Tütsberg landscape conservation farm
Here Europe invests in rural areas with
agri-environmental and climate protection measures.
These measures support farms in maintaining and improving the environmental situation. The aim is sustainable and resource-conserving management in terms of biodiversity, soil, water and climate protection.
Landscape management according to Bioland guidelines
Our location
Hof Tütsberg is located in the middle of the Lüneburg Heath nature reserve. You can reach Hof Tütsberg easily via the A7 or the B3 in about an hour’s drive from Hamburg, Hanover or Bremen.
There is a hikers’ car park directly on the farm grounds from where you can explore the farm grounds and the adjacent heathland.
Business organisation
Hof Tütsberg houses the administration and operations centre of the VNP landscape conservation farm. One of the VNP’s seven sheep husbandries is also located on the farm grounds.
The objectives of the landscape conservation farm are the environmentally friendly management of the foundation’s own agricultural land and the maintenance of the extensive heath areas through grazing with Heidschnucken, goats, cattle and horses.
The landscape conservation farm cultivates about 430 ha of arable land and about 390 ha of grassland ecologically according to the guidelines of the Bioland farming association.
There are also heathland areas, rough grassland and wet grassland/biotopes. The farm has a total of approx. 5000 ha of permanent grassland.
Hof Tütsberg is also a demonstration farm for organic farming and is especially committed to public relations.
In addition to arable farming and grassland management, about 4,400 ha of heath and nutrient-poor grassland and 35 ha of carp ponds are cultivated.
On some selected fields, historical heath farming is imitated. In the manner of a living museum, old cultivated plant species and varieties are thus preserved for posterity, as are rare and endangered arable plants.
Your contact at VNP
Landschaftspflegehof Tütsberg
Dr. Andreas Koopmann, Dr. Heike Brenken
Hof Tütsberg
29640 Schneverdingen–Heber
Phone: 05199-298
Fax: 05199 985 541
Email:
If you would like to know more
Hof Tütsberg is a member of Bioland grower’s association
Preservation of farmland weeds: http://www.schutzaecker.de/
Adventure trail “Tütsberger Erlebnispunkte”
Around the Tütsberg and on the farm grounds you will find our “Tütsberger Erlebnispunkte”. Here you will discover, for example, information about our Heidschnucken flock, the farm’s groves and its history.
You should also visit the cereal hit parade in the inner courtyard.
The “Tütsberger Erlebnispunkte” were funded in 2010 by the European Regional Development Fund and “Experience Nature” from the Lower Saxony Ministry for the Environment and Climate Protection.
Tütsberg buckwheat
Contrary to its name, buckwheat is not a grain, but an old agricultural and medicinal plant from the knotweed family similar to rhubarb and sorrel.
From a reddish stem sprout stalked heart-shaped leaves and white or pink flowers. Each flower ripens into a three-edged fruit that looks like a small beechnut. This gave it the name “buckwheat”. The small fruits contain flour and can be ground into flour like grain.
Photo: U. Franzen
Buckwheat is probably one of the fastest growing flour crops of all, because it is adapted to the short summers of Central and East Asia. It ripens within 10 to 12 weeks after sowing. Because of its sensitivity to cold, it can only be grown as a summer crop.
As a particularly frugal plant, buckwheat is ideal for cultivation on the poor heath and moor soils of northern Germany. In the 17th and 18th centuries, it became the everyday food of the simple rural population in the Lüneburg Heath. In the form of groats, dumplings and especially as an ingredient for pancakes, it had gained a firm place in the kitchen. With the introduction of the potato in the middle of the 18th century, buckwheat lost more and more of its importance.
Where to buy our buckwheat flour
Buckwheat flour is available at the Heide-ErlebnisZentrum (Undeloh) and at the Museum shop (Wilsede).
You can find delicious products made from buckwheat at the Wilsede Milchhalle, the Heide-ErlebnisZentrum and of course at the Landhaus Haverbeckhof and Hof Tütsberg hotels. Try it!
Animal husbandry
Heidschnucken and goats
Six flocks of sheep and one herd of goats belong to the Tütsberg landscape conservation farm.
Photo: Christian Burmester
Around 2,200 ewes of the breed “German grey heath” (Heidschnucke) sheep and 300 goats are herded daily in the nature reserve by the shepherds of the landscape conservation farm.
Photo: Christian Burmester
Photo: Christian Burmester
Visit our Heidschnucken
Guided hikes, bicycle tours and carriage rides to the shepherd can be booked through the Bispingen tourist information office (www.bispingen.de).
Regional specialties
The best places to enjoy Heidschnucke are on site at Hotel Hof Tütsberg (www.tuetsberg.de) or at Landhaus Haverbeckhof (www.haverbeckhof.de).
Fresh Heidschnucke meat and sausages are available from our partner:
Landschlachterei
Hermann Meyer
Haverbecker Straße 24
29626 Bispingen-Behringen
Phone: 05194 1215
http://www.landschlachterei-hermann-meyer.de/
Dülmener horses und Wilseder Rote cattle
For landscape management, the VNP also uses cattle and horses that graze on grassland all year round.
Animal stock (2021)
Wilseder Rote cattle
- 1 suckler herd with 36 cows and 34 calfs
(Highland-Shorthorn-Angus crossbreeds, called “Wilseder Rote”) - 1 heifer herd with 20 heifers
Dülmener horses
- 1 stallion herd with 3 licensed stallions and young stallions
- 2 mare herds with 15 mares and 2 foals
The population of Dülmen horses is currently declining nationwide. The breed is on the Red List in category 1 “extremely endangered”. As of 2017, outside Merfelder Bruch, there are only 32 registered breeding animals left, 10 of which are owned by the VNP.
If you would like to know more
Here you will find more information about Dülmener horses:
Pastures of the animals are located at the Radenbach, the Schmale Aue, near Hörpel and at the Tütsberg farm. Take a walk and see for yourself…
Location of the pastures
On this map you can see where our animals can be found grazing in the nature reserve: Download map
