THE EASTERN ECO FARM VALLANES IN ICELAND
The beautiful landscape mid winter with the green houses waiting for the spring planting.
The only eco-farm in the East of Iceland is named Vallanes. It has been in operation since early 70’s and has acquired a strong reputation in the whole country. Friends in Reykjavik buy the products, in many different forms, greens, beans, jams etc. etc.
Móðir Jörð is a trade mark for production in Vallanes and specializes in growing organic barley. Barley has played a part in Icelandic culinary history ever since Iceland’s settlement in the 9th Century. For a few centuries it was forgotten in Iceland, but it has recently started to make its way into Icelandic contemporary cuisine. Móðir Jörð – Vallanes is known for its pioneering role in Iceland in re-introducing barley for human consumption. The owner of Vallanes Mr. Eymundur Magnússon started organic farming with barley in 1985. The farm focuses on developing the farming of grains and vegetables in Iceland, and on producing products made from local, Icelandic ingredients, most of which are produced sustainably on the farm.
Vallanes is located in East Iceland, near a glacial lake, midway between Egilsstaðir and Hallormsstaður. Vallanes is the only bio farm in the region, but one hopes that more will start soon. All eco production in Iceland sells today and there is strong demand for more. The location area is known for its forests and relatively mild climate. The fields around Vallanes have been shaped with the planting of over 1,000,000 trees, some of which make shelterbelts that protect the growing crops. You can see more about the farm here.
Some of the products from the farm, available in shops in Iceland and in Reykjavik.
January 29, 2012
Posted in: ICELAND, SUSTAINABILITY
