The Dottenfelderhof farming collective officially celebrated its 50-year anniversary with a celebratory reception in the farm’s Seed Hall on June 22. The well-attended anniversary celebrations made clear just what an outstanding significance this institution holds for organic farming and for the wider community. “Dottenfelderhof is a role model and a source of inspiration for many other businesses and a popular destination for many consumers from the Rhein-Main region,” said Priska Hinz, minister of agriculture for the German state of Hesse, on the occasion of the anniversary celebrations. Among consumers, Dottenfelderhof was one of the first to raise consumer consciousness regarding sustainable farming. The farm has been of outstanding importance for the further development of organic farming, both in Hesse and beyond, said Hinz.

That’s why the Software AG Foundation, originally in the person of its founder Peter Schnell, already had a connection to the farm in the early 1980s.  For him, the farming school on Dottenfelderhof is an important multiplier for practical knowledge regarding biodynamic agriculture. But even more than that, “Dotti” is also an exemplary social organism that integrates all aspects of agricultural practice, rather than being forced for economic reasons into becoming a specialist farm.

SAGST wishes a very happy anniversary to this exemplary farm, where humans, animals, farming, and landscaping live and belong together. SAGST plans to continue supporting Dottenfelderhof in the years to come so that the farm project’s future is secure, and so that its exemplary vibrance, energy, and influence can continue to unfold for many years to come.