Landwirtschaft auf ganzheitliche und regionale Weise

From the very beginning, farmer Paul Brandsma and the Demeterhof Breit farm have been staunch supporters of the EIFEL regional brand. “For us, it’s only natural and a matter of course that we think and act with regional ties in mind,” says Paul Brandsma, who realized his vision of organic farming for himself, his family, and fellow advocates on the outskirts of Wittlich. The Demeter Association’s production methods, strictly aligned with natural cycles, are the be-all and end-all. Brandsma serves on the association’s board. Consequently, the Demeterhof Breit is home to numerous pilot projects that serve as models for advancing organic food production. This attracts many regular customers—even from far away—to the farm’s own store, which is the mainstay of its marketing efforts. But the regional EIFEL brand also continues to play an important role in marketing, as the various varieties of raw milk cheese are labeled with this seal of quality. Customers include restaurants and owner-operated retail stores in the region, among others. “We value the network. We know each other and have the freedom to be flexible,” Brandsma says with conviction. “After all, cheese is a natural product that can’t always be produced in the same quantities. That’s why direct contact is important.”

Naturalness Takes Precedence Over Market Conformity

Regional, seasonal products have a real “story” to tell—a clear emotional advantage. This is likely one reason why the Demeter-certified Breit Farm, as a “learning farm,” attracts not only school groups but also many interested adults on farm tours, including students from vocational schools specializing in agriculture or the culinary arts. “We show that agriculture can be very diverse and works in harmony with creation.” In practical terms, diversity on the farm means that, in addition to dairy farming and the farm’s own cheese dairy, pigs are raised on straw with plenty of outdoor space, and there are free-range chickens. The male chicks have a life of their own before they are processed and are not considered “waste.” There are orchard meadows where the cows and cattle graze, and the fruit from these orchards is pressed into apple juice. Grains, potatoes, vegetables, and herbs are grown on the farm. Much of this produce is included in the new subscription baskets, which can be picked up once a week.

The Advantage of Proximity

Key reasons why the Demeterhof Breit farm got involved some twenty years ago in the former “Regionen aktiv” initiative—which later became the EIFEL regional brand—are value creation and appreciation. “Many customers come out of conviction and remain loyal, despite inflation, which naturally affects us as well due to rising labor costs,” says Paul Brandsma, describing the economic side. Four people make their living directly from agricultural production, and ten are employed in the farm store. “However, since we operate without supply chains or transportation costs, we can keep our prices relatively stable and are largely independent of global market fluctuations.” This achieves a major goal of the regional brand: strengthening small, family-run farms and restaurants.