Polish farmers turn a 70-hectare farm into an oil press, mill and bakery

Leszek and Magdalena Kierzek, who run a 70-hectare crop farm in Tarnowo Podgórne in Poland's Greater Poland region, have shifted in recent years towards processing what they grow. They use RHD, a Polish scheme that lets farmers process their own raw materials and sell the finished products directly to consumers. According to the farmers, they could not sustain the farm on crop production alone at this size today.

From an idea to an oil press

Leszek Kierzek says the idea of a niche product came as early as 2014, when he visited a factory of the machinery maker Horsch in Bavaria. He concluded that conventional production might eventually become less needed and that only a niche could ensure survival. The family opened its oil press in December 2019, starting with rapeseed and linseed oils. The range now also includes sunflower, camelina, black cumin, evening primrose and milk thistle oils.

Spelt, mill and bread

Spelt wheat was expected to fetch 2,500 zloty per tonne, but the price fell to 800 zloty and there were no buyers. The couple therefore bought a mill for about 80,000 zloty and began producing flour in 2022. Spelt covers 20 hectares and yields 3.5 t/ha on average. Because their flour proved more expensive than that sold in supermarkets and wholesalers, the family also opened a bakery. Today 65% of the flour goes to the bakery, while 35% is sold in 2-kilogram packs at 15 zloty per kilogram.

Bread is baked on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays from spelt flour and rye sourdough. Each loaf weighs 1,150 grams, and the weekly output needs about 250 kg of flour. About 30 litres of linseed oil are sold each week.

Sales and the future

The farm shop is the main sales channel, and orders are also taken via a Facebook page. Part of the raw material is bought from local farmers. The couple's son attends an agricultural technical school and wants to continue farming.