Choosing Regenerative from the Start

From the outset of his farming career, Zoltan Lengyel recognized the inefficiencies of conventional agricultural methods. He deliberately chose regeneration, understanding its market potential and its alignment with a sustainable future, stating, "Conventional agriculture didn't make sense to me. I knew if I started farming, I needed something that was marketable and pointed toward the future."

Today, Zoltan runs his 180-hectare family farm Táncoskert in Polgár, Hungary. All of the land is certified organic. He runs cattle and pigs on the farm and is known for his high-quality meat. Half of the land is grazing and swamp land, the rest is arable, producing hay, alfalfa, grass, and grains for the pigs.

Zoltan’s philosophy centers on taking direction from the land. "Diverse, landscape-appropriate farms will be the future," he explains. "We have no reason to utilize only one layer on a piece of land. Farms should operate so that all layers are producing and overflowing with life."

Envisioning Cooperative Community

Táncoskert combines owned, family, friends’, and rented parcels under a unified regenerative management system and Zoltan envisions the farm evolving into a cooperative that supports two key groups: beginner farmers who lack background, funding, or knowledge to start farming independently, and established farmers who want to transition to regenerative practices but lack the business skills required for modern farming success. "We could provide a good life for about a dozen other projects,” Zoltan muses.

He also plans to connect retiring farmers with solid regenerative practitioners, ensuring knowledge transfer across generations. This vision addresses real barriers in Hungarian agriculture. "There is a mental barrier to cooperation in Hungary due to the communist era, but we are working through it," Zoltan acknowledges. "We need time and need to learn more about ourselves while teaching people about themselves as well. But we are doing our training and apprenticeship programs, so we see the future coming closer."

Teaching and Building Regenerative Brands

Zoltan is keen to develop strong brands around Táncoskert's regenerative approach. His comprehensive business strategy includes developing subscription-based cured meat delivery across the EU, exploring canned goods markets, and dreaming of an on-farm bistro. He founded a cooperative called "Ethical Meat" with its own butchery as a separate legal entity, designed to help other regenerative farmers who excel at land management but struggle with direct marketing and sales.

Building on this business foundation, he shares regenerative knowledge through tours, educational programs, events, markets, workshops, social media, and YouTube content. Zoltan is involved in various organizations as president of the Foundation for Regenerative and Sustainable Agriculture and Hub Leader for the Hungarian Savory Hub as a Savory Accredited Field Professional. He is also a founding member of the European Alliance for Regenerative Agriculture.

"For regenerative agriculture to gain momentum, we need to show that farming is a good life. You can make a good living and be happy doing so," Zoltan emphasizes.

At Táncoskert, he's proving this vision daily—from his profitable integrated livestock systems to his growing Ethical Meat cooperative that helps neighboring farmers succeed. As he prepares to launch his internship program and expand across the EU with cured meat subscriptions, Zoltan is building the cooperative future he envisions for Hungarian agriculture, one regenerative project at a time.