Three days before the opening, the first products arrived – and with them half the village in the beautiful old buildings in the village center. And off we went! Everyone pitched in – each as much as they could, each in their very specific place: There were Christoph, Marianne, Caro, Julia & co. – experienced shopkeepers with an eye for detail. Felix, the new organic market manager, who tried to keep a clear head in all the hustle and bustle, even though he probably heard his name a good 100 times per hour. Peer, who took care of setting up the cash register and other technical fiddly work, as well as Susanne, who handled the floral decoration. Karl and Jan from our supplier Weiling, who helped us with their expertise to find the best shelf arrangement. Many volunteers from all over the world and Sammatzians of all ages who made sure the shelves were stocked, and our construction team, who were responsible for the final touches, inside, outside, and on the roof.

The whole effort stretched from Wednesday until Saturday at 9:50 a.m. – between dynamics, tiredness, friendship, and anticipation. When all the champagne glasses were filled with orange juice and the last bunch of balloons had been decorated, the first visitors were already streaming into the market despite the rain, immediately immersing themselves in the festive atmosphere. Alongside the choir and the speeches, visitors could explore our new organic market. Bright, light, high-ceilinged rooms, a newly added entrance area, its own cheese counter, a second one for antipasti and meat products, plus many of our own products from Michaelshof. In short: an expanded, attractive range of organic foods that leaves hardly any wishes unfulfilled.

Here are a few voices on the reopening:

‹I think the new “Bioladen” brand with the blue design is top quality, but I also really like the large frozen selection and the new antipasti counter. And everything is presented so beautifully!› – Johanna

‹I like it! It’s super pleasant to shop there. You have space to take your time and look at all the products, which is definitely worth it. And: always nice staff› – Paul

‹I love the big colorful fruit and vegetable shelf and the many new products in the refrigerators. But I’m far from finished browsing.› – Caro
 

In the afternoon, things continued with the opening of our new shop at the Ark farm: ‹Pavone – Plants & More›. The name comes from Italian – ‹Pavone› means peacock, a symbol of beauty, liveliness, and the colorful diversity of nature. That fits perfectly! Because at ‹Pavone› you can now find plants of all sizes and varieties every day (except Mondays) – from indoor and vegetable plants to perennials grown in-house, outdoor plants, bonsai trees, and bouquets.

In the sales area next door, there is also all kinds of decoration, vases, and beautiful things, popular wool clothing from the region, our new stationery line from Michaelshof, as well as souvenirs for young and old, snacks, and drinks.

Claudia is responsible for our new shop, and together with her team she selected all the beautiful things that fill Pavone with life with great attention to detail and a fine sense of style.

Now it begins – tulip season! After, as every year in November and December, we planted many thousands of early-blooming bulbs in the gardens in grim weather, one after another now pushes its way into the light in spring – bringing color into the beds.

Josef Guggenmos’ poem fits this wonderfully:

In the 16th century, the Flemish diplomat and botanist Ogier de Busbecq brought tulip bulbs to Vienna as a gift from the Turkish Sultan Suleiman I for the Austrian emperor. This is considered the tulip’s introduction into Western flora. Carolus Clusius – a contemporary of Busbecq and a famous botanist – studied the tulip and bred the first new varieties. The nobility loved this exotic oriental flower. In the palace gardens of Europe, the tulip quickly began its path to becoming one of the most popular garden plants in Europe and later the whole world. Starting from the Botanical Garden of the University of Leiden, the Netherlands became the most important tulip growers in the world. But the beginning was turbulent. When tulip cultivation became fashionable, demand increased enormously. Tulip bulbs became objects of speculation. At the peak of “tulip mania” (1634–1637), certain bulbs in Holland were sold for ten times an annual income – per piece! But the market was overheated; soon the speculative bubble burst; exorbitant losses were the result.

The first stock market crash in history was triggered by a flower.

Take a close look at our guesthouse booking calendar and treat yourself to two or three days of vacation. Enjoy the splendor of tulip season in a relaxed way on weekdays – and the sunny days with a delicious breakfast and refreshments from the café at Michaelshof.

At Easter we celebrate the resurrection of Christ. It is preceded by Holy Week, whose days – each one in itself – are marked by a special quality and their own unique mood. Good Friday is probably the darkest and quietest day of this week.

Or perhaps also the most promising? For after death comes resurrection – a primal event that we can observe everywhere life and development take place: in nature, in history, in one’s own biography, and in our inner soul life. Who does not know moments in their life when deepest abysses open up, when despair or hopelessness determine the feeling of life? Moments in which one does not know how to go on? And yet – is it not the case that precisely when the need seems greatest, help suddenly arrives? An unexpected human gesture, an intuition, an encounter that opens new doors, unforeseen possibilities – and life goes on, brighter and richer than before.

This “die and become” is reflected in human life and in Christ’s path of suffering in a particularly impressive way. Especially during Holy Week, we can experience this event, this process, in a special way.

During this time, we encounter a particular mood in nature – almost as if it were holding its breath for a moment before spring can pour forth in full splendor. In this week, we do not work directly with the earth, but take care of everything around it. This includes spring cleaning – outside as well as inside –, tidying up in all areas, and taking care of many things that have been left undone. This is hard for our gardeners, because in the first days of spring, the “real” work calls especially loudly…

And then, when Easter Sunday dawns, when the early bloomers and daffodils awakened by the first rays of sunshine proudly lift their heads and the birds joyfully chirp in competition, we witness a new, enlivening force: nature shines in a festive mood! Then we know: it is Easter – we celebrate the feast of the resurrection!
 

You can read our Insights, for example, on our website. If you like, you can also order a copy to your home for a postage fee of €2. We’ll be happy to send it to you.

Alongside the anticipation of the tulip spring, we would like to take this opportunity to express our love for our yellow-orange-white friends, the daffodils. Especially in March and April, the bright yellow daffodils populate our gardens and lay out entire carpets of the heralds of spring.

At the end of March, we celebrated our first farm festival of the year à la Michaelshof – with everything that goes with it. The animals enjoyed the attention and the petting from both young and old guests, as well as the music from our combo that echoed across the farm. After petting lambs and romping on the straw castle, it was off on a farm tour, to horseback riding, and on to many encounters with the animals and farm life. There was feeding, grooming, tractor driving, and exploring the dairy. In between, there was time for face painting, fries, sandwiches, and cake – and of course for real campfire feeling with stick bread.

Some may already know Anna from the Michaelshof newsletter, which she is responsible for publishing every month. Some visitors have met her here during garden tours, which she leads with great joy and dedication. Her infectious laughter creates an atmosphere in which you immediately feel welcome and at ease. With her warm presence, she meets staff, volunteers, and guests in an open and connecting way. “Where there is something to tackle, where something new is emerging—that’s where I feel at home,” she says about herself.

Inspiring people and living leadership—these are her real themes. As part of an exchange semester, she goes to Colombia, to Cali, where she studies for four months and deepens her Spanish skills. She also travels to Ecuador and Peru and is fascinated by the culture as well as the impressive nature. Her eyes begin to shine when she talks about it. At Michaelshof, this benefits her in a special way: she enjoys speaking with South American volunteers in their native language—and many beautiful friendships arise.

Directly after her travels, Anna comes to Sammatz for the first time as a volunteer. She falls in love with the place and its people. After an internship in Berlin, completing her studies, and another journey—including to Nepal and India, where she supports a tree-planting project in Auroville—it becomes clear to her where her path leads. She returns and joins Michaelshof in Sammatz as a staff member. Her wide-ranging interests lead her into various areas—whether as a coordinator on the construction sites she loves, in volunteer support, or in the marketing of organic food. Sustainability is very close to her heart, and she enjoys passing this enthusiasm on to our many agricultural interns. Anna is a true “community squirrel”: she loves engaging with others, seeks conversation, and is also interested in the deeper levels of togetherness. Questions about the meaning of life, about the spiritual on earth, or about human karma move her.

Her strong singing voice enriches the open-stage evenings at the “Blue House,” which she also enjoys hosting as a moderator. The cultural sphere is particularly close to her heart—together with Hannah, she joyfully shapes the events at Michaelshof. Writing comes easily to her. The trained business administrator is also involved in the finance team, especially in the field of foundations. With these interests, it is only natural that Anna is also committed to tourism beyond Sammatz: something that benefits our newsletter greatly. She supports the marketing association “Alma” to make the Wendland / Elbtalaue region better known and to coordinate and further develop its offerings.

When the days bring different demands, Anna is in her element. That’s why you’ll usually find her wherever something new wants to emerge and where she can help bring impulses into the world with her lively nature. Where friendship and internationality live, where there is laughter and singing, where people come together for a shared purpose, for something greater—that’s where you’ll find Anna right in the middle of it.

We are happy to continue encountering Anna all across Michaelshof.

• Educator for our children’s and youth welfare facility “Peronnik”
• Teacher for our Selma Lagerlöf School in Wietzetze
• Garden instructor
• Gardener and landscaper
• Ornamental plant gardener
• Gardener for trees, shrubs & lawn care
• Construction worker
• Pharmacist
• Printer & laminator
• Baker

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