Farmstead Medewege
Farmstead Medewege is a small eco-village in the former East Germany, near the city of Schwerin. There are approximately 70 people, 35 children and 35 adults living on the farm. Some of them work here, others just live here and work elsewhere.
The village has many different sectors. The main base is a biodynamic farm that manages approximately 300 hectares of land as well as animals such as cows, pigs and chickens. There is not just pure agriculture with farming, gardening, orchards and animal husbandry but also further-processing operations such as a bakery, dairy, meat processing and apple-juice making.
Direct marketing of fresh farm products is carried out through a farm shop, a farm café-bistro, catering, weekly markets and a box-scheme delivery service. In addition, on the site is an artistic and therapeutic area including a massage practise. Waldorf Kindergarten on the farm, is an attractive service for families from the city and the surrounding areas. A Horse ridding school and herbs-gardens are also available for therapeutic purposes.
Most of the companies on the farm offer practical training (formal and informal), as well as that, they are open for all kind of disadvantaged groups of people. Some people have different kinds of addiction problems, some of them have social, mental or physical disadvantages. Working with the land, in the garden or with the animals help them to be physically and mentally well and active again, the results are quickly measurable and it feels good to be closer to the nature. Beside that they learn, how to produce food - vegetables and fruit for themselves.
The Cultural Association Hof Medewege help the organizations or the individuals (besides other activities) to find a way to integrate themselves into farm life. For different groups (children, young people and, adults), who would just like to visit the farm, we are offering tours around the site to inspire them, not just as consumers but also cultivating organic food for themselves. The small visitor can be a farmer for a day in the “children farm”.
Alenka Baerens, 2013