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Organic farmers in Austria testing vegetable crops in winter

A project from Bio Austria has shown that cultivating vegetables in the winter in Austria is possible. Seven organic farms grew vegetable crops without heating in the winter for the first time.

After the first harvest the participating growers found out that at least 150 types of vegetables are suitable for winter growing. Protected by 'foil tunnels' the vegetables can grow without expensive heating, "Growing vegetables in the winter is something new, but on the other hand it is something very old that we have long since forgotten," says Wolfgang Palme from 'Gartenbau Schönbrunn'. "Fifty to one-hundred years ago it was very normal to use the winter in order to lengthen the season. During those times it was necessary because it was not common to transport vegetables throughout all of Europe nor was it common to use a lot of energy for heating." Under the project 'Wintergemüsevielfalt' ('Winter vegetables variety') farmers are trying to bring back old knowledge that was almost lost.