their social relations. It is a shared wellbeing that they work to extend in their environment.

Conclusions

LaaerBergBauerInnen is an urban agriculture initiative in Vienna that promotes sustainable practices, environmental education and community empowerment. Through collaboration with schools, volunteers and local organisations, they have created productive green spaces in urban areas, offering hands-on experiences in food production and fostering social cohesion. Their activities include educational workshops, cultural events and the implementation of ecological farming techniques such as permaculture, contributing to the sustainability and well-being of the local community. The Earth Procession is an important moment in the annual agenda of the market gardeners of LaaerBergBauerInnen. Its preparation is a time of community participation, including activities such as Irene’s solar cooker, and the tasting of preparations made with produce from the garden. The making of garlands and other decorations for the Procession with vegetable elements from the garden is also a moment of conviviality and fun. The subsequent tour and contact with neighbourhood gardens of other vegetable garden communities in the neighbourhood, several of them with many immigrant families, is an important act of integration and coexistence between citizens and new citizens.

Advice / Recommendation

Promote collaboration: Continue to build partnerships with schools, local organisations and volunteers to strengthen and expand the support network.

Adapt activities to the local context: Consider the specific characteristics of the community and environment to ensure the relevance and effectiveness of initiatives.

Prioritise education and awareness-raising: Offer workshops and events that promote knowledge about sustainable practices and the importance of urban agriculture.

Project Number: 2023-1-FR01-KA220-ADU-000153638

The objective of the Gardeniser Academy project is to support the development of community gardens in Europe by offering online training contents tailored to the needs and expectations of gardeners all over Europe.

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