Weekend-Farming in Germany: A Beginner's Guide to Not Killing Plants

Do you find yourself daydreaming about getting your hands dirty and growing your own food? Do you want to impress your friends with your newfound gardening skills? Look no further, because I, a self-proclaimed plant-killer turned weekend-farmer, am here to tell you about the joys (and occasional frustrations) of weekend-farming in Germany.

What is weekend-farming, you ask? It's basically like a gym membership, but instead of sweating on a treadmill, you get to sweat in a field and grow delicious produce. And if you're anything like me, you'll also get a killer farmer's tan. ;)

I started my weekend farming adventures with 'Community Supported Agriculture' aka CSA. The official German term for it is 'Solidarische Landwirtschaft' aka 'SoLaWi', but let's just call it CSA to make things easier. My wife, Minal Bombatkar (a User Experience Designer), and I have been researching modern farming practices for the past years. We've visited many farmers in India and Germany, stayed in the field for a few days, and done actual farming work. And by "actual farming work", I mean I spent most of the time trying not to accidentally pull out the wrong plant. :)

Now, you may be thinking, "But what exactly is Community Agriculture?". In a community agriculture system, farmers and consumers form a group together. Here's how it works:

- Together, the group estimates the annual cost of farming and decides on a monthly amount.

- The farmer gets this monthly amount from the members of the group, and in return, gives each member a fixed share of the produce every week.

- Members can also help the farmer in actual farming work, with tasks and schedules specified in an agreement.

Here are the benefits of community agriculture for the farmer and the customer:

For the farmer:

- Guaranteed monthly income.

- Financial planning can be done for the whole year in advance.

- Farming responsibilities and risks are shared.

- Market waste is reduced as the entire farm gets customers as members.

- Sustainable and self-sustainable organic farming can be done without thinking only about profit.

For the customer:

- Good quality organic vegetables can be bought directly from the farmers.

- Get a chance to experience real farming.

- Brings transparency in the food supply chain.

- There is an opportunity to do agricultural tourism.

Let's talk about farming in Germany. Did you know that almost 50% of the land in Germany is used for agriculture? That's a lot of land! And while 90% of agriculture is family-owned, private companies also play a big role in total agricultural output. Germany produces everything from potatoes and cereals to meat, eggs, and milk products. Plus, they're big on organic farming (or as they call it, 'BIO' farming), so you can feel good about your carbon footprint while you're busy sweating in the field.

Now, let's get to the fun part, my experience with farmers in Germany:

- Smallholder farmers in collective farming groups in Passau and Uffenheim use greenhouses and polyhouses to a large extent, while farmers in Amberg practice open-field farming.

- Agriculture in Passau is based on fields and well water, while in Hartmannsdorf-Reichenau in the state of Saxony, agriculture depends on rainwater.

- Farmers in Jandelsbrunn pre-plan their farming using 'advance software tools', while some farmers practice farming based on their experience.

- In Eichenzell in the state of Hessen, I had the opportunity to see and work on 'permaculture' based farming.

But no matter what their approach, all the farmers I've met have been passionate about what they do, even if they occasionally have to deal with things like a lack of manpower, rising fertilizer prices, and drought.

Here are some reasons why you should give weekend farming a try:

- It's a great way to get some exercise and fresh air while also learning about Germany beyond the office.

- You'll be supporting local farmers who are passionate about organic farming practices.

- You'll have a guaranteed supply of fresh, organic vegetables, straight from the source.

- You'll get to experience real farming and witness first-hand the hard work that goes into growing your food.

- You'll have an excuse to wear overalls, which we all know is the ultimate fashion statement.

And if you're worried about not knowing the first thing about farming, don't worry - neither did I! But that's the beauty of weekend-farming: you get to learn as you go along. Plus, it's a great way to get some exercise, soak up some Vitamin D, and maybe even make a few new friends. Just don't forget to wear sunscreen and bring a water bottle - trust me, your skin and your plants will thank you.

Now I ask you,

1. Do you think community agriculture is the way forward for sustainable agriculture, or are there other practices that can be equally effective?
2. How important is it for us to know where our food comes from and how it's grown? Do you think community agriculture can help bring more transparency to the food supply chain?

Feel free to share your thoughts and opinions on any of these questions. :)