Ecological Farming

Farkha is known for its agriculture.

Farkha is home to both a farmers cooperative and an experimental farm.

Farmers in the cooperative cultivate 400 dunums of olive trees. During the harvest season, they collectively press the harvest and produce certified organic oil which is sold internationally through fair trade markets.

Farkha is also home to Qamar al-Balad, a 15-dunum farm that serves as a training and educational station for ecological agriculture. It was founded in 2015 with the support Global Ecovillages Network and the Arab Agricultural Engineers Association, and today is supervised by five families from the village who, with the supporters in different regions, markets its products across Palestine. The farm includes several models of eco-agriculture: raised terraces, biogas, a compost bath, retaining walls, a cave, and shaded arbors. It is planted with 68 olive trees, 75 grape vines, 1000 thyme seedlings, 200 sage seedlings, dozens of almond trees, 10 laurel trees, dozens of medicinal herbs, 1000 hot pepper seedlings (for the Farkha Women’s Association), 250 tomato seedlings, in addition to carob and moringa trees. Dozens of local and international delegations of students and engineers have visited Qamar al-Balad, and there are plans to expand the farm to include a greenhouse, livestock, and poultry.