All of Germany is looking to Nuremberg

Tanja Dworschak: “ Our next goal is herbs on five levels”

Knoblauchsland at the center of German greenhouse innovations “All of Germany is looking to Nuremberg”

In the triangle of cities between Nuremberg, Fürth and Erlangen lies the Knoblauchsland, probably one of the most innovative vegetablegrowing regions in Germany. Although many places in the region began specialized vegetable cultivation as early as the 1960s, a whole new dynamic emerged in Knoblauchsland with the arrival of the third generation of producer families.

At the heart of the Franconian drive for innovation sits Florian Wolz, managing director of Franken-Gemüse Knoblauchsland since 2004; a marketing organization that supplies the produce of more than 50 farms to regional and national wholesalers and retailers.

INNOVATION AND THE KNOBLAUCHSLAND

"Knoblauchsland is characterized by the many family farms, whose cultivation sometimes had to supply up to three generations. Around the turn of the millennium, there was a far-reaching change from outdoor cultivation on large areas to intensive cultivation in greenhouses," Wolz recalls. "The first ten farms started growing tomatoes and cucumbers in greenhouses in the early years of the millennium - a trend that has continued to evolve to this day."

Due to the spatial confinement between the three cities, the value added had to be increased more and more over the last 20 years, as acreage expansion was impossible. "The growers inside the region have shown a lot of courage; we've seen growers become entrepreneurs."

FROM HYDROPONIC CULTIVATION TO SALAD MACHINES, TO GROWING EXOTICS

Of course, growing tomatoes and cucumbers in the noughties was not enough. In 2012, Fritz Boss was the first one to grow strawberries in substrate troughs in Bavaria. Germany's first fully automated, hydroponic lettuce cultivation was created in 2015 by Frankengemüse grower Jochen Haubner. We find Germany's first double-story greenhouse at Nuremberg herb producer Tanja Dworschak’s.

The innovations will continue in 2021: More growers want to harvest their first hydroponic lettuce at the end of the year, more and more vending machines with fresh lettuce are located in the Nuremberg city area, fresh ginger from Knoblauchsland is in its second season and there is an increase in modern production technology and other future-oriented developments in the triangle. Thanks are due to the young farm managers, says Wolz: "The teamwork and cohesion among the young farmers in the region is something very special. People inspire and motivate each other - the result is a special dynamic and a great drive for innovation."

In his 17 years at the helm of the marketing organization, Wolz has watched Knoblauchsland and the producers inside the region prove themselves in the modern fruit and vegetable market: "We want to

Christian Hofmann: “We focus on value creation instead of mass production”

remain innovative, thus securing the future. It's great to see how the region is developing together."

In many respects, the Netherlands are greenhouse cultivation pioneers, although German hesitancy is often cited as the reason for this. Large projects tend to be planned over a period of years. "We will jump in with both feet when the demand is there - this quick response is what sets the region apart," says Christian Hofmann of Gemüsebau HOFMANN in Fürth. The company is one of four with greenhouse space for the hydroponic cultivation of lettuce in Knoblauchsland - in the future, however, they would like to specialize even more, closing any further gaps in the German market in cooperation with Franken-Gemüse Knoblauchsland.

Hofmann believes that the strength of the region also lies in the cooperation and coordination of the farms: "We have many young, motivated growers in our ranks, and we work together. Four hydroponic growers in such a small space can only function through steady coordination, which is the only way to hold your own in the trade. Here we focus on value creation instead of mass production. This is also reflected in the cooperative's business results, which defy the comparatively small acreages."

"Knoblauchsland; always a topic of conversation among German vegetable growers"

"We want to get the most out of our small area, and we've been doing that since the '60s," Hofmann says. "We can't excel in large areas, so we do it through innovation. That way, we avoid competition with large-scale outdoor production, and Knoblauchsland always stays in the conversation in German vegetable production."

And the concept is working: "The sector is developing very well. Greenhouse cultivation has advantages in terms of sustainability, which is increasingly becoming the focus of public discourse. For example, we are seeing greenhouses sprouting up all over Germany, and have been able to push Dutch fruit vegetables into price entry. The next step will be lettuce now, which will surely be followed by more."

Tanja Dworschak - the self-proclaimed herb witch from Nuremberg - has been running her herb business since 1996. She is the owner of Germany's first double-decker greenhouse. However, this is not the whole story; this entrepreneur wants to reach even higher (literally) in the future.

The origins of Bioland KräuterGut Dworschak-Fleischmann lie with today's managing director’s great-grandmother. She had lost her husband, father and son during the war and ran the business with her sister-in-law and daughter. Female empowerment runs in the company's blood, so to speak. Her father and grandfather built the region's first greenhouse together, and Dworschak herself has been an integral part of the region's grower community since she was 16.

"In the beginning, I worked with tomatoes and peppers, but I've always had a penchant for herbs. Then, I made a start with a hectare of organic potted herbs," Dworschak recalls. The region's scarcity of land also made things hard for her: "You need compensatory land, industry, commerce, housing, forestry, airports and highways; everyone is fighting for their place in the region. So we've always had to manage our land effectively." In 2010, she began experimenting with growing on two levels, then in 2015 she built her greenhouse with a total of 13,000m² of growing space.

Tanja Dworschak is constantly looking for ways to develop her farm further, both in terms of productivity and with regard to environmental and social standards. In 1996, she began producing her herbs organically. "The association's motto at the time was 'For the benefit of people and nature,' and I took that very much to heart. That's why, for example, I also employ people with severe disabilities and people who

Stefan Scherzer: “You don’t have to go all the way to Holland to see innovative greenhouses”

are difficult to place. My switch to organic vegan farming then rounded it all off."

Today, there are 240 different herb varieties available from Dworschak - from rosemary to lavender to the classics in the assortment such as parsley, mint, or chervil. "Particularly with the main varieties, the demand from food retailers is particularly high right now. A trendy product is definitely coriander. This herb, which is often used in Asian cuisine, is what basil was in the '80s and '90s."

"PRODUCING ORGANICALLY ON MULTIPLE LEVELS IS EXCITING"

As a pioneer in double-story greenhouses in Germany, the next step is of course equally ambitious: "In the future, we would like to grow on even more levels, and we are already conducting tests with five levels for this. That would be the next record," Dworschak laughs.

The tension here lies in conformity with organic standards: "The crux of this undertaking centers around the requirements for organic and vegan fertilization. There are many factors that must be met to keep tightly grown plants healthy without conventional pesticides. So, it remains exciting - I look forward to the next challenge!"

Tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and eggplants - the Scherzer family is an established name in traditional greenhouse cultivation, both in Franconia and beyond. Their new project will now also bring in a new mainstay for managing director Stefan Scherzer: in November, the company aims to launch the first hydroponically cultivated lettuce. This will make the company one of four in the region to work with this highly modern cultivation method.

Hydroponic growing comes with many advantages: a lesser water requirement, fewer nutrients that need to be added, fewer pesticides and less labor involved. All factors that will become increasingly important in the future, according to Stefan Scherzer. "In my opinion, hydroponic farming is the way forward and offers added value for growers and consumers alike."

Building it, he says, is a big investment and they didn't take the decision lightly, "You sit down and think about whether it's the right way and the right time. Both in the company, with my brother and father, and in the Knoblauchsland community."

TRENDING AT THE RIGHT TIME?

Hydroponic cultivation enables Scherzer to supply German food retailers with fresh root lettuce all year round. "This way, we want to make ourselves less dependent on Dutch and Belgian imports - with regionality behind us, we believe it will be a success."

Regionality is not the only trend, however; sustainability issues are a big plus for greenhouse cultivation, along with the push for space. "We see a growing interest

“As a regionally cultivated exotic, our Franconian ginger fits the trend”

Exotic cultivars are becoming increasingly popular for cultivation in Germany and Europe. Consumers are becoming more and more interested in international cuisine and this is reflected in the demand from food retailers. At the same time, climate change favors the cultivation of varieties that enjoy the milder climate. At Höfler Gemüse from Knoblauchsland, they are now growing ginger.

“The master school for the specialty of vegetable cultivation has been doing practical trials with ginger for some time, and we maintain a contact with the institution. So, it occurred to us that ginger would also be something for us,” Peter Höfler reports. There was a suitable area already available: “We have 3,000m² of older greenhouses from the 1960s and 1980s. That’s where we grow arugula in the winter months. From March onwards, the area lends itself to ginger cultivation.”

While dried ginger already has a certain position on the market, fresh ginger is still a niche within a niche, Höfler knows: “Now it is a matter of finding a good sales channel for our ginger, and that’s not easy. We are seeing a certain increase in sales at the weekly markets, but in general there is still a need to educate consumers. Ginger is a top product, fresh, aromatic and healthy - that’s what we want to convey.” As a natural antibiotic and exotic product from regional cultivation, Franconian ginger is fully in line with the trend, he said.

“tisches Produkt aus regionalem Anbau liege der fränkische Ingwer voll im Trend.

peter.hoefler@hoeflergemuese.de

Florian Wolz

in CO2 neutrality in vegetable production. Our two farm sites in Nuremberg and Dinkelsbühl are heated via district heating and wood chips." This means that the company is well prepared for the next few years.

Scherzer Gemüse Ltd completely left openair cultivation behind back in 2013. "In the years since the fall of communism, more and more open field products have dropped out, but through our specialization in greenhouse cultivation, our open field colleagues have been able to include these products, such as radishes, carrots, or rhubarb, in their assortment. So, the balance in the region remained, even if the focus was different from company to company."

"WHEN ONE IS INNOVATIVE, THE OTHER DOESN'T WANT TO TRAIL BEHIND”

There is no competition among the Knoblauchsländer producers, Stefan Scherzer finds: "It's a friendly competition that sets an interesting dynamic rolling among the young farm managers. You exchange ideas, you look at what your neighbor is doing. And when one grower is innovative, the other naturally doesn't want to trail behind."

However, it is not about proving oneself among each other, but about constructive exchanges: "Vegetable growing is a tough business. We all care about our farms and want to make them future proof. That requires a close eye on the market, technological developments and sometimes a bit of creativity. You don't always have to go all the way to Holland to see innovative greenhouses: The common drive for innovation ensures that we all motivate each other, making the region a leader in innovation." 

“Even long-established companies can start up”

In 2015, Jochen Haubner put Germany’s first professional hydroponics facility into operation at his farm. Since then, lettuce varieties have been sprouting and growing on almost two hectares at the Nuremberg site - fully automatically. Six years later, he has a new project.

haubner.info@gmx.de

Innovation sometimes comes unexpectedly, and small ideas can develop into more than was originally expected. Jochen Haubner discovered this as well when he turned a “salad machine” from just an idea into reality in 2019. Together with an acquaintance who himself manufactures special machines, the vending machine was developed, and it can now be found at various locations in and around Nuremberg.

“The irrigated lettuce cabinets are designed to keep our hydroponic lettuce with root blocks fresh for longer. The cabinets are to be stocked as needed - this is how we want to counteract food waste,” Haubner explains. While the lettuce could also be grown in these cabinets, he thinks that makes less sense: “You need trained staff to grow it at the point of sale, and customers can’t help themselves, which makes the barrier to purchase greater.” With the Salajoe® to go lettuce cabinet, consumers can choose a lettuce, which is then ‘harvested’ by a gripper arm. “By stocking the cabinets ourselves, we ensure that there is always just the right amount available. This way, there will be no overproduction and wilted lettuce in the displays can be avoided.”