Rolling landscapes, fresh food and the best regional cuisine – Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is a treat for all the senses. The abundant countryside here provides the ideal conditions for excellent agricultural products, traditional crafts and innovative products, as illustrated by the following two examples.
Agriculture and forestry play a key role in the economic performance of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. In addition to large farms, small-scale producers are increasingly making a name for themselves. And more and more of them are organic.
Making island dreams come true
The potential of Mecklenburg- Vorpommern’s countryside is quite simply huge. And this is also recognised and put to use. A prime example in this context is the company INSEL ÖHE UG. Here, the Schilling family and their cows “Kringel” and “Esel” quite literally got a business idea up and running. Their goal was to put the old goods routes between Rügen, Hiddensee and the mainland to new use. And the plan worked: 120 cattle, 80 sheep and 12 water buffalo now graze on the salt marshes on the island of Öhe. Five restaurants, a guest house, a snack bar, three farm shops, a fishmonger and a specialist shop for conserves have since opened across the island. Also special is the fact that their own produce goes on sale in the shops. The main beneficiaries in the value chain are the people who live and work here and partners from the surrounding region.
Milk for a new generation of schoolkids
Proud of their family business. From pasture fodder to milk packaging – Van der Hams make everything themselves. © David Garbe
Cost-effective cycles and resource-conserving production are a top priority at Van der Ham & Co. KG. The family business makes everything itself, from green electricity and heat through to healthy animal fodder, fresh milk and packaging. Biogas is generated using the liquid manure from the farm’s cows and by adding maize and rye from the farm’s fields. A generator produces electricity using the biogas. The remaining fermentation substrate serves as a valuable fertiliser for the fields. This means that plants grow particularly well and the Holstein-Friesian cows graze on the best grass – which naturally has a positive effect on the quality and milk yield. And that’s something the local schoolchildren also enjoy, as the cow’s milk supplements the diet of numerous youngsters in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.