Wriggly Worms and Busy Bees
A teaching garden, standard fruit trees and dairy sheep – all can be found at the small and diverse Bungerthof. A visit lets one marvel, taste and observe.
The most important field workers
One of the most important workers in a garden is the humble rainworm. Its daily routine can be studied in the compost and ground and different types can be distinguished. Breeding rainworms also ensures a higher soil quality. Every corner of the garden has insect-friendly plants on which one can observe butterflies, caterpillars and other beneficial insects feeding. In summer wild bees make themselves at home in the "insect hotel" and lay eggs. In the spring the next generation of helpers emerges. School classes explore the rich soil with magnifying glasses, shovels and their own hands. Insect hotels and rainworm boxes can be built for home. On open days, visitors learn about old vegetable varieties, exchange information on gardening, or simply stroll about the small but beautiful complex.
In collaboration with the Fructus association, we cultivate a standard tree orchard with old varieties of plums, apples and pears. All trees are labelled and can be visited throughout the year. There is nothing more fascinating than to observe the change of seasons in the trees! School classes and visitors can broaden their knowledge of different varieties. They can also adopt a tree for a year, so they know exactly where their apples come from.
Sheep, milk and cheese
Our East Friesian dairy sheep spend the entire year in the fresh air of Berg am Irchel and the surrounding pastureland. Each spring a public sheep shearing is held and the animals regain their sleeker form and become more active. Cream cheese is produced between May and October, after the lambs have switched from their mother's milk to the herb-rich grasses. Courses teach both young and old how sheep turn grass into milk and how this is made into cheese. What is better than making your own cream cheese or yoghurt and taking it home with you!