From Yahoo! Canada News: Poland’s organic farms prove to be fruitful ventures.

Eighteen years ago, Boguslaw Klimczak had a barn with 20 cows and a line of patient customers every morning: The farmer in this small town in central Poland sold his locally produced cheeses out of the trunk of his car at the local farmer’s market.

Now Mr. Klimczak drives a Nissan SUV, and his company, with 3 million zlotys ($1.2 million) in sales per year, has its own distribution network sending fresh butter, cream, yogurt, and cheeses —“ made according to traditional Polish recipes —“ to stores across Poland, and without European Union subsidies to boot.

…

Klimczak says he’s not planning to apply for European Union subsidies and doesn’t spend any money on marketing.

“I’d rather not complicate things by growing too big. Plus, I don’t want to take money just for the sake of taking it,” he says. “We’ve filled a niche, that’s what business is about.”

I loved shopping at these little street side markets when I was in Poland. Folks would come early in the morning, often by bus (small carbon footprint there – better that 50 cars showing up all at once) bringing farm fresh items. We would venture, still sleepy eyed, out of our hotel to buy fresh fruit, yogurt, veggies, and cheeses.

Of course I had a connection to doing that sort of thing. My Busia grew fresh veggies at home and we had the Clinton-Bailey Farmers Market nearby.

To find out more about green Poland visit the International Coalition to Protect the Polish Countryside (ICPPC) and ECOCENTRE ICPPC. Several years ago I had the opportunity to work with Sir Julian and Ms. Lopata. They are great people and their efforts deserve support. Here’s a few of their photos.