Haase Farm is a family business that has spent years building its operations on the principles of sustainable agriculture. In 2026, their work was recognized with the prestigious Golden Apple award at the Farmer of the Year competition, organized by the Polish Farmer of the Year Club Association. The farm has also been an active member of our Association for eight years — which makes it even more satisfying to share their story, experience, and daily approach to farming. Anna and Łukasz Haase talk about what it takes to build a modern farm with the next generation in mind.
Where did Haase Farm begin, and what does it look like today? How do you feel about this year’s Golden Apple award, and what does this increased industry visibility mean for you?
Haase Farm is a family company with roots going back to the 1970s. The idea of farming together first took shape in our parents’ minds, and in 1973 they founded a cooperative focused on crop farming and pig rearing. We are continuing that cooperative tradition today, operating as the Haase Farm agricultural producer group. We currently bring together seven family farms across several municipalities, with another three in the pipeline.
We are very proud of the award. It carries real weight — the competition has been running for over 30 years, and farms are assessed by an independent jury. To be eligible, a farm must be nominated by its regional agricultural advisory center, which is exactly how our nomination came about. There is something truly special about having your hard work recognized — all the effort that goes into building a modern farm. The award also pushes us to keep moving forward. As a laureate, you gain access to an exclusive Farmer of the Year club, where you can meet other award-winning farmers, receive support, and build both professional and personal connections.
It is also worth noting that this year the Golden Apple went to the younger generation. That feels like a validation — a sign that handing over the reins was the right decision. As laureates, we now have a platform to promote sustainable farming practices on a broader scale. Greater visibility opens doors to new connections with fellow farmers and industry experts, which always sparks fresh ideas.
This year’s award shows that sustainable agriculture is not just a vision — it delivers real results. What does it look like in practice at Haase Farm? You combine arable farming with beef cattle production; how do these two areas complement each other logistically and economically?
Sustainable agriculture at Haase Farm is not a slogan — it is a set of concrete, daily practices. We maintain soil quality through appropriate crop rotation and winter cover crops, use natural and biological fertilizers, and monitor the soil regularly to enable precision application. By creating variable-rate application maps, we can tailor fertilization to the soil’s actual needs. We also apply low-disturbance tillage methods that support both soil health and biodiversity. After several years of following these practices, we are seeing measurable results: better crop quality and healthier soil.
We are also committed to our own development — gaining new knowledge and staying in regular contact with other farmers who share our approach. A wonderful space for exchanging experience and working alongside like-minded growers is Stowarzyszenie Polski Ziemniak (The Polish Potato Association), a company we co-founded five years ago.
The two sides of the operation complement each other naturally — that is precisely what sustainable agriculture looks like in practice. We make productive use of our grassland for the cattle, and, in return, we get natural fertilizer for our fields.
Sustainable practices are also a sound economic response to difficult times. They help us optimize costs, and logistics improve — work efficiency goes up and the number of field passes goes down. As with most things, the financial case tends to speak loudest, but our certifications have also reinforced our broader vision of producing healthy food free from pesticide residues. The encouragement and practical support we needed for our first certifications came from Farm Frites Poland S.A., the buyer of our potatoes.
Sustainable agriculture is most often associated with agronomy, but people are an integral part of the model too. How does Haase Farm approach the human side of the business — in terms of working conditions and relations with the local community?
The well-being of our team is a top priority — and that means protecting a genuine work-life balance. We do not work on Sundays or public holidays — harvest season aside — and we have invested in a modern, efficient machinery fleet. This makes fieldwork much more comfortable and means we can get jobs done quickly without working through the night or at weekends. We also provide meals during working hours. We value a good atmosphere and want people to come to work stress-free. Some of them even tell us they genuinely look forward to it. 🙂
The human dimension is a natural part of sustainable farming — our responsibility extends far beyond the edge of the field. We run a socially responsible operation. We organize training in sustainable agriculture open to farmers from other holdings, and we get involved in local initiatives such as the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity (WOŚP), village festivals, and food donations to those in need.
We also support the empowerment of women in rural areas through the Agro Woman foundation. On a local level, our community involvement includes clearing local roads of snow in winter, providing financial support to the volunteer fire brigade, and contributing to local cultural life.
Thank you for the conversation — and congratulations once again on the award!