SHORT DESCRIPTION 
Tracy Hamilton and her husband currently farm a total of 485Ha, an increase from 93Ha in 2004. A variety of vegetables including potatoes, carrots, parsnip, turnip and cabbage are grown on the farm. The Hamilton’s had been successfully growing and selling vegetables for over 20 years. In 2014, they decide to diversify their wholesale vegetable farming by adding value to their raw vegetables and so Mash Direct was set up. Tracy and her family diversify their wholesale vegetable farming business into a food production business, cooked fresh from the farm.

INNOVATION
The primary innovation was changing the farm to a specialist food production enterprise, focused on ready-meals; the team became also pioneer in half-sleeve packaging. In addition, a bespoke machinery was introduced, then a unique masher and a stream cooker were specially built. A selection of older heritage vegetable varieties are grown specifically for the taste, and the vegetables are grown in the surrounding fields and be delivered to the processing unit within minutes and ensuring taste, quality and freshness. The company now produces quality, convenient vegetable and potato dishes ranging from traditional accompaniments of mash potato and champ to complete ready-meals. There are suitable for microwave and oven heating, are free from artificial additives, preservatives and colourings and are low in salt; moreover, the majority of their products are Gluten Free.

SHORT DESCRIPTION 
Petra worked as registered nurse (up to 2000); after her husband took over his parents’ farm, the family moved to the farm. It is an agricultural and forestry holding covering 13Ha of grassland and 13Ha of woodland. The earnings from suckler cows and wood production were too low for a family to live on so Petra came up with the idea to combine her profession with the farm and convert it into a professional care facility.

INNOVATION
The innovation links organic farming with a professional care facility. Petra therefore became an important employer, especially for women living in the region. Most of the companies involved in the construction of the care facility were based in the region, and other local farms cooperate by supplying produce and wood chips. Local grown timber was used for construction and a wood-chip heating system was installed. In October 2012, the very 1st resident was able to move in. The nursing services provided comprise residential care for all levels of care and the small numbers of places (14) makes it easily to cater to the individual needs. It has been operating at 100% capacity utilisation since it opened, and it has led to the creation of 12 innovative and secure jobs for local employees. Moreover, the old barn, has been converted to a barrier-free barn (wheelchair’s opportunity).

SHORT DESCRIPTION 
The farm located in El Raso (Candeleda), in a protected area, has 500 goats of Verata breed that graze daily in nearby fields. Maribel has gradually increased the herd size and, in the future, she expects to reach  700 goats. The hard work of Maribel, married and mother of two children, the oldest of eight brothers (three of them disabled) has contributed to the awareness of rural women. Moreover, the farm is located on a less favoured area

INNOVATION
She developed a modern goat farm and devotes her life to animal safeguard by breeding Veratas a goat breed in risk of disappearance. These goals imply technological developments in the milking parlour, diversification (elaboration of goat milk soaps), an efficient use of renewable resources, a proper waste management and direct selling to hotels and restaurants throughout Spain. The project started in 1994 and it is innovative in several areas; the latest technological innovations introduced in the milking parlour are gauges and specific teat cups for the Verata breed, that improve suction and animal welfare, and improvements in the control of feeding. In the meantime, she became a reference for goat stockbreeders by her achievements in higher efficiency, sustainable management of resources and the preservation of the Verata breed. The visit of the farm is free and became a tourist attraction in the region.

SHORT DESCRIPTION 

Djûke studied Landscape Architecture and Planning, she was active in student and young farmers organisations. She worked part-time at her parent’s farm and part-time in an environmental cabinet. After four years she became a full time worker at the farm. Djûke took over the farm from her parents and became the only young female apple grower in the country. The farm consists of growing fruits (apples, pears, cherries), sugar-corn, pumpkins, forestry and grassland. It also includes a farm shop, education for school children, a horse nursery, agricultural nature conservation and cattle (Dutch breed: Blaarkop).

INNOVATION

In 2012, Djûke started her own fruit trading company and created a new market by exploring a niche between conventional and organic. In this system, 8 farmers and several buyers are working together and all growers are producing fruits in the same sustainable way as she does. Since 2013, she has started FAB-strips (Functional Agro Biodiversity) planted with flowers all around the orchard which now represent approximately 30.000m². Others projects she is involved with are strongly related to the community (foundation with mentally disabled clients, local beekeepers, restaurants, museums, local groups…). As the Milieukeur certification scheme didn’t exist for fruit growers, she helped the organisation by setting it up. She also introduced the production of kiwi in the farm. She went to Italy to found the right variety and now most of the plants have survived their first winter. Djûke might be the first kiwi-fruit grower in The Netherlands.