Økologisk Landbrugsskole
We choose it all. We choose a holistic approach to farming.
Kalø Økologisk Landbrugsskole Skovridervej 3, 8410 Rønde Info@videndjurs.dk
Welcome to 2nd Main Course
During the time, you will be on 2nd MC, you will encounter many interesting subjects –some are electives, and some are mandatory. The structure of second main course is shown as a flow chart in the following pages. In the beginning of your stay, your previous education and your age will determine your possibilities to join the different elective courses. As an example, if you were younger than 25 years when you started basic course (page 4) and have previously had English, business economy and social studies (uppermost branch), you can attend all the courses, beginning with financing and investment or you can arrive later for one of the other elective courses. Therefore, the week you choose to arrive determines your educational plan. If you were above 25 years when you started basic course, you use the flow chart at page 5
After the electives, the entire class will have arrived, and the mandatory classes begin. This includes the subjects: Nature conservation and management, entrepreneurship and innovation, sustainability II, sales of vegetables, fruits and berries and organic production. Furthermore, there will be 7,5 weeks dedicated to the Organic Specialty. With Organic Specialty, we combine plant and livestock production meaning you get a broad insight into a wide range of organic production systems. The specialty offers time to focus on different animals in livestock production, their compatibility with plant production in organic ecosystems and various crops for both food and feed. With the Organic Specialty we strive for a more holistic approach to future farming.
We hope you will enjoy reading about all the different subjects in this catalogue, and we are looking forward to seeing you on 2nd Main Course
2nd Main Course
I was younger than 25 years (when I started BC)
2nd Main Course
Spring 2025
I was older than 25 years (when I started BC)
AGROFORESTRY
Duration 1 week. Evaluation and grade is given upon completion as passed/not passed.
Climate change is agriculture’s threat number one. The way we practice, understand and design our farming systems, and the relation we have to these, is increasingly relevant.
Agroforestry is a new-old farming system, which is practiced in many different corners of the world, being a clear answer to many of the current climatic, environmental and social challenges we face.
Through the Agroforestry course, you will gain insight in the optimization of farming systems by integrating trees and bushes in fields and pastureland production, and the relation between the different elements at play.
We take a look into the different cultural approaches around the world and try to scope in to a more precise and concrete case close to us. We
learn about the different species of plants, bushes and trees, the integration of animals, and the synergies formed. We talk economy and landscape impact. We visit practitioners and discuss possibilities.
A key pillar of Agro-Ecology and an answer to many a challenge.
Do you have questions?
Contact our Study Supervisor
Annette Esbjerg Jensen
Tlf.: 20 37 30 05
Mail: aeje@videndjurs.dk
FINANCING AND INVESTMENTS
Duration 1 week. Evaluation and grade is given upon completion as passed/not passed.
Our Financing and Investment course gives you basic knowledge about financing opportunities in the bank and mortgage credit on individual investments in the agricultural holding and different loan types.
Our course is focused on a practical applica-tion of profitability calculation on individual investments, applying the prerequisites for these, and calculating of performance profiles of different loan types.
The importance of understanding finance fundamentals in the agriculture world is huge.
Do you have questions? Contact our Study Supervisor
Annette Esbjerg Jensen
Tlf.: 20 37 30 05
Mail: aeje@videndjurs.dk
"Going into a farming venture in any sort of business, big or small, requires an economical understanding. Both the fundamental understanding of how to get classic and alternative financing, and how to calculate for profitability”
- Markus, teacher
COMPOST
Duration 1 week. Evaluation and grade is given upon completion as passed/not passed.
The subject compost focuses on different types of compost and methods. How to use compost in agriculture. We work practical with building facilities, handling and how to brew your own compost tea.
Do you have questions? Contact our Study Supervisor
Annette Esbjerg Jensen
Tlf.: 20 37 30 05 Mail: aeje@videndjurs.dk
”Compost is nutrients. Compost is organic matter. Compost is microorganisms. Compost is all of that and much more.
An opportunity to fix and repair your soil. To make your soils and plants healthy and functional. Come and learn who lives in your compost pile, and how they look, what function they perform, and how to manage your piles.”
-Guillermo, teacher
CROP PROTECTION II
Duration: 1 week.
Evaluation: Written on-line exam. This is the 2nd part of the spraying certificate which is mandatory in order to receive the final spraying certificate.
In this course you will learn to recognize plant diseases, weeds, insect pest and beneficials. You will get an insight in IPM (Integrated Pest Management) and will be able to plan and carry out appropriate plant protection in agriculture, considering both the environment and safety. You will know of the appropriate control methods in specific situations, including choosing optimal spraying times based on development stage, climate factors and possible damage thresholds.
With a Spraying certificate you will be qualified to preform plant protection with both synthetic pesticides and biopesticides. The latter is allowed in organic agriculture.
Do you have questions? Contact our Study Supervisor
Annette Esbjerg Jensen Tlf.: 20 37 30 05 Mail: aeje@videndjurs.dk
“Being able to recognize pest and diseases in the field is very important. You can only successfully treat your problem when you recognize and understand it”
-Pernille, Teacher
POULTRY
Duration 1 week. Evaluation and grade is given upon completion as passed/not passed.
The student will get knowledge of physiology, health, feedstuffs, management, housing and regulation. We will cover a range of poultry as well as types of productions. The course will include farm visits.
Do you have questions? Contact our Study Supervisor
Annette Esbjerg Jensen Tlf.: 20 37 30 05 Mail: aeje@videndjurs.dk
”Whetheryouhaveworkedwithpoultry beforeorarecompletelynewtothe subject,thiselectiveshouldhelpyouget abetterunderstandingoftheoptions withinfarmingforeggormeat productionfrompoultry.”
- Markus, teacher
SMALL RUMINANTS
Duration 2,5 days. Evaluation and grade is given upon completion as passed/not passed.
The student will get knowledge of physiology, health, feedstuffs, management, housing and regulation. We will look at different production systems, both big and small. The course has both a theoretical and practical aspect.
Do you have questions? Contact our Study Supervisor
Annette Esbjerg Jensen Tlf.: 20 37 30 05 Mail: aeje@videndjurs.dk
SOCIAL STUDIES
Duration 1,5 weeks.
When the student has completed the course, a grade point is given which expresses the student’s current position. The student is assessed in relation to the subject’s objectives, and the grade is given on the basis of the student’s documentation and other achievements and results in an overall assessment of the student’s competences in the subject.
Learning outcomes:
Once you have completed the subject, your social and analytical skills as well as democratic education are strengthened, and you further develops your ability to understand, communicate about and participate in society’s decision-making processes.
You will be able to:
• Discuss the importance of social, political and technological forces for the current development of society
• Discuss the interaction between the development of society and the development of private and public companies
• Analyze opportunities in the labor market based on knowledge of companies and organizations and their regulation in the professional judicial system
• Work with sociological issues relevant to farming
The professional content:
In the subject, you deal with three main social disciplines: political science, economics, sociology and labor relations. These disciplines are used in describing and analyzing the structure of the community. Furthermore, labor market conditions are taught in the field of education that the students are part of. Finally, international conditions are included in the teaching.
You work with:
• The concept of democracy, the division of power and the Constitution
• The structure and role of state power, the decision-making processes of the political system
• The political function of the media, including
the importance of social media
• Labor market organizations, including main organizations, the structure of trade unions and employers’ unions
• The system of agreements and fundamental conflicts of interest between the social partners and the labor law system.
Do you have questions? Contact our Study Supervisor
Annette Esbjerg Jensen
Tlf.: 20 37 30 05
Mail: aeje@videndjurs.dk
HOW TO GET STARTED
Duration 2,5 days
Evaluation and grade is given upon completion as passed/not passed.
Do you want to start your own business when you are done with your education? Or maybe take over an existing one?
Your mind is probably occupied with questions like: Where to register? What is VAT/MOMS How to pay tax? Bookkeeping? Which licenses do I need? How to avoid doing anything illegal? Where to get money from?
Through this two-and-a-half-day course, we will answer all of these questions and more, and give you the tools to find the courage and confidence to navigate the start-up phase of your own business.
Do you have questions?
Contact our Study Supervisor
Annette Esbjerg Jensen
Tlf.: 20 37 30 05
Mail: aeje@videndjurs.dk
BUSINESS ECONOMY
Duration 2 weeks. When the student has completed the course, a grade point is given which expresses the student’s current position. The student is assessed in relation to the subject’s objectives, and the grade is given on the basis of the student’s documentation and other achievements and results in an overall assessment of the student’s competences in the subject.
Learning outcomes:
Once you have completed the subject, you can understand a company’s accounts and how a company makes its money. You will be able to identify, treat and communicate the typical business economics issues that form part of your educational field.
You will be able to:
• Explain the VAT system and perform VAT calculations
• Explain an accounting structure and perform calculations in relation to the company’s
results
• Calculate and explain different types of a company costs
• Refer how a company can optimize performance
You work with:
• Company types and forms of ownership
• Purchase and sales VAT, VAT settlement
• Accounting
• Variable and capacity costs (project based together with Nature Concervation)
• Depreciation
• Salary forms
• The annual account: the income statement and the balance sheet
• Cash flow
• Gross profit budget
The professional content: In the subject, you deal with the understanding of a company’s financial disciplines, considerations and dispositions with a focus on good business ability and business understanding.
Do you have questions? Contact our Study Supervisor
Annette Esbjerg Jensen
Tlf.: 20 37 30 05
Mail: aeje@videndjurs.dk
CHAIN SAW
Duration 2,5 days. Evaluation and grade is given upon completion as passed/not passed.
This elective offers the opportunity of lear-ning the most basic knowledge of the use of chainsaw. It is a good foundation for being capable of handling cutting jobs on your farm or during your internship.
It includes handling of a chainsaw, as well as safety and maintenance of the saw.
Do you have questions? Contact our Study Supervisor
Annette Esbjerg Jensen
Tlf.: 20 37 30 05 Mail: aeje@videndjurs.dk
”This topic will definitely challenge your limit. With this course you will be able to fell large trees out in the most wonderful nature. We have a whole day in the woods, where we eats packed lunch and make coffee over a campfire. It’s really cozy”
-Klaus, teacher
CONSTRUCTION
Duration 1 week. Evaluation and grade is given upon completion as passed/not passed.
What are the most valued skills to have in a farm? This question is often asked to farmers and practitioners, and often too, we get that building and construction are very appreciated, to say the least.
Through the one-week subject Construction, you will get to know the materials, techniques and tools required in the construction of simple structures.
We go through building plans and necessary equipment, and common distribution of farm buildings, together with the different materials for insulation, bearing structures, roofs and walls.
All in all, a very practical oriented approach for you to gain the skills necessary to get building.
Do you have questions? Contact our Study Supervisor
Annette Esbjerg Jensen
Tlf.: 20 37 30 05
Mail: aeje@videndjurs.dk
ENTREPRENEURSHIP & INNOVATION
Duration 1 week. When the student has completed the course, a grade point is given which expresses the student’s current position. The student is assessed in relation to the subject’s objectives, and the grade is given on the basis of the student’s documentation and other achievements and results in an overall assessment of the student’s competences in the subject.
Learning outcomes:
In Entrepreneurship and Innovation, we work with tools to develop new ideas and start a business. Furthermore, you will get familiar with how to work with innovations. We will also visit Austria and learn how Austrian farmers are engaged in the importance of ongoing changes, innovation processes and motivation factors that promote innovation. We prepare a business plan for the company, and we present this to an Entrepreneur Fair at the school.
You will be able to:
• Explain the VAT system and perform VAT calculations
• Explain an accounting structure and perform calculations in relation to the company’s results
• Calculate and explain different types of a company costs;
• Refer how a company can optimize performance
You work with:
• the concept of innovation and entrepreneurship;
• the establishment conditions, the business structure and the company’s organizational structure
• the importance of ongoing changes, innovation processes and motivation factors that promote innovation #makeadifference
The professional content:
In the lessons, you will meet many farmers, as well as business owners, who all deal with innovation and entrepreneurship on a practical level.
Do you have questions? Contact our Study Supervisor
Annette Esbjerg Jensen
Tlf.: 20 37 30 05 Mail: aeje@videndjurs.dk
ORGANIC PRODUCTION –PLANTS
Duration 1 week.
You will be evaluated based on your attendance, performance, involvement, competences, and quality of the final project. The project will be presented in class during the last lessons.
Learning outcomes
The focus of this course is to give you insight in the best practices when it comes to resource management at a farm. You will, through a hands-on project, be required to put in practice much of the knowledge gained during the previous courses at Kalø.
You will be able to:
• Put into practice concepts like crop choice, manuring, workload, seasonality of working processes, etc.
• Learn to manage time, machinery and work load, based on a crop rotation of your crops of choice.
• Dig deeper in machinery effectivity and rationalizing of resources
• Put a crop rotation into a realization and economical perspective
Professional content:
During the course you will find different materials to support this project. We will go through some basic theoretical principles, the effect of some of the decisions taken, and the expected outcome. We will go through concepts and subjects like:
• Crop rotation optimization
• Machinery efficiency
• Cost calculation of machinery operations per hectare
• Work load calculation and management
Do you have questions? Contact our Study Supervisor
Annette Esbjerg Jensen
Tlf.: 20 37 30 05
Mail: aeje@videndjurs.dk
ORGANIC PRODUCTION –LIVESTOCK
Duration 1 week.
When the student has completed the course one common grade will be given for the two courses that together make up the course “Organic production”. The final grade expresses the student’s current position. The student is assessed in relation to the objects of the subject and the grade is given based on the student’s documentation, involvement and other achievements and results in an overall assessment of the student’s competences in the subject.
Learning outcomes
In this course you will deepen your knowledge and insight into the planning and implementation of methods in organic livestock production.
You will be able to:
• Account for observed behavior and set this in relation to animal welfare and the frame of the production.
• Apply your knowledge of specific crops as organic feed and apply knowledge of the digestion of these.
• Account for the evaluation of the hygiene and health of the animals and the transmission and prevention of common livestock diseases.
• Participate in the planning and implementation of methods in organic agricultural production.
• Apply your knowledge to account for the production and production methods of several of the organic cash crops and crops for livestock feed.
Professional content:
In the lessons you will work from the biological, physiological and practical aspects of the topics.
You work with:
• Behavior
• Feeding, nutrition and physiology
• Genetics
• Breeding & reproduction
• Health and disease
Do you have questions? Contact our Study Supervisor
Annette Esbjerg Jensen
Tlf.: 20 37 30 05
Mail: aeje@videndjurs.dk
SUSTAINABILITY
Duration 1 week.
When the student has completed the course, a grade point is given which expresses the student’s current position. The student is assessed in relation to the subject’s objectives, and the grade is given on the basis of the student’s documentation and other achievements and results in an overall assessment of the student’s competences in the subject as well as performance on the trip.
Learning outcomes
In this course, you will deepen your knowledge and specialized insight in sustainability in farming. You will connect your understanding and theoretic knowledge with real-life examples. Part of the course will take place in Austria, where you will visit farms and other institutions working with implementing sustainable practices.
You will be able to:
• Understand and asses concrete examples of sustainable management
• Explain sustainability in the context of farming in clear detail
• Discuss the benefits and disadvantages of specific implementations of ideologies and methods
• Get acquainted with institutions and labels dealing with sustainability
• Understand the nuances of communicating sustainability clearly and trustfully
Professional content:
In the lessons, you will meet many farmers, as well as business owners, consultants and more, who all deal with sustainability on a practical level.
You work with:
• Green business models
• Climate friendly farming
• Practical implementations on farm-level
• Effects on environment and biodiversity
Do you have questions? Contact our Study Supervisor
Annette Esbjerg Jensen
Tlf.: 20 37 30 05
Mail: aeje@videndjurs.dk
NATURE CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT
Duration 1 week.
At the end of the course, you will get a grade point as an evaluation of your current position. The grade is based on your Nature Preservation Plan and other tasks made in class as well as your general performance and competences in relation to the course objectives.
Learning outcomes
Are you curious on how farmers can help nature and sustain biodiversity? During the course you will get more insight into the status of nature and how farmers can help improve and maintain natural protected and non-protected areas. Furthermore, you will get familiar with the system in Denmark where farmers can get subsidized for maintaining specific areas. Not only, we will see nature conservation under Danish conditions –we will also visit Austria and learn how Austrian farmers are engaged in nature conservation and management.
You will be able to:
• Understand how and why nature and specific species and biotopes are threatened.
• Explain initiatives that can be made at farm level to improve conditions for biodiversity.
• Describe the most important rules and regulation in regard to nature.
• Understand the basic idea of nature preservation and management and describe the possibilities to work with nature management as a part of the agricultural production or as its own production.
Professional content:
• Nature types and biodiversity – how do we classify nature?
• Challenges in nature today.
• Goals and methods of nature conservation and management.
• Nature preservation planning at farms
• Rules and regulation (Danish and European regulations)
• Austrian examples of nature preservation.
Do you have questions? Contact our Study Supervisor
Annette Esbjerg Jensen
Tlf.: 20 37 30 05
Mail: aeje@videndjurs.dk
SALES OF VEGETABLES, FRUIT AND BERRIES
Duration 1 week.
When the student has completed the course, a grade point is given which expresses the student’s current position. The student is assessed in relation to the subject’s objectives, and the grade is given on the basis of the student’s documentation and other achievements and results in an overall assessment of the student’s competences in the subject.
Learning outcomes
The purpose of the course is to gain a basic understanding of business, including knowledge and skills in marketing with an emphasis on sales, service, market analysis and marketing, so that you can carry out tasks in these areas. We will also visit Austria and learn how Austrian farmers sell their products.
You will be able to:
• Identify marketing conditions in different markets, both in Denmark and Austria;
• Use simple marketing economic models in farming contexts;
• Use basic knowledge of specific companies’ external conditions, supply and demand to justify sales and marketing in simple farming contexts;
• Process and present information about a company’s market conditions.
Professional content:
The subject develops competences in sales, service, market analysis and market communication. You will develop a business plan.
You work with:
• the Danish Marketing Act
• various sales opportunities and channels in Denmark and Austria
• methods and tools for marketing and selling
• target groups and segmentation
• the importance of the assortment for the sale
Do you have questions? Contact our Study Supervisor
Annette Esbjerg Jensen
Tlf.: 20 37 30 05
Mail: aeje@videndjurs.dk
THE ORGANIC SPECIALTY
Duration 7,5 weeks.
When the student has completed the course, a final grade point is given which expresses the stu¬dent’s current position. The grade given is the result of an overall assessment of the student’s competences in the subject based on the student’s oral and written performances. In addition, a final written project is the basis for the final oral examination.
Learning
outcomes
The organic specialty has a holistic approach and focuses equally on livestock and plant production. Throughout this course you will be using “the 5 questions” which will train your observational and analytical abilities, which is of importance for a skilled organic farmer.
For any Agro-Ecological system to succeed, interaction between plants and livestock is key. Rationalizing livestock means applying biological principles to production systems.
From feed requirements to animal welfare, disease study and prevention, to physiology of the different production animals. You will investigation the soil-food-web and plant-microbe interactions. The importance of plant breeding in a changing world is discussed, and the resilience of different production systems including their possible yields are explored- nationally as well as globally. Management of crops such as allocation of fertilizer, intercropping, carbon sequestration, push-pull systems and alternative plant protection is studied.
#makeadifference
You will be able to:
Integrate, plan, implement and optimize livestockand plant production, when taking the basic principles of organic production into consideration. Participate in the planning of and the performance of tasks in connection with establishing, maintaining, and harvesting crops for feed, sale, and human consumption, when integrating knowledge of soil fertility, crop rotation, nutrients, pests and diseases and preventions.
Identify, handle, and react on unforeseen events in livestock production, when integrating knowledge of welfare, health, feed, and reproduction. Discuss advantages and disadvantages from a biological and technical perspective.
Professional content:
In this subject you will get a thorough understanding of how to optimize the production and you will work with numbers from real-life farms.
You work with:
The 5 questions: What am I seeing? Why is it like this? Which effect does it have? What would you change and why? Which effects would you expect from this change?
G*E*M (Genetics, Environment and Management) The 3 factors that influences plant production. Comparing different production systems.
Understanding plant physiology, the involvement of nutrition and recognizing plant deficiencies. Using crop rotational strategies.
Preventing and recognizing plant pests, diseases and weeds, incl. biological control.
Understanding and analyzing soil fertility
Allocation of manure where field effects and the environmental factors are considered.
Understanding livestock physiology and produce and analysis of feed plans.
Biological and practical understanding of livestock diseases and their effects.
Reproductive and breeding strategies and planning. Understanding and analyzing the integral data of the herd
Do you have questions? Contact our Study Supervisor, Annette Esbjerg Jensen
Tlf.: 20 37 30 05
Mail: aeje@videndjurs.dk
