In week 12, the first spears of this year's season were already harvested at the Kallen farm. The Prius and Rakete varieties marked the "record-early" start to the season, although they could have started even a week earlier, notes Helena Kallen, who runs the Dormagen-based asparagus farm together with her family. "The early start to the season is largely due to the good weather conditions and our location, but also to the cultivation measures implemented early on, in particular the bed formation in October and the early installation of the mini-tunnels."
Demand at the start of the new season is very positive, according to Kallen. The regionally grown delicacy found its way directly to consumers through the farm's own store, with the first deliveries to retail stores beginning in week 13. "The response so far has been encouraging. It remains to be seen whether there will be enough regional asparagus by Easter to meet the high demand." For now, producer prices are quite satisfactory, though the average price over the entire season will be the deciding factor.
© Hugo Huijbers | FreshPlaza.com
Helena Kallen and her father during FreshPlaza.de's farm visit on March 24.
In-house marketing
Following the new construction in 2006, the Kallen family farm's cultivation capacities were also gradually expanded. Today, the farm grows potatoes on about 120 hectares, asparagus on 100 hectares, and strawberries on 45 hectares. A good half of the produce is supplied to the respective food retail headquarters in North Rhine-Westphalia and, to some extent, Hesse, followed by long-distance trade and direct marketing. Kallen: "We market our products directly, without intermediaries, which allows us a certain agility and flexibility in marketing."
© Hof Kallen GbR
Bundled purple and green asparagus
Just under two-thirds of asparagus cultivation consists of the established white variety, though green asparagus is also enjoying growing popularity, Kallen continues. "We have been dedicated to green asparagus cultivation for more than ten years: Even though it is relatively labor-intensive to handle, I see further opportunities here for our operation, especially in the cultivation of anthocyanin-free green asparagus. With the light green varieties, we stand out from imported goods at the point of sale and specifically cater to the growing demand for this quality."
Purple asparagus of the Erasmus variety has also been carving out an interesting niche for several years now and is grown on a few hectares. "For a while, we even offered an asparagus mix with all three colors in one package, but the preparation methods for the individual varieties were too different. This year, the purple asparagus will be available in stores for the first time as a standalone product under a new brand name."
© Hugo Huijbers | FreshPlaza.comAll of Kallen Farm's products are permanently listed in the regional sections of local grocery stores, including new potatoes from their own cultivation.
Broadly diversified in strawberry cultivation
Alongside potatoes and asparagus, strawberries form the third, equally growing pillar of the business. The first crop of the Flair variety is already expected in the third week of April, predicts Kallen. "We have invested extensively in cultivation technology in recent years. Our harvest window currently runs from late April to late August, but we aim to extend it further in the future." As part of a broad-based cultivation strategy, open-field cultivation remains an integral component. "While open-field cultivation is challenging given the increasing frequency of extreme weather events, it performs well in terms of both yield and quality under our local conditions." A balanced variety selection and a great deal of care in cultivation are essential here.
© Hof Kallen GbR.
Green asparagus from their own cultivation
Efficient family business
Despite the sometimes challenging market environment, which continues to be marked by pervasive cost increases, the Kallen family looks to the future with confidence. They want to maintain the family-run character of the business. "We are large enough to operate effectively in the market, yet as a family business, we are close enough to keep an eye on every detail. That ensures our quality—and that's how it should remain in the future," she concludes.
For more information:
Helena Kallen
Hof Kallen Gbr.
Forsterhof 1
41541 Dormagen (Stürzelberg)
Tel. +49 (0) 2133 479360
[email protected]
https://hof-kallen.de/
