Frida Holmquist
Innovator
Skarmansmåla Farm
Sweden
Environmental
Farming
Rural village
The innovation journey
After navigating a winding country road, we arrive at Skarmansmåla Farm. Here, Frida Holmquist and her husband, Tobias, run an advanced bovine dairy and meat farm that is committed to environmental sustainability. Frida has been a co-owner of the farm since 2010 and is primarily responsible for caring for the herd and overseeing daily operations. Their farm consists of 180 hectares of forest, 160 hectares of arable land, and 120 hectares of natural pasture.
In its day-to-day operations, the farm feeds 180 cows with organic grass cultivated on-site. Milking robots are used on the farm, thus allowing the cows to be milked when they wish. Automatic feed dispensers and an app to monitor cow activity and health are also used on the farm. Currently, the farm has a staff of three.
The innovation impact
In 2021, Skarmansmåla Gård was honoured with the local “Sparbanken Eken’s award” for the owners’ work in achieving a sustainable transition and green farming. Sustainability holds significant importance for Frida and Tobias, and their journey towards sustainability began with a notable incident. In the summer of 2014, Frida discovered that their use of pesticide was harming the ladybugs in their fields and contaminating their two lakes. In response, they made the decision to discontinue the use of artificial fertilizers. When the tractor-mowers return to the farm’s garage now after working on the grass fields, they are often accompanied by ladybugs.
Today, the farm holds an eco-certification from KRAV, signifying that the milk and meat produced on the farm meet organic standards. The farm also houses biogas facilities to produce energy and natural fertilizers, thereby positioning the farm’s owners as local leaders in self-sufficiency and resilience. The farm’s surplus energy is sold back to the grid, providing an additional source of income.