Large-scale organic farming.

Results from 3.278 ha of organically farmed arable land.

Harvest report

  1. We grew oats on 957 hectares this season, up 107 hectares from last year. We split the area between two winter varieties: NS Jadar on 629,15 hectares and Bc Marta on 327,45 hectares. We scaled up Bc Marta after a randomised variety trial showed it delivered the best balance of protein and yield. 

    NS Jadar yielded 2,9 t/ha and Bc Marta 3,7 t/ha, averaging 3,1 t/ha, down from 4,3 t/ha last season. The gap reflects rotation rather than the varieties themselves: 431 hectares of oats following sunflower were sown with NS Jadar, while Bc Marta followed peas throughout. Foreign matter was 2,7% for NS Jadar and 2,9% for Bc Marta. Hectolitre mass, the main quality measure for oats, was 47,6 kg/hl for NS Jadar and 53,6 kg/hl for Bc Marta. Grain size matters for flake production, and 72% of NS Jadar grains cleared 2 mm, against 95% for Bc Marta.

    The dry season shaped the whole crop. October drought delayed emergence, and the shortfall continued through March to May, so the oats came up thinner and less vigorous than last year, with more weeds on some parcels. The fields following sunflower struggled the most. Even so, weed control came down to one mechanical pass with the Einböck Aerostar Exact on 55 of 957 hectares. The other 902 were left to grow, and the crop received no other treatments.

    Explore how we grow oats

    Organic Oats, NS Jadar

    • 2,9 natural yield [t/ha]
    • 2,7 foreign matter [%]
    • 47,6 hectoliter mass [kg/hl]
    • 71,7 kernels retained on a 2 mm sieve [%]
    • 0 operations between sowing and harvest
    • 9,3 moisture [%]

    Organic Oats, Bc Marta

    • 3,7 natural yield [t/ha]
    • 2,9 foreign matter [%]
    • 53,6 hectoliter mass [kg/hl]
    • 95,1 kernels retained on a 2 mm sieve [%]
    • 0 operations on 272 ha 1 weed control on 55 ha
    • 10,1 moisture [%]

  2. We grew peas on 690 hectares. Peas are the foundation of our crop rotation, because they fix nitrogen and supply it to the four crops that follow in the cycle.

    This season’s natural yield was 2,6 t/ha, the same as last year, with a protein content of 22,1% (on a dry matter basis), a marked improvement over last year’s 18,6%. That clears the 21-22% typically required by the food industry, though some buyers ask for 25-26% depending on the intended use.

    Only 23 of 690 hectares saw any intervention. One early mechanical weeding pass with the Rotary Star covered 8 hectares, and a late pass with the Top Cut Collect covered 15 hectares, removing weed seed heads above the crop. No other treatments were applied. From sowing to harvest, nothing else was required.

    Explore how we grow peas

    • 2,6 natural yield [t/ha]
    • 10,6 foreign matter [%]
    • 22,1 protein content [%, dry mass]
    • 4,5-8 grain size (mm)
    • 13,2 moisture [%]
    • 74,8 hectoliter mass [kg/hl]
    • 11 green grains (%)
    • 89 yellow grains (%)
    • 0 operations on 667 ha 1 weed control operation on 23 ha

  3. We grew wheat on 323 hectares this season. The average yield was 3,6 t/ha, but that figure covers two very different situations. On 157 hectares sown after sunflower, yield came in at 2,3 t/ha. On the remaining 166 hectares, it reached 4,8 t/ha. Sunflower is a demanding preceding crop, and combined with the spring drought, it pulled the average down.

    Hectolitre mass averaged 79,3 kg/hl, comfortably above the 76-78 kg/hl the milling industry typically requires. Protein levels averaged 11,4%, with the highest samples at 12,8%, against the 12-13% usually required for bread-making wheat. The prolonged spring drought likely slowed the breakdown of the preceding crop’s harvest residues, limiting the release of mineral nitrogen when wheat needed it most. Weaker and poorly timed nitrogen availability is probably one of the main reasons for the lower protein. Wheat below premium milling specifications still has a market, and this year’s crop is destined for cereals.

    Wheat needed nothing from us at all. No weed control, no treatments. From sowing to harvest, the crop was left entirely alone.

    Explore how we grow wheat

    • 3,6 natural yield [t/ha]
    • 0,5 foreign matter [%]
    • 11,4 protein content [%]
    • 79,3 hectoliter mass [kg/hl]
    • 0 operations
    • 19,9 wet gluten [%]

  4. We expanded the chickpea area again this season, to 297 hectares from 176 hectares last year, and achieved a natural yield of 1,9 t/ha, up from 1,2 t/ha in 2025, with 1,6% foreign matter, down from 2,6%.

    Chickpea took over ground that used to grow soybean, which fell short year after year as our summers turned drier. Chickpea slows its metabolism under drought and comes through better. Three changes drove the result: seed inoculation with nitrogen-fixing bacteria, better soil preparation, and more effective weed control.

    Chickpea is not a strong weed competitor, so it needed more work: one Einböck Rotation pass across the full area and a second on 58 hectares, the Rotary Star on 136 ha, and inter-row cultivation twice throughout. Cotton bollworm appeared in the north, and we treated 211 hectares with Lepinox Plus, a Bacillus thuringiensis insecticide approved for organic production. The southern fields were untreated.

    Explore how we grow chickpeas

    • 1,9 natural yield [t/ha]
    • 1,6 foreign matter [%]
    • 98,9 grain granulation below 9 mm [%]
    • 74 hectoliter mass [kg/hl]
    • 3-6 operations
    • 12,1 moisture [%]

  5. We almost doubled the flax area this season, to 277 hectares from 145 last year. Yield came in at 1,4 t/ha against 1,9 t/ha last season, with average fat content at 37,2%, down from 44%. Spring rainfall from March to May was well below last year’s, and oil accumulation in flax is sensitive to moisture stress. This crop is destined for bakery use.

    The yield average covers a wide range. Drought hit the northern location hardest: too little rain in October delayed emergence by more than 45 days after sowing, so the plants went into winter underdeveloped, and a second dry spell ran from March to the third week of May. That location averaged 1,2 t/ha. In the south, results split sharply: Đurđevo averaged 1,8 t/ha, while Mužlja reached only 1 t/ha. 

    Flax needed almost nothing from us. We made one late pass with the CombCut on 60 hectares to cut back weeds that had grown above the crop. The remaining 217 hectares had no mechanical weed control, and no other treatments were applied. From sowing to harvest, nothing else was required.

    * The average of 18,2% total impurities was strongly influenced by two fields (39 ha), where impurities reached 82% and 68%, mainly volunteer oats. These fields were under oats before flax. A late oat harvest in 2025 caused the crop to shatter, leaving seed in the soil that emerged as volunteer oats in the flax. Excluding them, impurities across the remaining flax fields averaged 6,0 %. After cleaning, the flax was processed to achieve a total impurity level of below 1% or 0,1%, depending on the quality requirements specified by the customers.

    Explore how we grow flax

    • 1,4 natural yield [t/ha]
    • 18,2* total impurities [%]
    • 37,2 fat content [%]
    • 53,1 hectoliter mass [kg/hl]
    • 0 operations on 217 ha 1 weed control on 60 ha

*The above report covers field production only, excluding Agro R&D fields. It includes certified organic crops and areas under conversion or in risk zones (207 ha), which are grown organically but sold without certificates.

The 2025/2026 season was difficult from the start. At our northern location, too little autumn rain delayed crop emergence, so winter crops entered the cold underdeveloped. A second dry spell ran from March into the third week of May, across both locations, with frost and hail in places. 

The preceding crop mattered as much as the weather. Wheat and oats sown after sunflower yielded less than those sown after peas, and the effect compounded in a dry year. At Mužlja, a late oat harvest in 2025 shattered seed, and the volunteer oats that followed caused a separate problem in flax.

Oats, wheat and flax all felt the season, in quality as much as in yield. Peas held their yield and improved on protein. Chickpeas had their best season yet, on ground that used to grow soybeans, which had fallen short as our summers turned drier.

  1. We grew oats on 850 hectares this season, an increase of 195 hectares compared to last year. The natural yield reached 4,3 t/ha, with 0,6% foreign matter.

    For oats, hectoliter mass is the primary quality indicator, showing the density and filling of the grain. Higher hectoliter mass generally means better milling quality and higher market value. Our average was 50 kg/hl, with the highest sample at 53,4 kg/hl.

    Grain size is another key requirement for food-grade oats, especially for flakes production; in 2025, 78% of grains were larger than 2 mm, meeting industry expectations.

    Field operations were minimal. No weed control was needed on any of the 850 hectares. On two smaller plots (32 ha), we applied a treatment against cereal leaf beetle larvae during flowering, using Kumulus, which is permitted in organic production.

    Before sowing, we also applied phosphorus manuring with Euronature on 689 hectares. This input is allowed in organic farming and is essentially a limestone-based product used to support phosphorus availability in the soil.

    Explore how we grow oats

    • What was harvested on the field. These quantities include impurities, like ad-mixtures from other crops, weeds and soil, stones, etc. 4,3 natural yield [t/ha]
    • Foreign matter includes weed seeds (and their plant material), soil clods, stones, other crop grains, insects, etc. 0,6 foreign matter [%]
    • How heavy a standard volume of grain is; for example, oats with a high hectoliter mass have well-filled, dense kernels, while low values indicate shriveled, poorly filled grain. Higher test weight usually correlates with a higher flour yield and better milling quality. 50 hectoliter mass [kg/hl]
    • How big and uniform the kernels are; for example, large, even kernels mill and clean more easily, while many small or broken kernels reduce quality. 78 kernels retained on a 2 mm sieve [%]
    • 0 weed control operations on 850 ha 1 treatment on 7,6 ha

  2. We grew sunflowers on 915 hectares, similar to the previous season. As a nitrogen scavenger, a crop that efficiently takes up the remaining available nitrogen in the soil, sunflower is positioned as the final crop in our 5-year crop rotation.

    This season’s natural yield was 2,1 t/ha, with 5,2% total impurities. Sunflower generally requires more in-season mechanical weed control than cereals; in our case, 2–4 weed control operations were carried out between sowing and harvest.

    Explore how we grow sunflower

    • 2,1 natural yield [t/ha]
    • 5,2 total impurities [%]
    • 44,7 fat content [%]
    • 2-4 weed control operations

  3. We grew peas on 632 hectares. Peas are the foundation of our crop rotation, because they fix nitrogen and supply it to the subsequent 4 crops in the cycle.

    The natural yield this season was 2,6 t/ha, with 18,6% protein content. Protein levels remain an area for improvement for us, as the food industry typically requires 21–22%, and in some cases up to 25–26%, depending on the buyer.

    Field operations were minimal. No interventions were needed on 596 hectares, and on 35 hectares we carried out one mechanical weed-control pass using Top Cut Collect.

    Explore how we grow peas

    • 2,6 natural yield [t/ha]
    • 2,2 foreign matter [%]
    • 18,6 protein content [%]
    • 0 operations on 596 ha 1 operation on 35 ha

  4. We grew wheat on 404,34 hectares, with a significant part of the fields still in conversion or classified as risk zones.

    Newly acquired fields must undergo a 2–3 year conversion period before they can be certified organic, and yields are typically lower during this time as the soil recovers from long-term use of mineral fertilizers and pesticides.

    Some of the fields were also marked as risk zones due to their proximity to conventional neighbours, so we applied a 2-meter buffer strip as a preventive measure and harvested and stored these fields separately.

    Across the certified organic wheat fields (243 ha), the yield was higher, at 5,3 t/ha, with 0,2% foreign matter. Most impurities were small soil particles or stones, while weed seeds were largely eliminated on the field by the Seed Terminators mounted on our combines.

    Protein levels averaged 13,4%, with the highest samples at 13,9%. In order to be able to sell wheat for human consumption, the food industry requires a protein content of 12% or higher.

    These results were achieved without any operations between sowing and harvest.

    Explore how we grow wheat *

    • 5,3 natural yield [t/ha]
    • 0,2 foreign matter [%]
    • 13,4 protein content [%]
    • 78,5 hectoliter mass [kg/hl]
    • 0 operations between sowing and harvest

  5. We doubled the flax production this season to 145 hectares, with a natural yield of 1,9 t/ha.

    The crop met quality expectations, with a 44% fat content, which is above the typical industry requirement of 40% or more.

    Field operations were limited. On 110 hectares, no interventions were needed beyond sowing and harvest. On 35 hectares, we performed one mechanical weeding pass using Top Cut Collect to remove taller weeds before flowering.

    * The average 10,2% total impurities were strongly influenced by one field, where impurities reached nearly 50%, mainly due to rye contamination. As a result, this single field significantly increased the overall average. If this field is excluded, impurities across the remaining flax fields averaged 7,28%. After cleaning, the flax was processed to below 1% total impurities.

    Explore how we grow flax

    • 1,9 natural yield [t/ha]
    • 10,2* total impurities [%]
    • 44 fat content [%]
    • 0 operations on 110 ha 1 operation on 35 ha

  6. We more than doubled the chickpea production area this season and achieved a natural yield of 1,2 t/ha, with 2,6% foreign matter.

    Chickpea is not a strong weed competitor, so 2–4 mechanical weed control operations were required across the fields. On 133 hectares, we also carried out a permitted treatment against the cotton bollworm.

    Explore how we grow chickpeas

    • 1,2 natural yield [t/ha]
    • 2,6 foreign matter [%]
    • 100 grain granulation below 9 mm [%]
    • 75 hectoliter mass [kg/hl]
    • 2-4 weed control operations

  7. We reduced the area under spelt by half this season and will discontinue it next season.

    The natural yield was 1.9 t/ha, which is lower than last year, mainly due to its position in the rotation. On the other hand, no additional operations were needed between sowing and harvest.

    Explore how we grow spelt

    • 1,9 natural yield [t/ha]
    • 0,9 foreign matter [%]
    • 382 falling number [/s]
    • 43,2 hectoliter mass (unhulled grain) [kg/hl]
    • 72 hectoliter mass (dehulled grain) [kg/hl]
    • 11,6 protein content [%]
    • 0 operations between sowing and harvest
  8. Broad bean 10ha 16t 1,5t/ha
  9. Wheat – in conversion & risk zones 161ha 694t 4,3t/ha

*All crops in this table are grown organically. Wheat is shown separately to highlight yield differences between certified organic fields and fields in conversion or risk zones, where the harvest is sold without organic certification.

Our 2025 harvest results: organic yields, grain quality, and field operations.

We harvested 99% of our fields, and 95% of them delivered results we were satisfied with.

Everything we grow is destined for human consumption, which shapes what we plant. For wheat, we chose varieties built for quality rather than maximum yield. Some crops yield less but return more, like flax. Most of our produce goes to Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the Netherlands, as well as other EU markets, where buyers look for high quality.

Field operations stayed minimal. We use no mineral fertilisers, no pesticides, and no manure: nitrogen comes from legumes in our five-year rotation.

  1. Oats 195ha 848t 4,3t/ha
  2. Sunflower 934ha 2.110t 2,3t/ha
  3. Peas 197ha 391t 2,0t/ha
  4. Wheat * 517ha 3.002t 5,8t/ha
  5. Flax 72ha 104t 1,4t/ha
  6. Chickpeas 83ha 122t 1,5t/ha
  7. Spelt 186ha 440t 2,4t/ha
  8. Sunflower (confection) 30ha 78t 2,6t/ha

*All crops in this table are grown organically. Wheat is shown separately to highlight yield differences between certified organic fields and fields in conversion or risk zones, where the harvest is sold without organic certification.

How we measure yields

In agriculture, yield refers to the amount of a crop harvested per hectare of land. It’s usually expressed in kilograms or tons per hectare (t/ha) and is one of the key indicators farmers use to evaluate a crop’s performance.

Most farmers work with natural yield.
In conventional chemical farming, impurities are often low due to pesticide use. In organic systems, they are generally expected to be higher—but our results show they don’t have to be.

These myths hold organic farming back

Many of the doubts around organic farming come from applying small-scale organic logic to large-scale systems.

What works on a few hectares doesn’t automatically work on a few thousand.

That’s exactly what we want to clarify by sharing our results.

  • “Organic farming can’t scale.”

    This belief comes from imagining large farms working the same way as small ones.

    On small farms, manure is often the backbone of fertility. It works because distances are short and logistics are manageable. At scale, that model breaks down—transporting and applying manure across thousands of hectares simply isn’t cost-effective.

    By sharing results from 3,278 ha, we want to show what large-scale organic, livestock-free farming, powered by free plant-based nitrogen, looks like.

  • “Organic farming is labour-intensive, and weeds make it unmanageable."

    Organic farming is often associated with high labour demand, mainly because of weed control. Our model shows a different picture.

    Across most of our crops, we had no operations between sowing and harvest, while in some, we had a few weed control operations. That’s not because weeds don’t exist, but because our crop rotations are planned to suppress them.

    By sharing both harvest data and the number of operations, we want to show that organic doesn’t have to mean more work.

  • “Only chemical farming can be profitable.”

    Yield alone doesn’t determine success. When growing food for human consumption, market value is shaped by quality parameters, impurities, and certification, while yield also depends on variety choice, climate, and seasonal conditions.

    Our focus is not on chasing maximum tonnage, but achieving the best price per crop.

    By publishing these metrics, along with quality parameters, we aim to give farmers a complete picture, not just the yield number.

HOW WE FARM

Our agroecological context is demanding.

To understand our results, it’s important to understand where and under what conditions we farm.

CLIMATE

Continental climate with four distinct seasons

Average annual rainfall (long-term average)

  • 576 mm (northern location – Novi Kneževac)
  • 611 mm (southern location – Aradac)

Rainfall distribution

  • uneven season distribution with dry summers (long-term average)
  • increasingly unfavorable with summer droughts (2021–2025)

Mean annual air temperature

  • 11 °C (long-term average)
  • 13 °C (2021–2025)

SOIL TYPE

Pellic Vertisol (heavy clay and acidic)

A horizon depth 25–70 cm
Total clay content > 80%
pH 4,5–7,5
Air capacity < 5%
K-Darcy 10⁻⁵
Soil organic matter 4–6%

Our farming model is based on practical solutions developed and tested at scale.

Organic certification sets important requirements. What it doesn’t provide is guidance on how to achieve stable results at scale. That’s what we focus on.

  • Well-planned crop rotations

  • Legume-based nitrogen provision

  • Integrated weed control

  • Soil conservation tillage

  • Periodic subsoiling to reduce soil bulk density in our heavy clay soil

  • Incorporation of all crop residues

  • High-quality seed production

We share what we learn through videos, articles, and production data, so you can start from a stronger position.

See how we farm
Watch our videos

Organic farming can deliver at scale.

Organic farming is often viewed as difficult to scale or inconsistent in performance, but evidence from our farm shows a different, more promising picture emerging. Every farm’s context is different, but the principles that support our results apply broadly across organic production.

The transition phase matters most. Especially during conversion.

For farmers transitioning from conventional to organic farming, or thinking about it, our results offer a strong case for confidence. The early years can bring uncertainty: yields may decrease during the conversion period, weed pressure often increases, and optimal timing of operations becomes more critical. These challenges are normal across organic systems.

For us, trial and error, strategic adjustments, and continuous learning have been key in helping us move through them. By sharing our knowledge and experience openly, we aim to reduce uncertainty and help others navigate the transition with more clarity and confidence.

Resilience doesn’t come from inputs. It comes from system design.

With careful planning, climate-adequate crops and innovative practices, organic systems can become more stable, more resilient, and yield great results, year after year. By prioritizing soil health, biodiversity, and sustainable farming methods, we are demonstrating that sustainability and productivity can go hand in hand, not just in theory, but in practice.

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