Since 2007, we have been following the work of Ernst Götsch. First as journalists, then as syntropic farming practitioners, and finally as researchers on the subject. Here you find the content production that derives from this personal, professional, and academic experience – Felipe and Dayana.
Multi-story tree lines
At the beginning of February, Ernst Götsch was in Portugal to implement the lines of trees in a complex system that includes apple trees, plums,
MORE THAN MULCH – the benefits of having constantly occupied soil
More than mulch, Syntropic Agriculture proposes that the soil always remains occupied by growing species. The advantages are numerous: optimization of photosynthesis, soil life chain
The best coffee of the year is from Syntropic Agriculture
Among 500 coffee samples from 20 Brazilian regions, the coffee from producer Wilians Valério, from Recanto dos Tucanos received the Best Coffee of the Year 2019 award.
Activity Guide for Syntropic School Gardens
You have already seen here our experience report on the implementation of syntropic school gardens. We also have shared the theoretical foundation behind this initiative
Ernst Götsch Conference 2018 now available
Ernst Götsch presented his ideas in a conference dedicated to Syntropic Farming in Mértola, Portugal, in November 2018. As we promised, after one year we
Planting Rocks
Stones in the field are often a huge problem, and the standard solution is to remove them. But Ernst Götsch has a new suggestion: plant
“SE EXISTE UM FUTURO PARA A HUMANIDADE, NELE TEM QUE HAVER FLORESTA” – entrevista com Fernando Rebello (CEPEAS)
* In Portuguese only. If you want to see the video below subtitled and have some time to help us out, we would appreciate it
The neglected treasure of the Amazon
The renowned scientist Antonio Nobre and the farmer and researcher Ernst Götsch met for many enriching conversations about climate change and agricultural models for the
What is Syntropic Farming?
There is no quick answer. We have to be honest and immediately warn that you won’t find a recipe ready to copy and paste here.
Why eucalyptus plantations burn and how to avoid it (VIDEO)
In this week’s video, we go deeper into a recurring subject: eucalyptus. This time, we talk about the dynamics of natural forest clearings, thermodynamics and
The dignity in digging holes. How social values affect farmer’s motivation.
The advantages of more sustainable agricultural methods have been widely studied. If we narrow down only to agroforestry systems – such as Syntropic Farming –
Eucalyptus: another scapegoat of our society
Collaboration: Dayana Andrade “A paradoxical reconciliation becomes possible: all men desire the same thing and never understand each other, but those who hate the same
The hidden costs and purposes of technology
Our current challenges Currently, food, wood and fiber production have altered the capacity of humans to survive on the planet, while at the same time
Syntropic school garden wins 2nd place in a national sustainability contest
We are proud to share with you that a project we started six months ago won a sustainability contest promoted by Galp Foundation, in Portugal.
The potential of hedgerows (VIDEO)
Hedgerows were a common element of any rural area before world war II and the popularity of barbed wire. An ancient practice lost with modern
Complex consortia composition in the south of Spain (La Loma Viva)
Hi everyone. This March 2019 we did a workshop with Ryan Botha and Karen De Vries in the south of Spain. They run a small
Integrating cattle in a Syntropic System
EXPERIMENT OF CATTLE INTEGRATION IN A SYNTROPIC AGRICULTURE SYSTEM ON THE FARM “ESTRELA DALVA LAMARÃO” Authors: Luisa Nogueira Queiroz & Luciano Queiroz Neto https://youtu.be/iZIporw8eEoOur experience
A scientific review of Syntropic Farming’s idea of unconditional love
In this week’s article, we bring you a reflection on some concepts that are part of the decision-making process of the syntropic farmer, and that
Pruning instead of fertilizers and irrigation
According to Ernst Götsch, pruning is the fuel of transformations and the key to the acceleration of natural succession. In Syntropic Agriculture’s view, the role
Harvests around a tree
Are you tired of weeding around your trees? In this week’s video, we show you how to transform a useless area into a productive and
Adding life to the soil
In this week’s video, we share with you a technique that seeks to simulate the forest soil in a highly degraded site. It may seem
Side events | Syntropic Farming Conference
This week we present you two side events that happened last November in Mértola, Portugal, right after the official Conference about Syntropic Farming. In the
What do cattle eat in the Mediterranean?
Oxen and cows are large animals. Therefore, according to the definitions of the Syntropic Agriculture, they are animals of Abundance Systems. Not by chance, this
Invisible plants (VIDEO + TEXT)
In this video, Ernst shows us the strategy of the ecosystem to allow forest regeneration despite all efforts we do to prevent it. The thorny
How to syntropically plant prickly pear (VIDEO + TEXT)
In this video, Ernst Götsch explains and demonstrates the formation of a nest to grow prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica). The explanations are valid for any
Tree line composition in the Mediterranean (VIDEO)
In this video, Ernst Götsch describes the dynamics of the stratification in a Mediterranean plantation. The focus of this area, located at La Loma Viva
Syntropy by Ernst Götsch
In this week’s video, Ernst Götsch talks briefly about the life principles that inspire his syntropic view of agriculture.
The twist of conventional farming
In the center of Brazil, at the heart of the agribusiness region, we find a group of large-scale producers not so conventional. GAS (Sustainable Agriculture
Syntropic Farming in southern Spain
Ernst Götsch went to La Loma Viva for the first time in the beginning of 2016. After that, Ryan Botha flew to Brazil to spend
Water can be planted (VIDEO)
WATER CAN BE PLANTED! Ernst Götsch made this statement in our videos and since then this catchy phrase has spread out! But was that just
What is our habitat? (VIDEO with Ernst Götsch)
Hello dear members. This week we would like to share with you an excerpt from an interview in which Ernst describes his hypothesis about the
The syntropic value of grass – goodbye herbicide
In the first part of this article, we described a little about another perspective of the use of grasses in agriculture. This time we want
Agriculture: a 10-thousand-year unsolved problem
Agriculture is by far the most innovative and revolutionary activity humankind ever engaged. It shaped all corners of our existence and defined how we perceive
A bit of our history II – intense years
Since we met Ernst’s work, we are growing our commitment to provide information about this innovative way of farming. Thanks to many partners and to
Management of a syntropic garden (video)
In this video exclusive to members, we show a management of a syntropic garden at Fazenda São Sebastião (Rio de Janeiro, Brasil). https://vimeo.com/281236156
Selecting and growing Cassava (video)
In this video exclusive to members, Ernst shows how to select and plant the cassava correctly, and also discuss its role in the system. Cassava
A bit of our history – first records
Since we met Ernst’s work, we are growing our commitment to provide information about this innovative way of farming. Thanks to many partners and to
Natural Succession in Syntropic Farming (PDF)
Here you will find a beautiful downloadable pdf highlighting some of the concepts related to natural succession, according to the interpretation of Ernst Götsch. We
Corn growing from the clearing
Check out how a cornfield looks like when planted in a clearing of an abundance system. Bahia, Olhos D’água, May 2018. Videos below in Portuguese
Succession
Walking in the middle of his cacao plantations in Bahia, Ernst gives us a practical lesson about natural succession and explains how we can “read”
What makes Ernst’s cacao a premium product
Ernst cacao is sold as a premium product. So far, nothing special about the statement. But if we learn a little bit more about the
Natural Succession in Syntropic Farming
An ecological concept according to the interpretation of Ernst Götsch Natural succession is a concept generally associated with ecology and still receives little attention from
11 key phrases of Ernst Götsch
If you have already attended a lecture, participated in a workshop, or if you had the opportunity to spend some time with the creator of
Restoration by use
A degraded pastureland transformed into a productive forest. In November 2016, Ernst Götsch chose this area at Fazenda São Sebastião to start a plot with
Life cycle, stratification and succession
One of the characteristics of Syntropic Farming is the use of consortia of plants in high diversity and density. From the initial moment of planting,
Maturana + Götsch + Dávila
Imagine the outcomes of the dialogue between these contemporary thinkers/doers who, each in their area, propose and demonstrate that new perspectives are possible and capable
The “brejo” – recovery by use
The “Brejo” (in our headquarter at Rio de Janeiro) was a swampy area that became known by those who follow Ernst’s work. It’s been a
Stories Behind The Concepts – PESTS
In Ernst Götschs’ agriculture, holes become NESTS, seeds become GENES, weeding becomes HARVESTING, competition gives way to COOPERATION and pests become the “AGENTS OF THE
Stories behind the concepts – hole
In Ernst Götschs’ agriculture, holes become NESTS, seeds become GENES, weeding becomes HARVESTING, competition gives way to COOPERATION and pests become the “AGENTS OF THE
The Avocado Dilemma
Avocado consumption has been growing all over the word. No wonder: the long list of its beneficial properties really gives avocado the status of superfood!
