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Rose Weeks at Michaelshof…
……celebrate with us the grande dame of gardens!
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Noble ladies of every color and background gather at Michaelshof during Rose Weeks to impress with their elegance and celebrate summer—together with you.
Their diversity enchants, their scent intoxicates, and their thorns lend them the aura of the untouchable: the rose reigns in our gardens, captivating with its sensuality. It winds its way up our houses and pergolas and populates terraces and flowerbeds—fully aware of its unique beauty and grace. More than 3,500 rose bushes transform our gardens each summer into a carpet of blossoms of the finest kind. The writer Gertrude Stein captured the eternal magic of this flower with her famous sentence: „A rose is a rose is a rose.“
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From antiquity to the present day, roses have bestowed royal splendor on gardens across the world.As a symbol of love, passion, and beauty, many myths surround the rose. It connected Aphrodite with Adonis, Romeo with Juliet, and reflected on life and death with Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s Little Prince. “Picturesque!” is likely what great artists like Delacroix, Monet, or Georgia O’Keeffe thought as they created their own interpretations of this noble flower.
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But it’s not just its scent and beauty that deserve our admiration. The rose is also full of healing power for body and soul. Especially the apothecary’s rose, which also grows in our gardens and delights us with its fragrance, proves time and again to be a natural medicine. Yes, the rose gives us energy. No wonder Hildegard Knef once passionately asked in her unforgettable 1968 German chanson to be showered with red roses—a song that still resonates today and gives us renewed strength. But come and feel for yourself during a walk through our gardens what it’s like to be surrounded by this wondrous, mysterious flower. Let yourself be enchanted, inspired, and enjoy the encounter with Her Majesty, the Rose.
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From May 31 until the end of June, every weekend during Rose Weeks you can expect…
…in the Rose Garden:
- Rose tours at 3 PM
- Expert tips from rose specialists from 2–5 PM
…in the Cherry Garden:
- Sale of roses & perennials, garden literature, natural cosmetics, and rose products
- Fairy tale path for children
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Insights into the Agricultural Internship…
…at Michaelshof 2025!
Every year, groups or individual students visit us for their agricultural internship, which is a mandatory part of 9th-grade education at Waldorf schools. Young people from all over Germany and Austria travel to join us in weeding flower beds, feeding animals, mucking out stalls, processing vegetables, tidying up, preparing lunch for the community, or serving farm-produced items in the café. It’s hard work and demands a lot of effort and thought. Many discover new sides of themselves—for example, that gardening can actually be fun because it provides great opportunities for chatting or—depending on one’s temperament—for quiet reflection.
The damp soil smells wonderful too, something rarely experienced in everyday life. Yet it is this very soil that allows plants to grow and nourishes us. This becomes a central theme during the internship, giving our interns a chance to not only experience working life but to understand a biodynamic farm as an organism—a cycle in which giving and receiving, growing and perishing are in constant flow.
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And even if it means getting up early, turning off phones during the day, and feeling sore muscles in the evening: the concept is a success. So successful that our supervisors often receive heartfelt thank-you messages at the end of the internship—sometimes digital, sometimes handwritten in beautiful cursive. Many letters end with the announcement of a definite return—something many of our interns actually do, sometimes even in the next school holidays. The experiences the young people gain here outside of their regular school life are often formative. Many leave Michaelshof with a wealth of new contacts. In the two to four weeks of communal living, friendships are formed, prejudices disappear, and those who thought they had two left hands prove otherwise through gardening, café work, or helping in the kitchen.
And we, too, gain so much from each visit. It’s incredible to watch a group of initially unfamiliar young people scurry about the grounds and gradually come into focus—how their individual personalities unfold and friendships develop. Parting can be hard, and sometimes tears flow. All the greater is the joy of reunion. And that reunion will come—that’s for sure.
Tip: For a small internship glimpse, check out the charming leek song, written & rapped by the Harburg class of 2023: Part 1 & Part 2 tell of the everyday life of the internship, with scenes from farm life and special effects!
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Welcome, Woolly Wonders…
…our lambs have arrived!
“Mama!” Some of our new arrivals still snuggle up to their mothers for protection in the lambing barn, looking absolutely adorable. With their noses buried in mom’s warm fleece, they chill in pure comfort. The excited visitors’ eager phones capturing the scene again and again don’t seem to bother them. Seeing all the newborn lambs at Michaelshof truly warms the heart.
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On wobbly legs, the brave ones totter through the straw to explore their new surroundings or stretch their heads toward guests. “Pet me,” is written all over the faces of the little woolly stall dwellers. And they really do sit still while curious visitors run their fingers through their soft, curly fleece that feels wonderfully thick.
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Even their pink, translucent floppy ears, bouncing with each step and cheekily falling over their eyes, melt just about everyone’s heart. The more cautious lambs have set up camp in the straw, out of reach of humans. Alone, in pairs, or in clusters, they enjoy the comfy bedding, nap, and get their coats cleaned by mom. And since the goal of the offspring is to grow big and strong, they gather at mom’s milk bar now and then. Getting a tasty meal isn’t easy, though—strong nudges against the udder are needed for smooth milk flow. The mother waits patiently until all are full, even if it takes some time.
For some of the lambs, life started earlier than expected. “Phew, it’s pretty cold out here,” some must’ve thought. Understandably so. Since we want even the preemies to feel at home, we’ve set up a small, absolutely age-appropriate red-light district near the barn wall. Under heat lamps, mother sheep and lambs recover from the strains of birth and calmly look forward to a good life at Michaelshof.
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And you can be there too! Just drop by and let these little creatures wrap you around their hooves during a cuddle session.
Every Saturday and Sunday from 12:00–12:30 PM & 3:00–3:30 PM – €3.50 per child
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A Unique Place of Learning…
…a visit to the Selma Lagerlöf School in Wietzetze
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Quietly nestled on the edge of Wietzetze, children with and without special needs are welcomed into a small idyll. In an old brick building, the Michaelshof community has created a place of learning that expands the traditional idea of school with new elements.
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The school day at the Selma Lagerlöf School begins with a morning circle in the barn. In the center—a burning candle, visible to all. The reverence is low-key. There’s yawning, laughing, nudging, but also participation and singing. In English and German.
Bilingualism is a regular feature here at Selma Lagerlöf School.
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Then it’s off to the classroom. It’s orange—more living room than classroom. Perfect for a trusting and relaxed learning environment. With a bit of tea, even the sleepiest students wake up. The teacher—a mix of boss and buddy—seems ideal to guide the four young women toward their final degree. And already the next group is waiting. In a pavilion, a teacher, a support staff member, and a handful of children are busy working on prefixes and their correct spelling. V, f, or ph? The suggestions come in steadily, the chalkboard fills up. Aside from the board, there’s space for personal belongings and a heap of shoes—because learning here happens in socks or slippers.
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Next visit: grades 7 to 8. A refreshing green greets me. I arrive just in time for breakfast, which is part of the morning. The young man across from me says he has a black hole where others have a stomach, where massive amounts of food disappear. Together with a classmate, he shows me where the new workshop is going to be. All accompanied by a charm offensive (“You look like a witch!”). Okay, kids say the darndest things—I guess I need a visit to the hairdresser and a makeup artist. The school garden view makes my heart leap. I can hardly imagine a more beautiful break spot: a giant cherry tree, a handmade swing overlooking open fields, a chessboard, climbing nets, a barbecue area, and lots of lawn. If I were a student here, they’d have to carry me back to class. Now, on to the youngest group. Nine children, one teacher, and two support staff members bustle around a sun-yellow room. They’re felting, and I marvel at the dwarves and whales being eagerly needled.
By now, the school morning at the Selma Lagerlöf School is drawing to a close. I’ve taken a lot with me—for example, that learning and well-being are inseparably linked, and that the key lies in awakening each individual’s latent abilities.
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The Selma Lagerlöf School feels like a safe little learning island, where everyone can be exactly who they are—with all their quirks, talents, and the opportunity to discover their own value and offer themselves to the world.
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Visiting Jakob Blankenburg in the Bundestag.
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The tulips are slowly faded by now, and the rose is on to her grand entrance: this is the moment the peony has been waiting for—to reveal herself in all her glory and diversity. A brief, intense encounter with nature and the beginning of summer.
Petals like silk wrap protectively around the radiant yellow heart of stamens. A fragrant bastion and a place of comfort, joyfully conquered by bees and bumblebees in our gardens. Each day, new delicate pom-poms in cream white, yellow, pink, violet, or purple bloom in our arena, announcing summer with a grand display of color and continually enchanting us.
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As early as the imperial court of China in the first millennium AD, this magnificent flower was cherished and cultivated as a symbol of luck and abundance. In the monastery gardens of the Benedictines, the peony added a welcome splash of color to the darkness of the European Middle Ages before it began to grace aristocratic gardens in the 18th century. That we can enjoy this enchanting peony worldwide today is thanks to the botanist Victor Lemoine, who gained renown in the 19th century as a peony breeder. The beauty he named after his wife, the “Paeonia Marie,” still brings a touch of romance to our gardens.
Would you like to make the acquaintance of the thornless rose? There’s still time to experience our peonies.
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Dream Pairing for the Dinner Table…
…Carrot Multigrain Bread & Samtaler Cheese
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Dinner doesn’t always have to be lavish—especially in the evening. Even though a creamy casserole can delight the palate, it might overwhelm the stomach late at night. Try going traditional with a simple supper. Sounds old-fashioned, but it’s trending again. Our Samtaler cheese and carrot multigrain bread are the perfect duo.
Relaxed conversation, a glass of wine, and good company—what better setting than a laid-back supper, giving even the most enthusiastic home cook a break and letting them appear at the table refreshed. Our juicy carrot multigrain bread made from organic rye sourdough pulls out all the stops to turn your meal into a feast, even without warm dishes. Packed with sunflower seeds, flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, oats, and not least fine grated carrots, this wonderful bread is not only moist but also colorful—perfect for kids who love fun food. With fresh butter, it almost rivals a piece of cake. Topped with a slice of Samtaler (made from organic cow’s milk), radishes, and chopped chives, it brings back childhood memories of alpine picnics. And while Sammatz may not be up in the mountains, our lush green pastures surrounding the village still impart a special flavor. Samtaler sits between the savory tang of Emmental and the smoothness of Gouda. It pairs well with walnuts, chutneys, figs, and grapes, adding a cosmopolitan note to your supper.
Give it a try – available at our farm shop, Lüneburg market stand (Wednesdays & Saturdays), in our onlineshop! |
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The Wooden Sculptures…
…that dwell in our gardens
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Now in early summer, as our perennials are still growing, they reveal a series of graceful figures at the foot of the arena, quietly engaging in dialogue with visitors. The artist Waltraud Schroll from Hagen created the muses of the seven liberal arts from local wood. These muses have been revered since the 6th century AD as sources of human creativity and inspiration. Through them, humans and the cosmos were brought into harmony.
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Nature or artifact? A garden has always been an expression of human creativity paired with natural wildness. Untamed beauty and order meet and create magical realms of fantasy where humans and nature craft small and great masterpieces. This is also true in Sammatz, where seasonal color carpets constantly transform our gardens and parks. Believing that humans are part of the cosmos, it made perfect sense to give space to artistic freedom, embedded in Mother Nature. From the beginning of our garden designs, Waltraud Schroll Schroll’s wooden sculptures have accompanied every visitor. Sometimes figurative, sometimes abstract, restrained yet powerfully present, the oak artworks invite not just observation but deep feeling. What once took shape with a chainsaw now tempts with gentle curves and endlessly sanded surfaces, echoing the ancient mystery words: “Oh human, know thyself.” Many visitors feel deeply how closely connected humans, nature, and the cosmos truly are.
Surrender yourself to the charm of these larger-than-life, ancient inspirers! Not only them—but also kings and queens, princes and princesses, angelic beings and faces from another era—blend naturally into the garden landscape, unfolding a unique magic among flowers, shrubs, and trees, in the sunlight or cool shade.
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Michaelshof up to date – all opening hours at a glance!
Ark Farm:
Mon-Sun 09.00 – 19.00
Café:
Mon-Fri 08.00 – 18.00
Sat. 08.00 – 19.00
Sun & holidays 09.30 – 19.00
Farmshop:
Weekdays, Sun & holidays
daily 10.00 – 19.00
The WAGEN in Lüneburg:
Wed & Sat 07.00 – 13.00
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May 30 – End of June – Every Weekend
Rose Weeks: Her Majesty Awaits!
Love, passion, beauty—few flowers express as much as the rose. Literature, visual art, and music are full of myths and stories about this noblest of flowers, which holds a special place around Michaelshof. Over 3,500 rose bushes line your path through our gardens, captivating you with their colors, variety of forms, and their delicate, incomparable fragrance. Don’t miss this summer audience with the queen of flowers—and honor ‘Astrid Gräfin von Hardenberg,’ ‘Baronesse,’ and ‘Schneewittchen’ in bloom.
Free entry! Donations welcome! Just drop by!
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Sat, June 28 – 3 PM–6 PM
Nature Walk No. 2: Young Veggies & Old Varieties
Fresh salads, crunchy carrots, and vibrant green beans—the diversity of vegetables in our fields is something to behold. As a Demeter-certified farm, we consciously avoid pesticides. We’re happy to show you, right on our field, which soils suit which vegetables best and how to keep soil alive through crop rotation and fertilization. Want to grow your own vegetables? We know a lot of tricks to help you succeed. Just ask!
Participation: €20 | Registration requested!
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Michaelshof is always on the move—and so is Magda, who loves diving into new tasks and seeing what exciting challenges life has in store. As the daughter of our co-founder Claudia, Magda has known Michaelshof since its beginning and enjoyed a childhood surrounded by nature and freedom.
It was here at Michaelshof that Magda discovered her creative side—especially her talent and eye for photography. She began taking pictures quietly on her own, then more seriously during an internship, and after finishing Waldorf school, she worked in our in-house photo lab.
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There, she developed not only photos but also a life plan: off to study communication design at FH Dortmund! But Magda always stayed connected to Michaelshof, and shortly before finishing her studies, she realized she truly belonged here—with the people and all the meaningful work waiting for her. And she threw herself into it with full energy.
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Together with Jakob, Lea, and Emmanuel, she built up the dairy where they started to produce cheese, helped steer the café through the COVID crisis, managed the community’s visual identity, and also became a mother. And what a mother—because in addition to her two own children, she started to take care of a small Peronnik residential group (P6) with kids of various ages. For the past two years, she’s supported them through everyday life, running a very different kind of household and guiding these spirited, curious young ones with empathy and patience through life’s daily stresses. Something new arrived with Peronnik: a tremendous joy in being there for young people with difficult life stories—giving them space, giving them love, and helping them become confident individuals. A wonderful discovery—and sometimes a very demanding task that requires a balance between commitment and boundaries.
Where Magda will apply her empathy and dedication in the future remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: Michaelshof and its people are always evolving.
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Imagine…
…you’re young, curious, and want to see the world—but no one welcomes you. Bad luck—and the exact opposite of what we do here: with dedication, conviction, and lots of effort—both personal and financial. That deserves recognition—and financial support.
Each year, over 1,000 young people from all over the world come to Michaelshof to learn to communicate across languages, cultures, and beliefs. This makes us incredibly happy, because they bring so much: fresh ideas, experience, and team spirit. These young people deserve our hospitality and appreciation. That’s why we provide 52 beds in the Blue House, including bathrooms and common areas, three meals a day made from top-quality organic ingredients, and of course the technical infrastructure that is standard in today’s digital world. It’s places like Sammatz that promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence—an invaluable treasure in times like these. And not just that: we want to be an inspiration to create many more such places, until a global network arises that upholds values like respect for nature, humanity, and friendship.
To make all of this possible, we rely on your financial support. Participation fees for events, the sale of our biodynamic products, the café, and caring for Peronnik kids form just one pillar of our concept. The other is voluntary donations, which you can make in various ways: via the donation trees in our gardens or through bank transfers—either one-time or recurring. The latter helps us plan better. In short: if you love what we do, want to sustain Michaelshof and help grow our idea, please donate now:
Michaelshof Stiftung Sammatz
DE08 2405 0110 0065 8023 32
Or via our donation website:
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We are looking for engaged and dynamic people to join our team!
You prefer meaningful work over a “9 to 5” job? Then you’ve come to the right place!
We are seeking professionals or talented individuals in the following areas:
Office:
Hands-On:
- Baker
- Pastry chef
- Teacher
- Educator
- Ornamental plant gardener
- Tree, shrub & lawn care gardener
- Construction worker
- Landbau
- Pharmacist
- Printer & laminator
Your skill set is not listed but you’re interested anyway? Just give it a try!
Send your application with a photo to claudia.brady@sammatz.de – we’ll get back to you!
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+++ NEWSTICKER +++
Impressions from daily community life…
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…with snapshots from Rose Weeks—featuring curious visitors big and small…
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…and countless, countless roses…
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…hands-on Landbauteam moments and Oskar & Theo on a mission…
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…and picturesque Flachsenberg scenes!
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In the “Garden Paradise,” there’s lively activity—our brave heroes take on the evening battle against ground elder & co. every day!
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Lots of greetings and see you next time – Anna & Marina ❤️
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