Heyersdorf Bauern (Farm)

Marcel's Grandmother's farm neighbors his home town of Ponitz. It used to be a fully functioning farm when he was little. He lived there with his whole family until his parents finished building their house. I was given the grand tour when I arrived.



Finally, after 2+ years, I get to meet his Grandmother. It's on sadder terms than I'd like, but his grandma is an extraordinary woman. She's so strong, so independent I can tell that I like her immediately. She has this wisdom about her that is strong, but also a kindheartedness that is very welcoming.



Above: Marcel's Grandma and his sister Madeleine check out the Mietzes.



Above: The Wolf family Farm Complex, Below: Madeleine and Ingrid and the fish pond.





Above: Marcel and Madeleine on the farm, Below: Wolf Family Farm Mietz!



Kaffee und Kuchen (Coffee & Cake)



She has made, just for us, one of her Grandma specialties, (what good Grandmother doesn't have a handful of these?!) So she makes me Quark Spitze.



This is a tough one to explain. Mainly because Quark doesn't exist in the U.S. The closest likeness to it would be yogurt, but less sour. Anyway, its mixed with flour and eggs and then the dough is deep fried and sprinkled with sugar. Oh MY! It was some kind of sweet sweet heaven! :-) I talk in the best but inevitably broken German I can and get to know Grandma Renata, Aunt Ingrid & Uncle Wilfred.



Madeleine with the dandelions.



Beauty everywhere! I'm standing in a field of "Raps" -very common in the farm fields of Germany. I looked up the English word for this and it said Canola. This fits to what Marcel said about the Raps being used for bio-diesel fuel and for oil. We were there just in time for prime raps season, when they're golden colored and just so vibrant!






It is obvious that they have quite the amount of pride in their work, and it's obvious why. The place looks wonderful and it must be really rewarding to be so self sufficient. I think I could get used to farm life!His Aunt and Uncle work and live on the farm. They have their own portion of the main farmhouse as their own apartment.





After Kaffee & Kuchen(Coffe & Cake) hour, (this is common around 3-4pm in Germany) the tour begins. She has row after row of veggies in her garden. There are flowering trees and bushes all around too. They show me the stalls where the hens used to sit. They're now in a little hen house separate from the main farm buildings. There are bunnies there in the place of the hens and piggies. They're eating fresh veggies...they're so big and cute! The local farm cat just had 5 kittens, so the adorable little fur balls keep prancing by me...too quick for me though. And mama cat is nearby keeping a close eye on her little ones. We move on, the old Oxen & Horse pen, the greenhouse, the yard where Marcel and his sister Madeleine played when they were young. I get a tour of the inside too.




Back in the farm's heyday it was quite the establishment. People in East Germany that couldn't make it otherwise, would come and work on the farm. They'd become full time workers for the family and in return they got food and a place to rest their heads at night.



Farms were very successful during those times when other jobs and former forms of wealth no longer mattered so much. (Above: An original farm door from 1862!) Marcel told stories of people offering their watches and even jewelry in return for food. Grandma Wolf gives me several fresh apples and I thank her for her hospitality...we head back to quaint little Ponitz to end the day.