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SAMMATZ APPLE DAY
Come by on Sunday, 08.10. from 11:00 to17:00
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Do you already have plans for next Sunday? No? Then make a note of the Sammatz Apple Day! It takes place on 8 October from 11 am – 5 pm and is one of our favourite events of the year. Everything will revolve around the classic autumn fruit!
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Sara, Anton and the hard-working garden team have already harvested many trees at Michaelshof and sorted them neatly so that you can taste the great food varieties directly from the farm.
At Herrmann Stolberg’s apple exhibition you can admire over a hundred old apple varieties and also have your own fruit identified – just bring 5 apples from one tree.
At the Sammatz harvest stand, you can choose your favourite apple from various apple varieties. Here you will also find our colourful range of vegetables directly from our own Demeter fields.
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Of course, as every year, there will be our traditional apple press where young and old can press their own apple juice. The delicious apple juice is then available at the juice bar in different versions. There will be face painting for the kids, an apple quiz and perhaps a surprise or two. Great atmosphere, coffee & sweets and live music are also provided. So let’s go to Michaelshof!
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Every year on Michaelmas, 29 September, we organise elaborate tests of courage for our kids. Because that’s when all the children in the community come together, whether small or big, from Peronnnik or not, and prove their courage to each other. Depending on the age group, it all depends on what the tests consist of – walking blindly over the barefoot path, swinging high on the big swing, jumping over the fire beam, balancing on a beam over the Arena pond or keeping their nerve while climbing box by box high up.
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For the group of 15-17 year-olds, of course, this is all ‘pee-pee’ – it’s more the shared conversation where they need to overcome themselves.
At the end of the day, everyone comes together again for a soup supper around the fire bowls, organised by the oldest kids-group. A really great day!
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And the big kids, the adults? What does Michaelmas mean to us?
We ‘older ones’ also celebrate Michaelmas as an annual festival in our community. In the mornings (and this year also in the evenings) we come together and exchange ideas on the theme of ‘spiritual courage & overcoming’. Rudolf Steiner says: ‘Courage! You learn it very quickly or not at all.’ Well, let’s get on with it! Our first observation: we talk about courage far too rarely. Much more often we are busy building up or maintaining an image of ourselves that is very strong, can do everything and really needs no help. Strong = courageous? Not necessarily…
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When do we ever tell each other about our little moments of weakness, embarrassment, resignation? It’s quite a bumpy road to get there. We talked about how widespread it is to look for faults in the other person first. There are usually dozens of reasons why we think the others are stupid and prefer not to talk to them about their own abysses. Until you realise that maybe you are simply afraid of a conversation and that it is not the other person’s fault at that moment. With such an important realisation, you can suddenly open up spaces again, get involved in encounters.
Perhaps we will then show ourselves as we really are, or better, as we really feel: full of mistakes, with umpteen moments of shame every day – fully imperfect. Suddenly that’s no longer a problem, but rather likeable, honest, courageous! Our friends, but also the archangel Michael himself, can help us on the way to this – you just have to learn how to ask!
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Today we want to introduce you to Hannah’s new favourite word, in keeping with the season. ‘Komorebi’ comes from Japanese and describes rays of light falling through trees and leaves, bringing us closer to the beauty of nature.
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The moment when we observe the warm light making its way through the different layers of natural greenery, casting shadows, colouring leaves. They suddenly shine brighter and more brilliantly in the light, caressed by the natural warmth. The feeling when we manage to catch this literally enchanting moment of tiny yet moving interaction is unique. And how nature rejoices when it is recognised in its beauty!
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So let’s get out into nature – on your next visit to Michaelshof you will certainly be able to experience Komorebi. In our gardens you can also observe even more autumnal firecrackers. There is our beberis shrub at the head of the arena, which glows so wonderfully red and makes every face contort with its concentrated vitamin package. Intense red-orange glow the rose hips now perched on our rose bushes in place of the summer blossoms. A wonderful season for strolling!
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Fancy a holiday in Komorebi-Paradise?
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S-C-H-O-O-L
What does that mean for us?
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School has long become one of the media’s favourite topics of concern. Teacher shortages, student frustration, alleged or real performance slumps. Experts calling for radical rethinking (each with different ideas), and a system that certainly doesn’t change from one day to the next.
We haven’t known this school-restlessness for very long – what is actually different today than 20 or 30 years ago? Sure, the world has changed a lot – if only because of mobile phones, the internet, smart phones, smart watches and not to forget the ‘gaming world’. Kids’ love of reading and ability to concentrate! These have inevitably declined in times of TikTok. On the other hand, the pressure to perform in schools seems to have increased compared to the previous generation.
But the question is how we deal with it! Are we going to rant about the school system and catch ourselves saying the creepy phrase ‘everything was better in the old days’? Or will we learn to deal with the phenomenon of fast-paced life? Isn’t it smarter to find out together with the kids how to deal with the latest technology in a positive way, how to assess its potentials and risks correctly?
Our Selma Lagerlöf School tries to be a little rock in the school crisis. The point is that the kids learn something! And that means getting to know the children’s personalities and promoting their strengths, no matter how often they disrupt the lessons. They will have a reason for it, won’t they? With our special pupils – mainly from our children’s & youth home Peronnik – you get very little done with the ‘moral club’. Rather with serious interest, humour and unconventional methods. If then a deep love for the German ballad suddenly awakens in the cheekiest girl, or enthusiasm for the Pythagorean theorem in a dreamy boy, the school has done justice to its inherent task.
At least that is how we see it, at the small and wonderfully refreshing Selma Lagerlöf School in Wietzetze! We wish that we can always keep up the spirit, even if the daily school routine is sometimes anything but easy. (And maybe our school will grow a little bigger one day…*dream*)
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Pumpkin-Report
When, like every year, the pumpkins ripen, we are overcome with conflicting feelings. Harvesting pumpkins is a wonderful time, because the work is a lot of fun, everyone gets together and moves tons of these huge vegetables from the field to the greenhouse, where they make an impressive picture when spread out. At the same time, in a way, it also marks the beginning of the cooler season, the harsher wind and the foggy sunrises.
This year we are harvesting Hokkaido, Patisson, Rondini and some other varieties. Of course, this does not leave the menu of our community kitchen untouched. For a few weeks now, the season of 1000 creative pumpkin variations has begun. The sweet green Rondini are served halved from the oven with butter and salt. Hokkaidos are suitable for a wide variety of dishes, they are very tasty like chips from the oven, well fried or as a hearty soup. And Patissons are our vegetarian/vegan Schnitzel secret weapon – amazingly tasty! This year the preserving kitchen is also working on new recipes for sweet and sour pickled pumpkin – be curious!
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Michaelshof Up to Date – all opening hours at a glance!
Arche-Hof:
Mon-Sun 9.00 – 19.00
Café:
Mon-Fri 8.00 – 18.00
Sat 8.00 – 18.00
Sun & holidays 9.30 – 18.00
Farm Shop:
Mon-Sun 10.00 – 12.30
14.00 – 19.00
Our Foodtruck in Lüneburg:
Wed & Sat 7.00 – 13.00
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Did you know that you can now buy the tastiest organic and regionally produced Feta around the corner! (If you live in the Lüneburg area …) Yes, exactly, because we have perfected our recipe, have already received a lot of praise for it and can hardly wait to bring the incredibly fluffy and incredibly delicious feta into the world.
You can get our Feta either in 140g bowls or by the piece at the cheese counter. Soon also at some organic markets in the region up to Hamburg!
Our feta recipe for the perfect autumn evening (2 p.):
320g Sammatzer Feta
3 tomatoes (preferably our Ruthje)
1 red onion
Oregano
Olive oil
Salt
First, put the feta in a suitable ovenproof dish. Cut the onion into small pieces and the tomatoes into larger pieces and spread them on top of and next to the Feta. Season as you like: we recommend a little oregano, salt and olive oil. Bake in the oven at 230°C for 10 minutes and – voilá! The super quick feel-good Feta dish is ready. It goes very well with light white bread, for example our baguette.
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P.S.:
If you don’t have time or feel like cooking yourself, but would like to try our Feta au gratin, just visit the Café am Michaelshof – we’ll serve the delicious dish fresh from the oven to your table.
Marc and Bruno show you how it’s done! Super tasty!!!
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Retrospective on our late summer events in August
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It was great at our first Perennial Festival! At the beginning of September we had the great opportunity to share our concentrated perennial knowledge with you. Hannah, Anton, Nadja and Klara advised you on site and suggested which perennials could fit into your gardens. They shared lots of exciting information during the tours through Arena and perennial plateau. A great festival! We will definitely see you again next year for the second Perennial Festival at Michaelshof!
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At the last ‘Concierto Internacional’ of the year we had a lot of fun again. The star of the evening: Jarno, the incredibly sensitive piano player from Harburg. This was joined by great vocal performances, a viola and of course our Sammatz Combo. A beautiful atmosphere in the Blue House!
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Events & Seminars im October
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Sun., 8. October 11.00-17.00
Sammatz Apple Day
The apple tree and its countless fruits – that is something very special. From the specimen in our own garden or the ecological significance of meadow orchards to fairy tales and myths – the apple plays a role in many cultures.
Join us in rejoicing over the wonderful apple – at the 4th Sammatz Apple Day!
Free admission, donations welcome
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Sun., 15. October 15.00-18.00
Nature walk – Trees & Shrubs
In our gardens you can wonderfully experience the course of the year. But what is there to tell us about the design, the plants and their gardeners? Come with us on a nature walk at Michaelshof – we will share tips and tricks as well as interesting facts about garden nature with you.
The birch swaying elegantly in the wind or the wildly dancing aspen can be easily spotted from afar. But when it comes to the silver willow, cornelian cherry and walnut, we have to take a closer look. The golden autumn is the best season to get to know the species and at the same time enjoy the surprisingly diverse shapes and colours.
Free admission, donations welcome
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Sat., 21. October 11.00-17.00
Nobody knows. Or maybe yes? Anthroposophy in conversation 4
Is there a spiritual world that is always there without us knowing about it? Sleep and death point to another existence, but is this not beyond universal knowledge?
Rudolf Steiner claimed more than 100 years ago that there is only one truth, also in relation to the spiritual, invisible worlds, and called it ‘spiritual science’. Was he a swindler or a genius storyteller? Or a knower, as there have been time and again in the past?
It is a pleasure for us to discuss this. It stimulates us to look a little more closely into the world, to reflect, to move questions. Anthroposophy rethought – exciting, crazy – simply amazing! Let’s go!
Free admission, donations welcome
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Born in Stuttgart and Hamburger at heart, Marc has known Sammatz since he did his civilian service in Humanopolis (very close by) more than 30 years ago after his apprenticeship as a carpenter. At that time he thought: ‘After that I can join the Michaelshof for a while. The many young people and the atmosphere had excited him, and this enthusiasm has not waned since. From the beginning, he was so taken with building that he always worked part-time on the construction site during his time at Michaelshof.
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As a site manager, Marc has supervised dozens of house renovations and conversions such as the main house and the culture barn in the early days, the café in the heart of the village and many more; then in 2018/19 also the new construction of the ‘Youth Hostel’ and the ‘House of Nature’ – as well as most recently the 14 colourful new houses on the Flachsenberg.
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He managed all of this with such an insistent calmness that you sometimes jitterily listened to his instructions and silently pleaded: ‘Come on, let’s go!’ But it was always important to Marc to do things carefully and precisely. That’s how he was able to solve many a problem where others might lose their nerve. He loves construction and construction loves him: ‘Actually, I’ve really been building, repairing, renovating for 33 years.’ And then this year there was a radical change.
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Marc’s second passion had long been farming, which, if time had allowed, he would certainly have taken up 20 years ago. As is so often the case at Michaelshof, it is important that the right people are there for dreams and ideas to life. And so it came to pass that by finding a replacement in the right place, it was suddenly possible to replace Marc on the construction site.
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Since then, the born farmer has been living in Banratz, on the other side of the Elbe, and caring for the animals on this side and the other side of the river with heart and soul. Whether it’s the stable shift, caring for the animals or harvesting hay, he’s there everywhere! And if something needs to be repaired, his years of experience with all kinds of machinery are of course a great help.
A short story from working life at Michaelshof – a late, successful career change! Thank you Marc for your commitment and your love for what you do!
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Open your ears!
This month we take you into our musical world again and link a few songs from the community: Music tips from…
…Asli: ‹Mexico by Marmalade brings the wanderlust mood to Latin America to you!›
…Emmanuel: ‹Different genre, different continent: Bologna by Wanda was definitely one of my favourite songs of the last month›
… Hans Michel: ‹Any Country Fans? Then I’d recommend Labour of Love by Fruition.›
…Anna: ‹Music by Hozier – for example with Almost Me Again – fits amazingly for the beginning of autumn›
…Anton: ‹Do you all know Chilly Gonzales? No? Then take a listen – for example to the Take Care Medley.›
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+++ NEWSTICKER +++
Impressions of everyday life in community…
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…far and wide only dahlias! This wonderful abundance of dahlias has accompanied us for many weeks now, hopefully a few more!
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Morning mood in the cherry orchard and on the vegetable field – same, same, but different.
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How are things on the construction site? Great! The renovation of the Eichenhof has been finished since the beginning of September and the bakery was finally able to bake in the new wood-fired oven last Thursday (the Konditorei thanks us – it was nice to bake together, but still too cosy).
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During the well-deserved coffee breaks of our construction team at the Flachsenberg, we sometimes take a look at the chessboard.
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Here are 5 of our great longterm volunteers (from left). Franco from Argentina, who has not only become a thoughtful barista, but also a valuable Eichenhof employee; Angela from Colombia, our doctor, who loves people and animals and is happy to help with plasters and other things if things get stuck; Tori, our Colombian farm dog, who explores the place on all fours; João from Brazil, who runs our community kitchen with his girlfriend Camila (very tasty) and Jojo from Uganda, who has a lot of fun with the kids at Peronnik.
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Sunny greetings also from our piglet pen at the compost site. Feel-good vibes guaranteed!
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Grund Nr. 4: Supporting talent!
Pure culture on the farm! Support the creative life of our community!
There’s always something going on here, you know that by now! But did you also know that we give international talents the opportunity to try out their skills and perform in front of an audience – sometimes for the first time? Whether it’s a student from Hanover on the piano, the singing talent from Turkey, or Peronnik-kids who finally dare to sing in front of an audience – with us, everyone can try themselves out, on an Open Stage or, with more experience, at our International Concerts. Your donation supports this cultural life, without which the community would be missing something crucial. Thank you!
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Today with my answer to the question: ‘Why do I actually live right here, in a community in the middle of nowhere in Lower Saxony?’ … apart from the fact that we have amazing, colourful gardens and that I can spend my summer either barefoot or in high heels? So many things! There’s a whole list of things I can think of that are unique about our community, and I repeat them as often as I can. International melting pot, ‘sharing’ as a way of life, meaningful work, ….
But my most important reason to be here is that I feel seen more than anywhere else before. At Michaelshof it is really important who YOU are, what talents you bring and which ones you can still work on, where you need support and where you can support others. This goes much deeper than anything I have experienced before. The warmth, the sincerity. That’s what makes Michaelshof a place that not only I like, but also so many other young people. And: wherever they go in the future, whatever they do, they can become a model for living together peacefully. Isn’t it wonderful that so many people, in this time of isolation and egoism, experience a humanity that they themselves say they have never known like this before? These thoughts make me happy and content to live in exactly this place, in the middle of nowhere, in Sammatz!
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For our team we are looking for committed and dynamic people who like to take on responsibility and who 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!
We are looking for skilled workers or interns in the following areas:
Social:
- Teacher
- Educator / Social Worker
Office:
Hands-On:
- Gardener
- Construction Worker
- Janitor
Your qualification is not listed, but you are still interested?
interested? Just give it a try!
Please send your aplication with a picture to claudia.brady@sammatz.de – we’ll contact you!
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…I have attached a little quiz for you!
Find the mistake in the following picture:
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Too easy? Alright! Neverthelesss, a great insight into the creative Peronnik daily routine in the car park in front of P4 & P5. In any case, it never gets boring with our kids from the children’s & youth home.
With this in mind, I wish you a creative and colourful October!
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Many greetings and see you
next time from Anna
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