Today one of the biggest downsides of regenerative farming is labour intensity. How to care best for the soil and biodiversity while producing enough quality food? The concept of Circlefarming derived from the perspective of facilitating regenerative farming.
The tools for Circlefarming provide new opportunities for the existing stripcropping farming method. We developed a self-rotating arm of 6 to 20 meters - the Compass - to which various tools can be attached, thus enabling circular strip cultivation.
The Compass
The Compass arm can move independently stationary and function autonomously, which offers great possibilities for precision irrigation, for example, but the user can also steer it on request using a controller. The arm runs on solar energy and is compatible with various existing agricultural tools such as hoes, spades, harrows, potato harvesters and forks. These tools can be used in combination so that in a round one ring can be harvested and another ring can be irrigated at the same time.
The Circlefarming Work bed
The Work bed specially designed for Circlefarming offers an ergonomic experience while working in the field - whether it is small-scale or large-scale agriculture. Moving over the circular field and at the same time being able to move freely sideways creates a pleasant and effective way of working. Tools can be connected to the Compass and are always nearby, as well as crates for weeds, harvest or required materials.
New technology and data
Circlefarming uses newly developed robotics for agriculture such as weeders, but is mainly looking for smart applications of data. Data that is collected by means of radar scans and cameras on the Compass. This data can help with disease recognition, water requirements for the various crops, follow growth processes but also measure biodiversity, for example. This can contribute to the effective deployment of participants and volunteers who help in the field: the data can be converted into an action per individual, and is also needed to make the arm safe for use with non-professional individuals. Finally, harvested products can be linked to availability in an (online) store.
Circlefarm platform
In the future, a Circlefarm platform with the data from the various smaller CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) Circlefarms will form a large source and library of knowledge for new Circlefarmers.