Perennials and local water cycles

The project is part of the umbrella project Natural values in Upplandsbygd

If you add together the negative trends of climate change, drought, reduced biodiversity, soil erosion, fossil fuel dependence and food import dependence, you understand that the agricultural sector faces major challenges in the future. For reasons of preparedness and resilience, production must also be moved home. A re-localized small-scale agricultural system also creates more jobs locally.

The first part of the project focuses on converting existing annual vegetable beds into perennial vegetable beds. This means that half of the existing beds, approximately 250 square meters, will be converted. Perennial plants have advantages such as an established root system that reduces the need for tillage and improves soil micro-life, while being more resistant to pests, flooding and drought. Once the perennial beds are established, they require less labor, which is expected to make the growing system more efficient and even out the labor and harvesting effort over the year.

The second part is about evaluating how existing IBC tanks can maximize the benefit of rainwater collection in cold winter climates and sub-zero temperatures and how these should be adapted/insulated so that they do not freeze. It will also study how water-saving techniques in combination with perennials affect the workload compared to manual irrigation work.

The third part focuses on an educational initiative where the public, school staff and parents, as well as local allotments, are invited to try out different stages of the construction process and discuss the project. A study circle is also planned with the help of the study promotion in Uppsala to reach a larger target group.

The fourth part involves delivering perennial vegetables to the school kitchen for cooking, replacing the traditional, annual vegetables from the school garden. Together with the chefs, a cookbook of simple, nutritious recipes for the students is developed, which allows for delivery during the spring semester before school ends to avoid problems with school closures during harvest time.