Photo: Martin Egbert via Reasons To Be Cheerful
In Germany, a new model of small-scale farming is emerging. "Tiny Farmers" commute to the countryside, work the fields of their farms less than one hectare in size, and return home to their city where they can manage the farm via smartphone. This new setup is taking root with young adults, many of whom hold other part-time jobs. "We need new hands and minds in agriculture," says Jacob Fels, co-founder of Tiny Farms in Fürstenwalde, Germany. "It’s the only way to solve one of the industry’s biggest problems: fewer and fewer people want to work in vegetable farming." These days, the grueling schedule of traditional farming is a life many young people would not choose on their own. But Tiny Farms wants to spark a "swarm of microfarms" that can be run alone or collectively, full-time or part-time, and supply regional food to supermarkets, caterers, restaurants, or school kitchens in a radius of 100 kilometers. The startup trains farmers, develops cultivation plans, supplies seeds, and handles organic certification. Organic markets in Germany often require vegetables to be shipped far across the country. "In Berlin, only 3-5% of vegetables come from regional cultivation," Fels explains. Through their modular approach, Fels, his co-founder Tobias Leiber, and their crew of part-time farmers, hope to change that, nurturing a culture in which urbanites are more naturally connected with their food.
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