1 - Jacob Guyer, «Kleinjogg» 1718-1785, Portrait by J.R. Schellenberg
Jakob Guyer, Kleinjogg, 1718-1769
Jacob Guyer, called «Kleinjogg» was an
innovative farmer in rural Zurich and was
known for an exceptional personality.
He gained prominence because of the
«Physiokratische Gesellschaft» and
fundamentally changed the agriculture
of the 18th century. The «Physiokratische
Gesellschaft» knew that Zurich as a growing
city relied on the productivity of its agriculture
and therefore pushed to increase agricultural
yields for the good of the state. Kleinjogg is
referred to as the perfect personification of
the «Zwinglian work ethos». He also served
as a figure for various ideologies: The natural
romantics acknowledged his observation of
nature, the economists saw his endurance,
the moralists saw the moral. During Second
World War he was turned into the symbol of
the «Anbauschlacht» and in the 80s gained
the prominence as «the first organic farmer»,
pioneer of composting and farmyard manure
management. Some farmers‘ representatives
call him the «first full-throttle farmer» and
even «innovative farmer».
His farm was exemplary, as he had a
pioneering vision how to treat soil, plants and
animals, was not afraid to try other ways and
further how to position himself within an ecosystem.
(1) - Schmid, Otto: Kleinjogg, Wegbereiter der modernen
Landwirtschaft. Gedenkschrift zum 300. Geburtstag
von Jakob Guyer, 2018.
1 - Jacob Guyer, «Kleinjogg» 1718-1785, Portrait by J.R. Schellenberg