The innovation journey

The farm raises lambs (Suffolk breed), calves and young cattle on 65 ha of land. It also produces bee honey, grains, spices and herbs, which can be picked during the period June – September. Among the herbs are chamomile, mint, lemon balm, and plantain. Three horses also live on the farm.

The owner, MSc. Iva Zadražilová, Ph.D. is 45 years old. She graduated from Mendel University in Brno, majoring in general agriculture and applied and landscape ecology. Originally, the family did not want to go into agriculture, but her father got land in restitution and she started to enjoy it. She currently lives alone with three children and works with her 12-year-old son.

Since 2017, they have been operating a boarding house with a capacity of 14 apartments (60 beds) and 3 employees, including two from Ukraine.

Dr. Zadražilová is also the director of the branch of the German company ABC for the certification of organic agriculture since 2011. She has three permanent inspectors and several externs. The condition is that they must be active farmers. Continuous education, especially in legislative issues, is a prerequisite. She organizes numerous trainings for farmers.

Farmers admire her because she has built her own business and her work has an important meaning. Moreover, working in a certification company represents a certainty of income with a profitable pension. It is also a source of inspiration for different agricultural activities and innovations, which are her interests and hobbies. Shortly, she wants to test natural preparations against weeds. She also wants to restore the former mill and transform it into as a small hydroelectric power station with a Francis turbine.