Trained by Earthworms

Alfied is an entrepreneur. In 1999, he started a vermicomposting business. Knowing nothing about soil and earthworms from his simple farm education, he collaborated with researchers from the University of Life Science in Vienna (BOKU) to learn about soil health and vitality. This early partnership with academia planted the seeds for his family’s farm to become Austria’s first research and demonstration site to test, refine, and share regenerative practices with farmers and researchers across Europe.

Today, Grand Farm collaborates on multiple European research projects, helping develop regenerative methods suited to different landscapes. They are a key site for the EU Horizon Europe BENCHMARKS project which measures soil health indicators across Europe. Grand Farm is also a founding member of the Global Network of Lighthouse Farms from Wageningen University and in 2023, Alfred was appointed as an ambassador for the EU-Mission Soil by the EU-Commission.

Growing Food, Soil, and People

Alfred’s introduction to regenerative farming came through years of observing earthworms and their quiet, but essential role in soil health. “I consider myself trained by earthworms.” he says.

In 2016, he converted his family’s 90 hectare farm to organic according to EU and BIO AUSTRIA standards and in 2024 Grand Farm became the first market garden to hold a Regenerative Organic Certification (ROC) in Europe.

Today, Grand Farm produces organic vegetables, herbs, and staple crops like grains, lentils, and hemp. Instead of relying on large machinery, they cultivate over 60 different crops by hand, proving that small-scale farming can be both productive and ecologically sound. Alfred’s vision is that every large village in Europe will have a market garden by 2035.

A Market Garden for Every Village

A recent master's thesis conducted on Grand Farm's soils found that the microbial diversity in his market garden soil matched that of a 40-year untouched soil system.This is thanks to years of research and development to rebuild fertility rather than deplete it.

Instead of herbicides, he uses the roller crimper method, a technique that naturally suppresses weeds by creating a protective mulch layer. Grand Farm has also developed innovative seed treatments using worm castings giving crops a biological boost right from the start.

The farm’s resilience is evident. Despite extreme weather events in recent years, including droughts, hail, and floods, Grand Farm has remained productive while many conventional farms struggled. Diversifying the farm’s revenue streams and transitioning to direct sales has also made his business less vulnerable to market fluctuations.

Looking Toward the Future

Alfred’s vision for Grand Farm is constantly evolving to explore new possibilities for regenerative agriculture. He is exploring AI-assisted weeding, nutrient density testing, and low-impact cropping systems.

Looking towards the future, he hopes that the true cost of farming will be accounted for. “Industrial farms are not held accountable for the damage they cause while regenerative farms receive no compensation for the ecosystem services they provide. Changing this is critical for the future of agriculture.” Alfred explains. Through its research-driven approach, Grand Farm aims to help lead the way.