22 Students from the universities Hohenheim (Germany), Bonn (Germany), Vienna (Österreich) and Zurich (Swiss) came together in Friedrichshafen, lake Constance. We choose to focus on the lake Constance and its surroundings, because
of its outstanding importance in the cultivation of special crops such as fruit and hops, as well as in livestock farming and the
the associated cheese production. In a period of five days, various excursions and workshops took place about these topics.
agricultural importance.
The goal of this event was to combine the theory learned at the universities with the practical experience, to show new perspectives for IAAS and the future professional life for students, as well as to show different
areas of the agar/food sector.
Day 1/4: Cheese Buffet
Today we visited the Leupolz cheese dairy where we looked at the production process of the local cheeses; Bergkäse, Emmentaler and Drumling. One wheel of cheese weighs 80 kg and to reach this weight, 1000 liters of milk have to be used. After we were allowed to taste the cheese ourselves, we went to the Archehof Birk in the Allgäu.
To be considered an Archehof, at least three endangered species must be kept. Here we were allowed to look at the Augsburg hen, brown mountain sheep and Allgäu brown cattle. Such older breeds are multi-talented, but give everything only in moderation, so they are not specialized. With a small farm store, the Birk family markets their products such as sausages, cheese, hides, etc., holds regular seminars and is considered a place of learning and experience.
Day 2/4 30.10.22: Hops
Tettnang is known worldwide for its hop production. About 150,000 plants with up to 25 different varieties are grown there. Hop in beer has many purposes; known for the typical aroma in beer. In addition, it makes the beer more durable and has a disinfecting effect, which was known early. For every 100 liters of beer, there are usually 100 grams of hops. The quantity varies depending on the seasoning. Craft beers in particular are known for a higher content.
In cultivation, only female hop plants are required, which repeatedly form hops for up to 50 years and sprout new ones in the spring. In this process, the plants grown genetically to the left must be thinned out by hand and wrapped around steel wire and are similar to tomatoes in a greenhouse. If the plant is wrapped right side up, it will not form properly. After the hike to the hop estate and the great guided tour, we ended the day with a campfire.
Day 3/4 31.10.22 Apples
The packaging plant of BAYWA Obstbau is located in Kressbronn. BAYWA markets apples and pears as well as fruit from the region. Pre-sorted goods are delivered by the farmers and then weighed at BAYWA, sorted according to quality characteristics and then stored in one of the 56 storage rooms. Dryness and coolness are important here. The CO2 (3%) and oxygen (1%) levels in the storage facility must be kept very low in order to interrupt or slow down the natural ripening process. By the way, up to 300 thousand tons of apples fit into the largest warehouse🍏.
Afterwards, we were able to visit the neighboring Agri-Photovoltaic plant of the Bernhard family. The idea here is to make double use of agricultural land; here, the apple orchard and photovoltaic systems are used simultaneously. The modules and the tarpaulins between the individual rows protect the trees from hail, heavy rain and sunburn. Through the APV, a whole 90% of pesticides can be saved here. Whether there are yield losses can only be assessed at the next harvest. Future challenges include keeping the panels clean, the cost of new APV systems, and the control of aphids. By the way, you will not only find the APV plant, but also a farm store with all kinds of apples and the popular varieties Sweetango, Gala, Fräulein and Kanzi.
In the evening we had a spooky halloween-evening. 👻
Day 4/4 01.11.22 Nature conservation
The 4th and last day took us to the Federsee nature reserve, managed by the NABU (Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union), which, with the help of biotope management measures to preserve the moor / wetlands around the Federsee. This is of great importance, as bogs that are not intact contribute significantly to the greenhouse effect and intact bogs store immense amounts of carbon. By preserving the various biotopes around the lake (bog meadows, bog forest and reed forest), biodiversity is simultaneously promoted, including 270 different bird species.
Peat cutting has already destroyed or negatively affected many peatlands. NABU would like to see economic use of the moors, but without negatively influencing them.
Afterwards, we walked through the Wackelwald, which was created by the silting up of the Federsee and the resulting deposits of lime and dead plants. In the Wackelwald, the peat layer is about 30cm thick, and underneath are soft, pudding-like deposits up to 6m deep. Only the roots of the plants that pass through the peat give the soil its load-bearing capacity, whereby it gives way with every step.
We also want to thank our sponsor Lemken GmbH & Co KG who helped us to make this event possible.
