ZS “Vecķiguļi” – the power of natural meadows and the story of four generations of farming

In Plāņu Parish, Valmiera Municipality, where the rhythms of nature and human labour blend to form a harmonious landscape, the fourth generation is now continuing to run the “Vecķiguļi” farm. Jānis Kaucis has now taken over the running of the farm from his parents, continuing the family tradition. The dairy herd has been replaced by beef cattle, and today the farm is home to 100 head of cattle. Jānis is assisted in his day-to-day work by his parents, Inga and Normunds Kauči, his hard-working grandmother Mairita, and his wife Līga.

From its original 140 hectares, the farm has expanded to 210 hectares, where cattle graze and a way of life rooted in agricultural traditions is maintained, with respect for the diversity of nature.

Natural meadows hold a special place in Jānis’s farming practices. As part of the “GrassLife2” project, he is actively working on their restoration and management to preserve Latvia’s biodiversity. When night-blooming catchflies are found flowering in the meadow at Vecķiguļi, they are not mown but left to allow the seeds to ripen and disperse – perhaps there will be more night-blooming catchflies next year!

A significant turning point in the development of Vecķiguli came with the help of a small grant from the LIFE-IP LatViaNature project, which enabled the establishment of a small meat-processing workshop. It is equipped with meat and dough processing machines, freezers, a workbench and other tools for primary meat processing. Jānis learnt meat-processing skills at Valmiera Technical College, and now, under his supervision, the workshop produces high-quality, locally made products.

“Vecķiguļi” is an example of how to preserve the strength of the family, farm in an environmentally friendly way and honour local farming traditions. The farm is developing step by step — drawing on skills, knowledge and the rhythms of nature, which inspire both sustainable farming and the creation of products with a clear story of their origins.