The Auksuciai Foundation

Major Accomplishments

2011

This report highlights accomplishments in 2011 and provides financial supporters with an accounting of how their dollars are being utilized.

Background:

The Auksuciai Foundation is a California based privately funded, 501 (c) (3) nonprofit public benefit corporation that works in Lithuania for the benefit of small-scale farms. To carry out its purposes, it has a “Contract for Services” with the Auksuciai Farm and Forest Center (AUMC). This organization is a separate legal entity, established under Lithuanian law as a nonprofit public institution. It receives most of its funding from the Auksuciai Foundation U.S.A. It is located near the town of Kursenai in the Siauliai Region. Here on 157.5 hectares (389 acres) of land, staff conducts a year - long program of research on new crops, improvement of existing crops and sustainable farming and forestry practices.

Major accomplishments of the Foundation and the Auksuciai Farm and Forest Center (AUMC)

Conduct an Asparagus Production and Marketing Workshop during May for local farmers on site at the AUMC Gudaitis Center. This included speakers from the Ministry of Agriculture, Lithuanian University of Agriculture, the Lithuanian Vegetable Growers Association, Lithuanian Agricultural Advisory Service, and the AUMC Research Director. Highlight of the event was a presentation and asparagus cooking demonstration by the world famous chief, Martin Ritins from Riga, Latvia. The event involved more than 60 participants, including local farmers, TV and newspaper press, university and government officials.

Hosting a group ten students from Fordham University, New York City for a “Go Lithuania” program. They assisted with painting the Gudaitis Center building, landscaping the grounds, planting asparagus seeds in green houses and working in the apple research plots. While there they also were engaged in outreach activities at the farm with Siauliai Boy and Girl Scouts, and students from Siauliai and Kaunas.

Completed the seventh harvest season of a one-hectare asparagus field trial and continued distribution on a trial basis to local hotels and restaurants.

Built a protective structure over the newly installed refrigerator storage unit for vegetable crops.   This cooling unit will be available for local asparagus farmers use next harvest season.

Constructed a new plastic greenhouse for producing seedling of asparagus and other crops for field transplantation.         

Thanks to Rotary International and to the Siauliai Rotary Club, a new well was constructed to upgrade the water supply for the Gudaitis Center. This now serves as a source of portable water for the Gudaitis Center and for irrigation of research plots.

Developed an expanded Agreement of Collaboration with Siauliai University and in September one of our board members made a presentation at a meeting sponsored by Siauliai University Rural Development Research Centre.

Obtained a $20,000 asparagus production and machinery grant from Rotary International. The funds are to be administered by Siauliai Rotary and expended as per prescribed by the grant. This equipment will be utilized next crop season by local farmers associated with AUMC program.

Hired a recent graduate of the Lithuanian University of Agriculture at Kaunas to manage research activities at the farm. She will be partially supported by a three year grant from the Ministry of Agriculture for asparagus research and educational activities in cooperation with the University.