October 5 Saxony

Oct. 5

Today we toured two very different farms, when communists were in charge in the east they forced the farms to form into large co-ops and sale their production to the government.  In 1989 when reunification happened the farms were given the choice to either stay with the co-op, or take their land back and farm it on their own.  Staying with the co-op offered security and stability, leaving and going on your own was risky but had more opportunity for individual financial success.  Many people choose to stay with the co-ops which makes several very large farms here in the east.  A few, who did not like the co-ops, went out on their own.  Today we had the chance to visit one of each, each farm had similarities and differences.

The first one a large co-op called Agrarproduktion, farm over 2000 hectares or about 5000 acres, milks about 500 cows, 120 beef cows, about 250 hogs, a small slaughter house, and four retail markets to directly market to the public.  There are 75 members of this co-op, about half of them are retired, and many of the rest work for the farm.  There is a central management team that manages all the different entities of the co-op.  We toured the dairy, newly built in 2005, it is an impressive modern dairy with a 32 stall rotary parlor, and 500 enclosed freestalles.  The cows are very clean and well managed.  Like most dairies their ration is based mostly on corn and grass silage.  They were in the middle of harvesting corn silage, it was very interesting to watch how the silage was hauled in and packed.  We also looked at the new bio-gas plant that is still under construction.  There is an old castle in the area, we were told that before they could construct the dairy they had to place a red flag on a tall pole where the barns would stand, they then had to go to the castle and make sure the dairy would be completely out of sight of the castle.  Just one of the many silly regulations they have to deal with (all farmers like to complain about the regulations, but seem to be happy to get the subsidies).  Construction of the dairy was subsidized %40, which seems to be fairly standard for new farm construction.  The bio-gas plant receives no subsidy to help with construction however they are guarantied a good price for the electricity once it is complete to pay off the loan.

We also toured one of their markets stores where they not only sale much of their own farm production but also sale products from other local farms.  This seems to be a good market for them, they are in the process of expanding the market building.  They not only sale fruits and vegetables, but they also have a cheese case and a meat shop, the new addition will house a bread shop as well.  An interesting large scale direct marketing approach.

During Soviet rule Ag was on of the few industries that did well, these large co-ops seem to be an attempt to continue this farming approach.  It is not an approach that is common in the rest of Germany.  

We next toured a small farm, Rossler-Hof.  Located in a small community with houses all around it, it is a very diverse small scale farm, also with a direct marketing approach.  It is operated almost entirely by one family.  The father worked for a large Co-op before reunification, unlike many other he was happy to leave when the chance came and seems to enjoy being his own boss.  They milk 45 cows with a robot milker (this was very impressive but expensive), feed several steers and hogs for slaughter in their own packing shop, sheep, chickens, ducks, and free range geese.  I still think it is funny to see the geese roaming the fields, but it seem to be quite common.  It is tradition to have a Goose for Christmas dinner.  They not only have their own slaughter house but they also make their own cheese and dairy products that they sale in their store located right on the farm.  We were invited to sample the cheese and yogurt, when we left none of us needed dinner.  They also make their own wine which is common around here.  This farm was very quaint and beautiful tucked in between the homes and the hills of the area, just the way you would picture an old German farm.  However, we all commented to our selves that we felt like the animals at the larger farm were better cared for, they seemed to be cleaner and in better condition, they also produced better.  But the public has a higher opinion of the small farm than the large one.  Just like in America they want the large farm prices with the small farm feel, with animal welfare and environmental sustainability as top priorities.

In the evening we got our first gimps of Dreseden (birth place of Martin Luther), a beautiful city that was almost entirely destroyed by allied bombing raids during the war.  Most of it has been rebuilt to the original look.  We took a short look around  we will be in Dreseden more before we leave.  A 8:00 we attended a Cello Concert at Frauenkirchen (a historic Lutheran church several hundred years old), Bach by Mischa Maisky.  Music and atmosphere were amazing  just a little more culture than I am used to.

We are finding that the German people seem to have a very different opinion about the role of government.  It is common for the government to fund %40 of the cost of new agricultural buildings and to highly subsidize all types of green energy.  Energy production is a major income source for farms here.  Charity is almost unheard of because they expect he government to care for the poor and the needy.  Most people I have talked to seem to think it is OK to pay high taxes, %40 or more, because the government gives so much back to the people.  We try to tell them that it is better to keep your own money and help others through private charities, but that is a new concept for most of them. 

Many people are being driven away from religion because if you belong to a church you are assessed a separate tax of %9 that is given to the church.  So many people just quite going to church.