Michaelshof Newsletter Nr. 53, January 2025

Nr. 10 / MAI 2021
                                   Nr. 53 / JANUARY 2025
Dear friends!

A year full of joy, growth, and connection lies behind us!
 As we reflect on the past months, we recall countless wonderful moments, new friendships, and exciting developments that shaped life at Michaelshof Sammatz. Our community, with all its unique facets, thrives on the joy of action and the ability to (mostly) solve problems efficiently when they arise. The effort is worth it, and the fruits of our labor are visible and tangible not only for us but also for you – every single day.
We celebrated a fulfilling and cheerful New Year’s Eve with 250 people from near and far. Volunteers from around the world, community members, Peronnik kids, and many guests laughed, sang, and forged new connections. It was truly a beautiful evening!

Now, we’re excited to share our 2024 Year in Review – along with a preview of what 2025 holds for us. We’ve organized it according to the Villages that guide and structure our work:


1. Green Village
 
The gardens are the heart of our project, quite literally connecting all our areas. Their winding paths lead from the kitchen to the café, from the dairy to the guesthouse, past the Blue House, and on to the preserving kitchen…
Our gardens are places of inspiration and tranquility, where vibrant nature refreshes us and our guests with its energy throughout the year. They speak directly to the heart, bringing us closer to the beauty of nature. In spring, tulips brought joyful bursts of color, roses enchanted with their fragrance, perennials shone in yellows and multicolored tones through the summer, and dahlias gently carried us into autumn. We celebrated the gardens daily with walks and during our seasonal gardening festivals!
The vegetable team had many successes to celebrate this year, particularly with the harvest of cabbages (white cabbage, red cabbage, kale, and others) and many other delicious types of vegetables. However, carrots and pumpkins presented challenges this year – but that’s part of a gardener’s life: not everything can succeed all the time. Gabriela and Daniel are eager to make the most of our brand-new polytunnel next year.
This year in Demeter farming was full of life and challenges – Marc, Jakob, and Sven, along with many committed international helpers, had their hands full. The animals in our Ark farm enjoyed an unusually long grazing season thanks to the mild weather and are now spending winter in our cozy barns. Even in the colder months, they love being petted by visitors of all ages.

Our grain stood out this year with excellent baking quality, even though the overall yield was average. The hay harvest proved tricky due to the unpredictable summer weather, but with good timing and a little luck, we successfully stored all the hay bales.

Farm project for January: The goat barn will be fitted with a protective roof over the feed trough. For next year, we hope to expand our cow barn, increasing the current 21 feeding and milking spaces to 29. Our cow family has welcomed many calves, and we’re eager to integrate them into our herd.


2. Global Village
 
This year, we welcomed 625 volunteers from 68 different countries. Additionally, 230 individual interns and 22 school classes with 440 students from Germany, Austria, Luxembourg, Taiwan, Switzerland, and Lithuania joined us. Friendships were formed, passions were discovered, and some even realized what they don’t want to do in the future (which is just as important!). Everyone, regardless of age or background, learned the value of teamwork and communication and enjoyed their time at Michaelshof to the fullest.

Speaking of teamwork: our Global Village area, responsible for welcoming all guests, gained a brand-new event location this year in the cherry orchard, right next to the arena! Our pavilion accommodates up to 60 guests for joyful shared moments. Book our exclusive pavilion for your next corporate or family celebration, a wedding surrounded by colorful gardens, or a milestone birthday – completed with the best organic food from our Michaelshof Café or a custom menu tailored to your event!

Accommodation is available at the Michaelshof Guesthouse in the middle of our gardens – come and celebrate the perfect event with us!
 
Book your room now!


3. Food Village
 
A fantastic new area emerged this year in our food production sector: our very own organic ice cream factory, the Gelateria!
Our ice cream has captured both the hearts and taste buds of our guests, becoming the culinary highlight of the year.Previously, we sourced our ice cream from a talented Hamburg-based producer who taught us all their knowledge and tricks for crafting the finest organic ice cream. Johanna, Nadja, and their team not only mastered the classic flavors but also delighted in creating seasonal specialties like speculoos, brownie, or date ice cream in December. Delicious!
Our other production areas – the dairy, bakery, preservation kitchen, confectionery, and the tea & cosmetics workshop – were as busy as ever!

The bakery was especially thrilled about a major comeback: our very own flour! The quality of this year’s grain harvest was excellent, allowing us to return to baking bread and rolls using our own wheat and rye flour – and soon, spelt flour from Michaelshof as well. This is how it should be, and it makes everyone happy, not just Jakob!



4. Sales Village
 
The Sales Village brings our products to your table! At the café, we served countless coffees, cakes, ice creams, and savory dishes this year and were delighted by your enthusiastic visits.

The café will take a winter break from January 7 to March 14 – we’re already looking forward to the new season!
In the canteen, the entire community was treated to meals from Monday to Saturday, while the farm shop consistently offered a small but fine selection of organic goods. Sophia and Klara, our market ladies, greeted you every Wednesday and Saturday at the Lüneburg weekly market.

One old friend reopened in a fresh new look this year: the Michaelshof Online Shop!
Through shop.sammatz.de, you can order your favorite Michaelshof products from the comfort of home – from vegetable boxes and preserves to cheese, bread, or cosmetics. We pack everything lovingly and ship it across Germany, as well as to Austria and Luxembourg. Take a look and browse!
Plans for next year? Of course!

We’re excited to launch our Michaelshof Logistics Center – a hub for all products made on-site as well as those sourced externally. This is a vital step toward expanding and professionalizing our project.

We’re also planning an upgrade to the farm shop. Stay tuned!

 
Michaelshof up to date – all opening hours at a glance!


Arche-Hof: 
Mon-Sun                          9.00  – 19.00

Café:
From January 7th until March 14th our Café will be closed.

Farm shop:

Mon-Sat                         10.00 – 19.00
Sun & holidays               10.00 – 19.00

                       
Der WAGEN in Lüneburg:

Mi & Sa                         07.00 – 13.00


 



5. Smart Village

Our construction projects have been in full swing this year! Last month, we told you about a major project nearing completion in our main Michaelshof building. Today, we’re proud to announce that our entire administration team has successfully moved into their new, beautiful offices. A huge thank you to the construction and moving teams!

While the ‹Landbauteams› continues fine-tuning the outdoor areas of our Flachsenberg settlement – transforming it into a dreamlike neighborhood complete with flower beds, sports facilities, and relaxation zones – the construction team has started building our new tiny house settlement. Everyone is thrilled to see how quickly these mini-homes take shape, what challenges arise, and what it will be like to live in them. We’ll find out in 2025!
Our newly formed eco-energy team is equally inspiring. What started as a one-person effort with Malte Behr has blossomed into a dynamic international team within just one year. Reinhard brings decades of experience in systems and crisis management, Micha loves tackling new and complex challenges, Moh from Jordan specializes in visualizing energy production and consumption, and Eduardo from Brazil completes the team with his unique expertise.
Good luck next year, team – enjoy working with solar panels, combined heat and power systems, and more!



6. Young Village
 
The Young Village focuses on the youngest members of our community – the community kids, students of the Selma Lagerlöf School, and the children at our Peronnik childcare and youth support center.
Thanks to new additions, we now have 30 students at the Selma Lagerlöf School. We love our “Selma” because children often come home in great spirits: “You can even tell jokes to the teacher!” The atmosphere is warm and motivating – a perfect learning environment. We love it!

This year, Peronnik expanded with two new groups. One group moved to Flachsenberg at the beginning of the year, and in early December, our ninth Peronnik group, P9, opened at the village entrance. This group of five girls already enjoyed a wonderful Christmas with us and feels completely at home. We look forward to many more happy moments with Peronnik and to welcoming even more children to their new home in Sammatz.



7. Media Village

Our design team was busy as usual this year! Yvette and Magda tackled countless events, flyers, and exciting projects without a dull moment. Our new printing department is also gearing up for the challenges of the year ahead.

A message from our social media team:
“2024 was a huge year for the Michaelshof social media team. We worked on countless projects and grew in ways we never imagined! We launched new theme accounts for the café, market stall, and online shop, and Gabi delighted us with her new ‘samveggies’ channel, sharing tips and tricks from the field – it’s been an exciting year of experimentation.

We created countless Reels and TikToks, revived LinkedIn, produced YouTube content, and started collaborations with platforms like Worldpackers.

None of this would have been possible without the incredible volunteers who joined us. We’re so proud of our team! Thank you for being part of this journey! 🇨🇴🇮🇹🇧🇷🇺🇸🇦🇺🇮🇱🇲🇽🇷🇴🇻🇳🇩🇪🇮🇪

Best wishes from Erika & Jesus!”
Follow us on Instagram!



8. Culture Village

In the Culture Village, we didn’t just reorganize our entire library and bring fresh energy to the team – we also hosted many wonderful celebrations with guests from near and far. We connected through nature walks that brought us closer to the beauty of our surroundings, intimate and thought-provoking discussion rounds, and hands-on workshops.
New hands-on seminars in the dairy, bakery, and more were among this year’s highlights, as were the colorful festivals that truly offered something for everyone. Thank you for an incredible year of events!
We are now working hard on our new 2025 Event Calendar. Here’s a sneak peek of what’s coming up:
Sat, March – 19.00
Redezeit No. 1: Empowering Words for International Women’s Day
What does it mean to be a woman? Each of us has our own experiences – in work and private life. There is still so much to discuss: gender equality, the gap between hopes and reality, self-confidence, and outdated stereotypes. What moves you? What would you like to share? Join us for open and honest conversation. No taboos, just maximum freedom. Snacks and drinks will be provided.

Participation is free; donations are welcome. Registration required!
 
Register directly for the event!
Sat, March 15 – 10:00 to 15:00 
Schulterblick No. 1: Cheese-Making with Lea
We love making things ourselves, and now you can learn to make cheese with us! Join our expert Lea in the dairy and see how goat, sheep, and cow milk transform into specialty cheeses. After processing, we’ll head straight to the well-tempered cellar to see the cheeses as they mature. Take a small assortment home!

Participation fee: €40. Cheese package: €10
 
Register directly for the event!
Sat, March 22 – 14:00 to 18:00
Simply Anthroposophical No. 1: Who Was Rudolf Steiner?
Anthroposophy – isn’t that what Waldorf students are known for, “dancing their name”? Well, there’s more to it than that. What does anthroposophical teaching entail? In this seminar, we’ll explore the origins of this fascinating philosophy by introducing its founder, Rudolf Steiner. Was he a sage or a storyteller? You’ll have the opportunity to discuss and decide for yourself.

Participation fee: €20
 
Register directly for the event!
Sat, March 29 – 11:00 to 17:00
Schulterblick No. 2: Bread-Baking with Jakob
A fresh loaf of bread with butter is one of life’s simple pleasures. Learn how to bake your own bread under the guidance of our bread expert, Jakob. Discover the secrets of a good sourdough and create your very own loaf to take home.

Participation fee: €40
 
Register directly for the event!

If you love our event flyers as much as we do, we’d be happy to send one straight to your home as soon as it’s available.
 
Request your flyer to the following address…


9. Healthy Village
The freshly renovated and lively Eichenhof is bustling with activity. This is home to our Healthy Village area. On the top floor, Susanne dries freshly harvested herbs from our medicinal plant fields and blends them into the most delicious teas.

One floor below, our popular Michaelshof Cosmetics are handmade using the best organic ingredients – soothing and nourishing for everyone. Our big goal for the cosmetics area is to achieve the Natrue Seal, a highly respected certification for organic products.
In our medicinal plant laboratory, we develop tinctures and salves from plants whose active ingredients we carefully analyze and identify.

On the ground floor, we host research teams, including Angela, Annie, Carlos, and Celine, who are dedicated to visual methods, and Sara, who monitors butterflies and insects. New to the team is Ceri, who focuses on soil health and its analysis.

Also part of the Healthy Village are two Colombian doctors who are learning the basics of naturopathy under Claudia’s guidance. At Flachsenberg, our community gym has brought newfound enthusiasm for fitness, thanks to our trainer Bjarne. It’s safe to say the workout fever has caught on here! 😉



10. Basic Village
The Basic Village takes care of all types of maintenance, which has become more extensive than ever after completing the Flachsenberg settlement. It also oversees the growing Michaelshof team.

We are proud of the new colleagues who joined us this year across all the Villages, including Young, Food & Sales, Smart, Healthy, and Culture Villages. We’re excited to see what our expanded team will accomplish in 2025!

We’re also looking to grow our Michaelshof family even further next year. We’re hiring for positions such as:


        Office:
  • Accountant
  • Picture editor
     
        Hands-On:
  • Baker
  • Pastry chef
  • Ornamental plant gardener
  • Tree and lawn care gardener
  • Construction worker
  • Landbau
  • Pharmacist
  • Printer & laminator
 
If your skills aren’t listed but you’re interested, give it a try anyway!

Send your application with a photo to claudia.brady@sammatz.de – we’ll get back to you!



Baker Wanted!

Do you know someone who loves baking and truly appreciates the value of a good sourdough? Someone who enjoys working in an international team and isn’t afraid of a baker’s early hours? Then get in touch with us! We are looking for a head baker to join our organic bakery at Michaelshof starting immediately!




11. Finance Village
Of course, a project as large as Michaelshof wouldn’t be possible without a well-functioning finance team. They carefully analyze the numbers every month and provide feedback to each area on their economic performance.
As a non-profit organization, we take on so much to provide not only for our community members, volunteers, and students but also for over 80,000 day visitors each year. Our gardens, animals, and the special atmosphere here are made possible by generous support from people like you – for which we are incredibly grateful.

Would you like to support our future projects?
There are many ways to contribute – through donations, loans, or sponsorships for a specific area of Michaelshof that you feel connected to. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for every type of support!
I’d like to donate!



12. Social Village
Our journey through Michaelshof ends where it all comes together: community. It’s not uncommon for visitors – often arriving by chance – to ask, “What’s your secret?” The answer is simple yet profound: “Genuine interest in people and nature, true honesty, and real community.”

This has been the foundation of everything we’ve built. Thanks to the unwavering care and genuine concern of our founders and countless other community members for people – their passions, fears, and challenges – we have been able to grow and thrive as a vibrant and healthy project.

We thank each and every one of you who was part of Michaelshof’s journey in 2024. Together, we’ve experienced a year full of light, love, and hope. With excitement, we look forward to 2025 – a year to grow further, inspire others, and cherish life’s small and big moments. Let’s go to the future!

For now, that’s all from us!

I’d like to take this moment to personally wish you all the very best for the year ahead. Set bold goals, and give it your all to achieve them!

One of my resolutions for 2025 is to share the joy of living in community with as many people as possible – and to prove that it’s possible! Please help spread the word.

Warm regards and all the best for a great start to the new year,
Anna & the entire Michaelshof Team
Lots of greetings and see you next time ❤️ 






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Michaelshof · Im Dorfe 11 · Neu Darchau 29490 · Germany

Öffnungszeiten

Café
Das Café hat bis Mitte März geschlossen.
Hofladen
Mo. - Fr.: 10.00 - 19.00
Sa., So. und Feiertags: 10.00 - 19.00
Café
Das Café hat bis Mitte März geschlossen.
Hofladen
Mo. - Fr.: 10.00 - 19.00
Sa., So. und Feiertags: 10.00 - 19.00

Michaelshof Sammatz

Kontakt
Anschrift: Im Dorfe 11
29490 Sammatz
Tel.: +49 5858 970-30
Mail: info@sammatz.de
Spendenkonto
Michaelshof Stiftung
IBAN: DE08 2405 0110 0065 8023 32
BIC: NOLADE21LBG
Kontakt
Anschrift: Im Dorfe 11
29490 Sammatz
Tel.: +49 5858 970-30
Mail: info@sammatz.de
Spenden
Michaelshof Stiftung Sammatz
IBAN: DE08 2405 0110 0065 8023 32
BIC: NOLADE21LBG

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