It was barely a fortnight ago that a thick blanket of snow lay on gardens, trees and meadows and millions of snow crystals sparkled bright white. Now, however, spring is slowly moving in and the colours are returning to the gardens of Sammatz: the trees, which were still grey-brown just a moment ago, bear swelling buds at the tips of their branches, just waiting to burst open at any moment and reveal their small, delicate green leaves.
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Hundreds of crocuses form colourful islands in the meadows open their calyxes to the sun to receive its light. They are gladly visited by the first bees, lured out of their hives by the warmth.
Like a thousand points of light, the winter bulbs stand together in great flocks, each one a golden star in its own right. And the symmetrical-exact, tiny light blue-yellow blue stars, they too spread out like lakes in the meadows. All around, the tips of their brothers and sisters can be seen stretching vigorously out of the earth.
The daffodils have just opened their cup-shaped blossoms and have beaten the tulips a little in making the Sammatz gardens glow. Spring begins with a concert of yellow!
One could think that the starry sky of winter has been reflected in the dark earth. Now it grows splendidly out of it and stretches towards the sky again. Everything that slumbered under the earth in winter wants to show itself in new clothes. Ancient cultures knew the goddess who now moves through nature, blessing and enchanting: Persephone, who must spend half the year in the underworld, but spends the other half of the year wandering in the upper world in indescribable variety and beauty. She is back!
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In the early hours of the morning at this time, one can experience a murmur that pervades nature – it whispers and whispers as if countless industrious, sublime workmasters are busily at work on the plants, pushing them up out of the ground, pulling them out from above, weaving and growing the leaves.
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When the life forces of the earth awaken, we can experience a healthy force working around us, we can feel it with all our senses and take it in. It is as if nature is celebrating an earth festival. After the long, dark and cold winter time, it fills us with heartfelt joy and becomes a source of new vitality for us, which we can transform into action in the coming year through fruitful new impulses.
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Another season has also begun:
School classes & inters at Michaelshof
It’s that time again – the first school class of the year has successfully completed their two-week agricultural internship. The 30 kids from Ostholstein with two teachers were highly motivated and helped out as much as they could. Above all, they started the gardening season outside, and also helped in the kitchen, with the animals and on the construction site, depending on their interests and abilities. After the work was done, they went to our ‘Volunteer Café’ every day at 5 pm for a cold drink and a piece of cake. A great way to end the day!
Do you know someone who is still looking for an internship? Then go ahead, he/she can still apply for 2023 (schul-praktikum@sammatz.de). By the way: We also offer pre-study internships in agriculture, in Peronnik and on construction sites.
And while we’re on the subject of youth: Did you know that you can also come to Michaelshof with kindergarten groups and school classes for an excursion? We’ll take you on a walk through the gardens and across the Ark Farm, where the little and older ones have plenty of space to let off steam (don’t forget the playground!) and pick up some great information about nature along the way.
You can book easily by email (info@sammatz.de) or via phone 05858 97030.
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Spring marks the beginning of the busiest time in the greenhouse –
Sowing & pricking out the seedlings
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During sowing time, our greenhouse becomes the scene of a quiet but incredibly busy spectacle. Now and over the past few weeks, thousands of little plants have been separated and moved into their own quickpots so that they all have the opportunity to grow vigorously.
At the moment we are sowing vegetables for the field and the foil tunnels (cabbage, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, celery) as well as many annuals for the flower beds.
As always, the team consists of Daniel, Nadja, Sara, Birgit and Gaby, of course with active support from the volunteers.
There is a very special atmosphere when we gather around the sowing table, sometimes in silence, sometimes talking about God and the world (literally), but always focused on the new life that is appearing in the soil in front of us. It remains a miracle that this little root and that little plant will one day feed one or even many people.
Did you know that the seeds of different plants themselves look very different? Some are tiny, some are much bigger, some are fuzzy, some are spiky and some are smooth. They are as different as the plants that grow from them later.
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News from the areas –
Confectionery at Michaelshof
Since 2021, Sammatz has had a confectionery – a wonderfully equipped cake parlour with a view of the countryside, which in the meantime has found a super good team in Barbara, Lea and Marta.
The three of them bake what they can and are in full swing preparing for this year’s café season. They have learned partly from experienced bakers, partly on their own, until they have developed a great repertoire – from carrot cake and nut marzipan cake to Barbara’s latest creation: the salted caramel cake! As always: Everything organic. All delicious!
But see and taste for yourself next time you visit Michaelshof. As always, the magnificent creations are in the display case, waiting for you to find new favourite cakes!
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Michaelshof up to date – all opening hours at a glance!
Ark farm:
Mon-Sun 9.00 – 19.00
Café:
Mon-Fri 8.00 – 12.00
14.00 – 18.00
Sat 8.00 – 18.00
Sun 9.30 – 18.00
Farm shop:
Mon-Fri 9.30 – 12.00
15.00 – 19.00
Sat, Sun & holidays 10.00 – 19.00
Der WAGEN in Lüneburg:
Wed & Sat 7.00 – 13.00
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What we definitely want to show you!
Food-Truck for your event:
Do you have a big party (> 100 people) coming up this year and are still thinking about the catering? Say no more! If you like delicious organic fast food, then give us a call – we’ll come along with our food truck and take care of your catering! Just dial the Michaelshof number and book your event.
New: Honey-Salt-Bread
We have been working on a recipe for Honey-Salt-Bread since 2022. Don’t you know it? Then it’s about time! Due to its special fermentation, the Honey-Salt-Bread needs neither sourdough nor yeast, which is why it is super-gentle and easy on your stomach. The crumb is a little denser, because the nutrients are really concentrated here after a long kneading and fermentation process. But the digestive experience is incredibly light. The bread of the future!
Especially practical: Honey-Salt-Bread can be kept for up to 3 weeks.
Available now in the farm shop at Michaelshof and on Wednesdays and Saturdays at the market in Lüneburg – be sure to try it!
Tante Emma dresses up
Have you tried Tante Emma’s preserves? Organic, delicious and straight from the Sammatz field? Emma already has a whole range of fine jars on offer, classics like apple sauce and pickles, but also fiery jalapeños. Plus various chutneys that go wonderfully with our cheese, and a lot more besides.
Aunt Emma’s products have recently been given a ‹facelift› and now shine on the shelves in colourful, cheerful labels.
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Our event programme is online!
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Spring is also in the air in the Culture Village. The Michaelshof event programme is online, colourful like a big bouquet of flowers and soon available as a flyer.
Over forty different events await you: Of course, there’s our bigger events like the Tulip Festival, the Rose Festival or the Apple Day in autumn, which have made a name for themselves in the meantime. Also, the insect and birding walks with Sara and Finn. In general, walking and learning: even the Greek philosophers liked to combine the two. Our new nature walks on various topics may not be deeply philosophical, but they are instructive and a bath for the senses. Our nature days and animal festivals also take place outside, following nature through the year. And we invite you to take part in the annual festivals that we celebrate together at Michaelshof.
On this occasion we are offering a new series of seminars and talks entitled ‘Peace Talks’. And we also invite you to exchange ideas about anthroposophy, because this spiritual “imposition” is a wonderful way to start a conversation about the world and life – which, as we know, can never do any harm, but on the contrary is exciting, crazy – simply amazing. Let’s go!
By the way: All events are free of charge this year, donations are welcome.
The event team is already looking forward to seeing you!
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Sat 8.4. 15 – 21:00, Sun 9.4. 5:30-21:00, Mon 10.4. 8-13:00
Easter festivities
Easter is one of the festivals in the yearly cycle that everyone knows. We have been celebrating the death and resurrection of Christ for as long as the community has existed, embedded in the spring-like nature at Michaelshof.
Three days of encounter await you, during which we will move the theme of Easter in conversation, express it artistically and musically, and experience our own soul in harmony with nature.
Would you like to join us for a quiet walk to the Elbe before sunrise on Easter morning, and then, as the sun rises, draw the fresh spring water together? This is a special Easter experience that young and old alike look forward to every year.
On Sunday, a great Easter buffet awaits you. If you like, you can also take part in hands-on Easter activities at Michaelshof. Join us in pricking out the little plants in the greenhouse – hold spring delicately in your hands! Help us look after our lambs on the farm, join us on a sensory tour of the garden and come to the atmospheric Easter bonfire in the evening. If you come with children, we also have a community-tested programme for the little ones, which includes the traditional Easter egg hunt.
Free admission, donations welcome (plus meals).
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Sat 15. April 11-17:00
Animal Festival – Our ark animals in spring
Welcome to our farm animal festival! Have you always wanted to pet the lambs in the barn or feed the pigs yourself? No problem this weekend! On 15 April, there will be a colourful fun-and-games programme for children, as well as all kinds of animal encounters and egg collecting together. Interested in making cheese? Lea will show you around our dairy and give you an insight into the secrets of cheese-making. There will also be exciting talks with our farmers and information about Demeter agriculture and Ark animal husbandry. Come along to an exciting weekend with animals!
Free admission, donations welcome
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Sat 22. April – 11-17:00
Peace Talks
The Sammatz Peace Talks are also about the current war situation, but more about the question: ‘What can each one of us contribute to peace in the world? This is not easy, because we have to learn to fight with ourselves. We will find out together what this means in practice.
We start with idea input from our side and then get into a group conversation. Let’s think the right things together, talk and listen intensively and develop a deeper understanding of peace. It starts with the smallest and at the same time biggest common denominator: our own soul life!
Free admission, donations welcome (plus meals)
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Sat 29. April – Mon 01. Mai 11-17:00
Tulip Festival
Long awaited and already planted as bulbs with much love and perseverance in all our gardens – the messengers of spring, our tulips!
Proud ladies in dark red, strong yellow and violet compete with fiery ones in bright orange, light yellow and radiant white: each one wants to be the most beautiful and adorns itself sometimes with simple elegance, sometimes with fancy feathered garments or in lush petal splendour.
During the tulip season, you can simply let yourself be enchanted by the beauty that comes to you from the abundance of the Sammatz gardens: as impressive colourful carpets in the arena or at the forest lake – or also in many hidden corners of the gardens, the joyful tulip ladies greet you.
For the Tulip Festival we are preparing a colourful programme for you: with garden tours, music in the gardens, exciting things to think about the tulip, culinary surprises and flower sales as well as a great children’s programme with face painting, games and more. A happening for the whole family to marvel at, learn about, relax and above all, to be motivated by the good mood of spring nature!
And:
Sun 30. April 19:00
Dance into May
The May Dance is a highlight of the Sammatz year. This time we want to dance into May, turn night into day and dance as long as our feet want. With live music from the ‘Sammatz Combo’ nothing can go wrong. Be brave, this is not a dance competition, but let’s have fun in moving together. We look forward to seeing everyone who wants to join in – just watching is also allowed!
You can simply drop in spontaneously to both events!
Free admission, donations welcome
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Currently possible every weekend:
Petting the lambs
Petting lambs at Michaelshof for young and old – Saturday & Sunday, 12 noon and 3 pm, half an hour each.
Come and cuddle our little ones! Together with a stable team member, we will let you into the sheep pen for a while and will tell you stories about the sugar-sweet baby lambs. Afterwards a nice walk through the gardens and finally a piece of cake with coffee or a scoop of ice cream! The perfect weekend outing for the whole family!
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Community inside – about sharing
We like to show you lots of colourful and beautiful things from community life at Michaelshof. But what is it like behind the scenes? What are the topics that keep us busy? Today we’re talking about sharing.
Sharing is important to us, we see it as one of the cornerstones of a community, the selfless and honest sharing. But this is not possible without the counter-movement: to allow one’s own egoism and to take it seriously, otherwise it becomes dishonest.
Sharing starts when everyone rushes hungrily into the lunch room at 12:30 p.m. and wants to get to their food just as much as the others. How much do I myself need from the highlights at the buffet? How much can I put myself aside so that others can have some too?
Then there is the living. We love the concept of living together with our friends and moving when necessary. It’s a wonderful way to get to know each other! For example, it’s only when you live together that you realise who’s actually the dirty one in the group. Can we manage that with humour? Or do we fall out over the frying pan? The sink strainer? The bathroom cleaning plan? How do we arrange our shared living room – and do we always eat together?
Car-sharing is of course a real plus point of communities – eight cars for 150 people, that’s sustainable! But there’s also that special feeling when you have to go somewhere really urgently, and all the cars are gone … Argh! Good sharing is not possible without good organisation.
And what about the feelings? We experience so much together with other people, some of it very close. But do we share each other’s pain? As he/she really experiences it? Can we actually see the world through his/her eyes for a moment? A seemingly impossible undertaking in our world of ego bubbles – or is it?
That’s where you learn to love ideas. They are wonderful to share with each other. Unlike at lunch, everyone can think as much as they can digest. Concepts are enough for everyone and yet there is always only one for all people. Just as there are no two Pythagorean theorems, there are no two ideas of love, even if everyone develops them from different experiences. It is as sobering as it is inspiring that we can only share ideas and concepts at first. For communities, this is a basic experience, because they are ultimately founded on ideas and ideals that must sustain and form a common ground even when, for example, feelings take on a surging life of their own.
The next step is to share what we have recognised. Confession follows recognition. Here I share what I have found inside with other people. With honest self-knowledge, this can be quite a cliff. But if we get over it, this sharing frees us immensely, makes the soul light and empowers us in a good way.
Sharing is caring’ – for community life, the slogan really sums it up quite well … and we all live a bit of community, don’t we?
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…Nadja?
Nadja has always been a committed community person, so to speak, which is why she set her sights on communities after school. ‘Why does everyone want to separate work from life? It makes much more sense to combine the two!’
After a one-year stay in an Irish Camphill community, she came to Sammatz on Christian’s recommendation and has been on fire for the place and its residents ever since.
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Nadja is a real outdoors person. As a gardening instructor, she has taught hundreds of students and volunteers what goutweed is and what must be left in the flowerbed. Her smile is legendary – it can lift the mood of the day and effortlessly motivate lazy gardeners.
Besides the garden, the vegetable and medicinal plant field, her heart also beats for Peronnik. For many years, she led a group at our children’s and youth home. Now, the organisational talent shows the students during their internship in an equally loving and clear way where to go (mostly to the next bed …). And then there is the guest house, which she is looking after with Claudia. And the library. And the volunteers. And …
Let’s hear her in her own words in the one o’clock at night quick interview:
Your favourite colour? Green-turquoise.
A valued quality in other people? Honesty.
Not so nice? Lying.
What are you good at? Creating order, structure, being (reasonably) reliable.
What not so good? Being direct. Reading maps!
Why are you in Sammatz? Friends, and because it’s the right place for me.
Would you rather have many jobs or just one? Absolutely, I’d rather have many! Preferably in very different fields.
What is your favourite job at the moment? I don’t have one, it’s the mix that makes it.
Something you still want to learn in this life: To come out of myself, to be spontaneous and direct with my feelings.
What are you excited about right now? Encounters. And spring!
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+++ NEWSTICKER +++
Impressions from everyday life in the community…
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Sammatz’s winter burst in the middle of March. The experienced children were faster on the sledge than you can say ‘sledding’. Good thing, because the romantic fluffy white melted away as quickly as it had come. A successful surprise!
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Right now everyone is outside doing all sorts of things – some being cool, some relaxing, some standing on the ladder 🙂
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In the landbauteam, like every spring, it was laurel pot distribution action. After the work is done, a break in the sunshine is a must.
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By the way: we now have a brand new ‹Picture of the week› competition on our Social Media:
Take part in our pictures of the week! Simply post your favourite snapshot from the Sammatz gardens, from the Arche-Hof or other beautiful spots at Michaelshof on Instagram or Facebook and tag us on it. From now on, every Saturday we will choose the ‘Picture of the Week’ – the winner will receive a voucher for an ice cream sundae in our café.
Are you in? Get started now!
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For our team we are looking for committed and dynamic people who like to take on responsibility and enjoy country life. Is a meaningful activity more important to you than a “9 to 5 job”? Then you’ve come to the right place!
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We are looking for skilled workers or interns in the following areas:
Social
- Teacher
- Educator / Social worker
Office:
Hands-on:
- Gardener
- Construction worker
- Caretaker
Production
Your qualification is not listed, but you are still interested?
interested? Just give it a try!
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May we introduce. TOM is our newest farm dog addition – soooo cute. He is still a bit clumsy and very curious.
Every shoe, every towel and whatever else is in his way is expertly and proudly transported to its place ‘Look what I found mummy!’
Welcome little one!
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