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Vorwerk Podemus: From the countryside to the city

Introduction

Vorwerk Podemus has stood for organic farming, active nature conservation and ecological enthusiasm for over 30 years. The historic four-sided farm has been standing in the middle of its land with pig and cow sheds, potato storehouses and residential buildings since 1793. The farm has been owned by the Probst family since 1900. After the expulsion in 1960, a new business chapter began in 1991. Vorwerk Podemus now covers the entire value chain: from primary production to processing and marketing in its own organic markets. Customers in the Dresden region not only appreciate the diversity of the organic farm.

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Name of the farmer/ entrepreneur or other initiative
Bernhard Probst
Year of establishment of the initiative
1991 (refurbishment), 2001 (farm shop)
Location
Dresden

Case description

At Vorwerk Podemus and its partner farms, cattle, pigs and poultry are reared with love and respect and kept in a species-appropriate manner. The cows use spacious stables and enjoy free range on their own pastures. Meanwhile, the slow-growing pigs live comfortably on straw – naturally with daylight and plenty of fresh air. 

The feed for all animals is home-grown – only as many animals are kept as the farm can feed on its own. Prophylactic medication, feed antibiotics or growth hormones are strictly prohibited in the farm concept.

The more than 400 hectares of arable and grassland are cultivated without synthetic fertilisers, pesticides and monocultures. The erosion-prone loess soils are kept fit through varied crop rotations and organic fertilisers – because only unpolluted soils and clean groundwater ensure residue-free food.

The farm is committed to maintaining and preserving the Zschoner Grund cultural landscape. And the cows also make an important contribution to this by tending the orchards.

Main agricultural activity and Multifunctional activities

The primary agricultural activity is mixed farming with animal husbandry, arable land and grassland. The multifunctional activities include the management of pastures and arable land in line with the aspects and objectives of biodiversity and soil improvement. The farm is very broadly based and at the same time very customised to the consumer and today’s society. High quality extends from the field to the plate – everything from a single source.

Critical challenges of the farm/ the region

  • Effects of climate change (extreme weather conditions, erosion, water availability)
  • Coming to terms with the “downsizing” in times of the planned economy
  • Generational change in agriculture itself, the employees and also the customers

CSA Activity

Reason for engaging in CSA/ Triggering moment for implementation

In direct marketing, it all began with a small potato sale on the farm in Dresden-Podemus. There are now eleven Vorwerk Podemus organic markets in Dresden, Radebeul, Freiberg, Pirna, Bautzen and Coswig. Vorwerk Podemus is unique in that it is the only organic farm in Germany with its own chain of organic shops. The triad of primary production, processing and marketing in its own shops has proven to be the ideal way of doing business.

The entire company currently employs 220 people. A particular strength and original idea of the organic markets are the many products from their own farm: the logistics chain is short. The company’s own natural gas lorries deliver to the organic markets every other day. For example, it only takes a few hours from the freshly milked milk to the hanging of the milk churn in the milk dispensers, the city udders.

The focus is on cycles and resource efficiency, not just incidentally but specifically. Both in production and processing, as well as in the stores, attention is paid to minimising the ecological footprint. Vorwerk Podemus is exemplary when it comes to energy efficiency, waste heat utilisation and refrigeration technology – this is a matter for the boss and Bernhard Probst’s passion. 

Description of the innovation

After taking over the farm in 1991 and reorganising it as a versatile organic farm, the first farm butchery was established at Vorwerk Podemus in 1998/99. Due to the ever-increasing demand for organic meat, investments were made in a new production facility and today’s farm butchery was created: for more quality, capacity and variety. In June 2009, a modern butcher’s shop was opened on a production area of approx. 1,200 m2, which is still produced by hand. Up to 10 tonnes of meat and sausages are processed here every week.

The meat and sausage range is based on the motto: regionality and love of nature, species-appropriate and stress-free animal husbandry, fresh spices and artisanal slaughtering and processing directly on the farm. In the new farm butchery, which was opened in 2009, slaughtering, butchering, processing, packaging and commissioning of the goods have been brought together in one location. As the animals are brought directly and without detours from regional partners or grow up directly at Vorwerk Podemus, everything here is not only organic, but also entirely in the interests of the environment.

No artificial flavours, flavour enhancers, preservatives or curing accelerators are used in the production process. The basis is the best organic meat, spices, beech smoke for the ham and plenty of time to mature.

  • Knowledge exchange: organisation of workshops, guided tours and training courses for farmers, agricultural researchers, politicians and other members of society
  • Introduction of technology: Promoting the use of simple technologies based on logic and physics. Much of this is home-made or based on own ideas, e.g. basically patentable processes or components in the area of barn construction or hay drying. In addition, also with regard to overall energy and resource efficiency.

Implementation Process of the innovation & used methods of innovation management

Bernhard Probst is a successful pioneer in many areas and builds on the greatest possible transparency, clarity and truth in personal dealings as well as in processes, regardless of whether they are based on cooperation between people or purely technical machine processes and interfaces. As a thought leader, he is embedded in the regional and national network of farmers, tradespeople, retailers and industry.

He is very open to exchange and involvement in funding and research projects. It is important to him that it is about something common and something down-to-earth. As a farmer, he exemplifies the practice. Lifelong learning and further development are possible here. 

An upward spiral develops via “doing”, which, based on existing experience, is already significantly more ambitious than a pure “trial and error” procedure, and is in any case advantageous in comparison to theory detached from practice.

Todays Results of this implementation

The operation is highly energy-optimised due to the constant optimisation of resources in terms of the use of existing energy and the shortening and optimal timing of logistics. And we are continuing to work on optimisation.

At Vorwerk Podemus, there are no monocultures, but balanced crop rotations. 

The modern dairy processes the milk from the herd of cattle, which is housed in the modern, airy barn. Directly behind it is the Zschoner Grund with its extensive orchards – ideal grazing land! The animals enjoy the variety of herbs and legumes there from April to October and feed on over 60 plant species. 

Milking takes place twice a day. The milking parlour is located directly between the barn and the dairy – so the distances for cows and milk are short. In addition to fresh grass in the summer months, the animals eat the best organic hay. They also need concentrated feed (crushed grain from the farm and minerals) to achieve a good milk yield. Hay milk is the most original form of dairy farming. It is still a speciality in Saxony.

In addition to the richness of the ingredients, hay milk also has other positive aspects: the meadows are mown in stages, i.e. only as much grass as can be dried in the hay barn. This means that there is always something left for the insects. On the one hand, feed is produced in an environmentally friendly way through sustainable grassland use with ruminants and humus is built up instead of removed. On the other hand, resources are conserved, waste-free and with low energy consumption. The grass in the hay barn is dried solely using waste heat from the photovoltaic system on the roof.

The following objectives are thus pursued and achieved in the overall operation:

  • Overcoming climate challenges: Promoting practices that increase soil biodiversity and quality, such as improving soil health to sequester carbon and reduce erosion.
  • Economic sustainability: Increasing the profitability of farms through optimised resource management in the regional B2C business.
  • Consumer preferences: response to growing demand for food produced in a sensible, circular way.
  • External effects: Flowering landscape, nature conservation, insect protection

SWOT of the Case today

Strengths

Overcoming the critical challenges of climate change

Promotion of climate-friendly and sustainable practices

Resource and energy efficiency

Potential for market differentiation through high quality, regionality, energy and resource efficiency

Weak points

Is the complexity of the whole also manageable for other managers in this simplicity?

High investment costs

Nevertheless dependent on crop yields, environmental influences, …

Risk in all areas that labour costs will increase

Possibilities

Growing consumer interest in regional products

Education/ Training of the decision makers/ leading persons

The extensive experience of the farm owner and his willingness to accept innovative solutions played a decisive role in the successful implementation. 

In addition to the exchange of practical experience with pioneers not only in agriculture and the organic sector, continuous optimisation and a view to the outside world with constant reflection play a major role.

In the end, knowledge will be generated from practice and in practice. This requires a good, open approach and solution-orientation in practice.

Outlook/ Aims and Goals

  • For Bernhard Probst, this stands for a coherent and consistent understanding of agriculture from the field to the plate, which is not only focussed on the production of food, but also on the good life and togetherness.
  • He will continue to work on constant optimisation and will always be a pioneer and take unconventional paths, as this is where the innovation will lie and not in the predetermined terrain.
  • At Vorwerk Podemus, innovation is always complemented by traditional knowledge. Basic physical principles are consistently applied – whether to soil, agricultural machinery, animals, stables or energy generation and utilisation.

Lessons Learned/ Recommendations

Organic farming at Vorwerk Podemus is the result of firm conviction, great motivation and a fundamentally ecological approach to life. “Conventional farming would be much easier,” says Bernhard Probst.

The soil must be cultivated in such a way that the crop can develop faster than the wild herbs. 

Flocks of birds are visible over the fields of Vorwerk Podemus in summer and you can hear the insects buzzing. A good sign for organic farming. Insect-friendly mowing without conditioners is important to the farm. The relatively small arable fields, flower strips and hedges also contribute to the great diversity of animals.

Result, Success & Risk Factors

Actual today’s situation

Extensive cultivation, seasonally appropriate utilisation and also resting periods result in free working time that the farmer can use for other activities.

Bernhard Probst is an entrepreneur and therefore not a subcontractor. He pursues a comprehensive operational approach in terms of the breadth and depth of his processes.

It is an essential part of the farm concept to keep the soil always green and to provide for soil life, thereby creating the basis for animal welfare on the farm.

Everything else is based on this down-to-earth foundation, and this is clearly communicated to the outside world.

Dependence of any kind of ongoing support/ subsidy?

Public funds and subsidies make up a significant proportion of the operating result. The funds always flow as a result of operational management.

Investment grants and subsidies are always waived.

Dependence of specific regional/ personal aspects?

The location of the farm in the Dresden suburbs and the overall focus of the project suggest that such an approach is always based on the specific issues of the location. In fact, however, the approach appears to be replicable in parts, adapted and customised to the climatic and agricultural challenges of the respective region, and adapted to the entrepreneurial skills of the farmer and his employees.

Applicability in other regions/ other situations

In principle, it can also be used in other regions.

Resource-efficient, environmentally friendly management in cycles is possible everywhere. The basic principles are the same. It requires adaptation to regional and local conditions in terms of production, processing and marketing.

Conclusion

The project is an exemplary step on the way to excellent regional food quality produced within the framework of climate-friendly and sustainable agriculture.

By promoting and being open to knowledge exchange, the project also enables other farmers to introduce environmental and economic challenges, improve resource efficiency and contribute to the long-term viability of agriculture embedded in the respective region.

Project N. 2022-1-DE02-KA220-VET-000089615

Contact email: info@innocsa.eu

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