The Bauernhof-AG of Landvolk Northeim-Osterode is now running in its second school year! At a total of eleven primary schools in the Einbeck and Northeim area, it is again this winter semester: plowing, experimenting, tasting, seeing, and crafting. The topics of agriculture, landscape management, food production, seasonality, and nature conservation are made tangible. Around 30 farms regularly open their doors to groups of curious children from the second to fourth grade.
Bauernhof-AG starts in an expanded form
In 2024, the successful implementation of a pilot project "Bauernhof-AG" at the Nörten-Hardenberg Elementary School, in cooperation with the Angersteiner Farm, laid the foundation for expanding the project to several locations. While the pilot project took place at a single site, the aim was to extend its scope to a larger area after successfully testing it. Interested elementary schools and farms were sought, a concept was developed, and a position was created at Landvolk Northeim-Osterode to enable the pedagogical implementation and coordination of the Bauernhof-AG. Funding and donations were raised; with the Kreisjugendstiftung in Einbeck and KWS, two generous supporters were found who made it possible to run the the Bauernhof-AG on a larger scale.
Learning between the classroom and the farm
The planning progressed, and by the winter semester of 2024/2025, the first schools were able to start the extracurricular activities program. After the autumn holidays and at the beginning of the summer semester, all other schools followed, so that by January 2025 all eleven schools had entered regular operation of the extracurricular activities program.
The Bauernhof-AG is divided into two areas:
a practical part on the farm and a theoretical part in the classroom, and it takes place mainly in the afternoons at participating elementary schools on a biweekly schedule. Up to 15 children from second to fourth grade can regularly sign up for the Bauernhof-AG on a voluntary basis as part of the school's extracurricular activities. On practical days, the groups reach the farms, whenever possible, on foot or via transport organized by the school (van/shuttle services/public transport…). Each elementary school is assigned one to four partner farms, depending on location, interest, and distance.
The Bauernhof-AG is currently running at the following school locations: Grundschule Schoningen, Geschwister-Scholl-Schule Einbeck, Löwenzahnschule Moringen, Astrid-Lindgren-Schule Northeim, Kardinal-Bertram-Schule Sudheim, Grundschule Altes Amt Echte, Schule im Kirchtal Langenholtensen, Kleeblattgrundschule Markoldendorf, Grundschule Drüber, Grundschule am Sultmer Northeim, Regenbogenschule Höckelheim.
30 farms offer children insights into agriculture
A total of around 30 agricultural farms is involved. On the farms, practical, colorful, and imaginative programs take place, which are tailored to the seasonal tasks of each farm. Visits always occur accompanied by school staff, with a timeframe of 45 to 90 minutes (depending on transport and the length of the extracurricular activity). The farmers provide exciting insights into the many areas of work; for example, last year they harvested potatoes and beets, cleaned and maintained machinery in winter, interacted with the animals, fed the animals, created a hedgerow, collected eggs and prepared them for sale, baked waffles, and much more.
Workshops accompany the Bauernhof-AG
So far, a total of three workshops for the Bauernhof-AG have been offered, primarily aimed at the participating farms, intended to support and facilitate the start and execution of the project, while also providing new content and input. The first workshop in September 2024 focused, in line with the start of the Bauernhof-AG, on formalities and organizational matters. The second workshop in January 2025 provided insights into the past six months and offered ideas, tips, and tricks for educational work and working with groups of children. In August 2025, the third workshop, on the topic of communication and handling sensitive issues in agriculture, took place, accompanied by an external speaker from Berlin.
Theory units are conducted by professionals at the schools
Theory units at the schools are conducted at a total of seven schools by the educational specialist herself, Malin Bracht. At two extracurricular locations, she is supported by Hans-Ulrich Gerling, the volunteer worker of the Bauernhof-AG. At the Grundschule am Sultmer, the Bauernhof-Ag is run by Elke Lüdecke, who organizes and manages both the theoretical and practical components. At the Kardinal-Bertram-Schule in Sudheim, the Bauernhof-AG is organized and supervised by Ann-Christin Elsner (Landvolk Northeim-Osterode).
The theoretical units serve to prepare and follow up on the practical units and to approach the topics in the classroom in a playful and experimental way once again from a different perspective: cooking, crafting, solving puzzles, painting, gardening, conducting small experiments. Even if we don't go to the farm every week, it is still exciting!
Source: Harz Kurier 23.10.2025
Picture source: Landvolk Northeim-Osterode Kreisbauernverband e.V.