Innovative Sowing on Barnhouse Fields with Agricultural Drone

Together with our regional Barnhouse farmers, we have launched a new and innovative project. As part of a trial, we provided a modern agricultural drone, including pilot and seeds, free of charge in July. Catch crops were sown on test areas where Barnhouse oats for your Krunchy are still growing. The drone enables soil-friendly and weather-independent sowing of catch crops, even when the main crop is still in the field. This pioneering technology offers numerous advantages for the environment and farmers and represents a significant advance in agricultural practice. The project aims to evaluate the efficiency and benefits of this method in practice and to analyze the results of drone seeding in catch crop cultivation.

Watch our video with exciting impressions from the test on YouTube.

Catch crops are grown after or before other main crops as green manure or for use as animal feed and serve to improve crop rotation in terms of diversity. They are particularly important in organic farming: catch crops maintain and improve soil fertility, promote the yield and health of the subsequent crop, and protect the soil through vegetation.

The advantages of drone sowing

Sowing by drone has convincing advantages. "Traditional agricultural machinery often causes irreversible soil compaction and damage to soil structure due to its weight. The special drone, on the other hand, hovers above the ground and distributes the seeds evenly and precisely, without stressing the soil. This promotes better soil quality and health in the long term," explains our CEO Martin Eras. "Another significant advantage is the possibility of sowing catch crops while the main crop is still in the field. This shortens the time between crops and ensures that the field remains continuously covered, which prevents erosion and nutrient loss." Thanks to drone technology, sowing is no longer dependent on the weather and the associated soil condition. Because in dry conditions or heavy rainfall, sowing with a conventional tractor can cause damage or even be impossible for a certain period.

Martin Eras is enthusiastic about the new technology: "The absolutely soil-friendly and weather-independent sowing not only offers economic advantages for our Barnhouse farmers but also makes an important contribution to environmental protection. This test project is an important step to evaluate the possibilities of modern technologies in organic farming. We are excited about the results and look forward to offering this innovative solution to our partner farmers."

Barnhouse farmer Gerhard Schweiger fills the drone with seeds.

Many thanks to Fabian Rupprecht from Drohnenservice Rupprecht!