INTRODUCTION OF ASSOCIATION FOR ORGANIC AGRICULTURE NE SLOVENIA

- BEGINNINGS of activity are reaching in year 1997, when we established the Association for ecological agriculture of northeastern Slovenia.

- Currently, the Association included about a hundred and fifty members.

THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THE OPERATION OF ASSOCIATION:

1. The professional integration of people working towards the conservation of nature and the environment and the production of healthy food;
2. Education of members (the organization of professional excursion around Slovenia and foreign countries, various lectures, workshops, seminars, working meetings on the farm ...);
3. The organization of views of organic farms for the interested public (tourists, children and adolescents and students);
4. Help to organical farmers in marketing of organic foodstuffs;
5. Management of environmental market in Maribor;
6. Promotion of organic farming and organic foodstuffs - prepare and issue various leaflets and brochures;
7. The organization and presentation of the Association and farms in various fairs and events in Slovenia and foreign countries;
8. Working with (eco) schools and kindergartens;
9. Cooperation with the media and with their help familiarize the public with the operation of the Association and the developments in organic farming;
10. Cooperation with related organizations and associations at home and foreign countries. We are a founding member of the Union of associations of organic farmers in Slovenia, and we work actively.
11. Active participation in the Alps Adriatic Bio symposium in Austria, Italy and Slovenia. In 2000 we were co-organizers of the 1st symposium Bio Slovenia. In 2008, however, co-organizers of 12th Alpe Jadran Organic Symposium in collaboration with UM, Faculty of Agriculture and biosystems sciences

MAJOR ACTIVITIES OF THE ASSOCIATION:

ECOLOGICAL MARKET PLACE: in the Alpine city of Maribor project in 2000, was 26th May 2000, the ceremony of opening the organic market place. Organic market operates on the main square in Maribor, every Friday, between 9:00 and 13:00 and every Saturday, between 8:00 and 13:00 o'clock.

Currently on the market sold seventeen providers of fixed and some occasional - seasonal. Stands oz. mobile trailers are the property of the Association, farmers have used it over the leases. Farmers and bondswoman on the organic market offers a wide range of certified organic foods.

In the Year 2009 over members started provide oganic food in the shopping center Europak (every Wednesday afternoon).

TWO-DAY HOLIDAY of organic farms in the month of September has become a tradition. Members of organic farms are introduced on this holiday. In Maribor, however, we invite the farmers and environmental associations from Slovenia, Austria, Italy and Croatia, inspection bodies, etc..

The basic story of feast day is promotion of organic farming:

- Promotion of organic farming;

- Sale and in the first years also the exhibition of organic crops and products;

- Round-table about actually topics;

- Creative and art workshops for children and adolescents;

- Professional management behind Day for the children of (eco) schools and kindergartens;

- Tastings (= degustations) organic food;

- Entertaining program with music;

Since 2001 every year in the month of May we organize event on anniversary or birthday of organic market in Maribor. This day in addition to the standard supply of organic food, enriched with a professional program, as well as care for the music . Last years a few days before the anniversary, in a talk broadcast on organic farming on Radio Maribor, we set listeners prize questions.

Prizes for correct answers are a basket of organic harvests / products of our farmers. Each year the grant audiences bins so much, so far let celebrates organic marketplace. On the anniversary we invite the children and young people from schools and kindergartens, we take them on the market and, in cooperation with the Youth Union of Maribor, we organize art and creative workshops.

ASSOCIATION IS INTRODUCED AT NUMEROUS FAIRS AND EVENTS IN SLOVENIA AND FOREIGN COUNTRIES EVERY YEAR. We present in the form of exhibitions, sales and tastings. Prevajanje: slovenščina » angleščinauniverzitetni diplomirani inženir kmetijstva. Thus, we participated in: Nature and fair health, agri-food fair in Gornja Radgona, Altermed Celjski at the Fair, Day of organic farms in Ljubljana and Tolminu, Morning Earth in Rušah, health Pekrah Morning, Morning Star Health Europarku Maribor, slovenian bounty farm Ptuj, Bio ... fairs and festivals in Austria (Klagenfurt, Graz, GRALL, ...), Italy (Longarone, Verona, ...), Germany (Biofach Nürnberg) and Croatia (Zagreb great fair).

    EDUCATION: - FOR MEMBERS ASSOCIATION (in season 2008/2009 organized seven one-day lectures and three professional excursions);

Prepayments are also a number of sections, may be exposed to section, which is called BIO PARTY SERVICE AND CONCERNS for the promotion of organic foods. The group of organic farmer in this group is preparing various organic delicacies and presents them in tastings on different occasions: fairs, eco holidays, bio symposia, lectures, … SECTION POHORJE BEEF - Pohorje and the Dolomites with its natural ecological conditions allow breeding of dairy cows for meat brand Pohorje beef. Dairy cows with their calves grazing on pasture lands undisturbed. Calves are always available, breast milk, it sucked, if desired, and subsequently voluminozno feed. Only in the final stage of fattening calves are allowed to organically produced cereals. Meat of eight to ten months of calves are then sold under the organic ie. biologically brand Pohorje beef. Quality of meat is to provide expert somewhere between veal and baby beef. The whole process of meat production Pohorje beef held under control / supervision of the authorized inspection of institutions, from farm to final sale of the buyer. And  Section of tourism and marketing - The Association in its operation, we soon felt the need of schools and nursery schools to educate children and adolescents on the topic of organic farming. Thus, as early as in words and also in practical cases, training the future generations. We strongly to this part of the accession in 2003, when we prepared a training for trainers eco schools in Slovenia. We have a "guide to organic farms and nurseries for ecoschools. In these years, we lead a number of organic farms, children and adolescents, and they held a variety of creative workshops. We visited the kindergarten and school children and adolescents and to present the advantages of organic farming in the production of healthy food, protect the environment ... we have also organized a mini market, showing the proper purchase of organic foods, etc. …To help with the seminar, and thesis research priorities. In the traditional holidays of organic farms each year after the event and lead a number of children and adolescents. On the anniversary of organic markets and eco holiday, but we are in cooperation with the Youth Union of Maribor, the youngest organized and creative art workshops. In 2007 we prepared a revised reprinting"guide to organic farms and nurseries for ecoschools" and also pledged continued work.