When it comes to direct sales, there are two protagonists – the farmer and the customer. At CrowdFarming, we are in daily contact with both, and we know all of our farmers personally. But what about our CrowdFarmers?As part of our 1% for the Soil initiative, we used the summer to bring farmers, and CrowdFarmers (customers) together on one farm.We are at Felix Riecken’s Eichhof farm. Here you’ll find impressions and a conversation about everything that moves Felix and what Eichhof stands for.The Kiel area is idyllic, green, and summery – the sun even comes out for our CrowdFarmer meeting. It’s like opening a children’s book: ducks swim in the pond, children play in the farm’s trailer kindergarten, and cows graze. Driving to Eichhof is a bit like coming home. Not only because I studied in Kiel myself, but because being with farmers often doesn’t feel like work to me. For Felix, however, it does – he’s been awake since 5 a.m. and has already spent two hours milking his cows.We know that it’s not all idyllic scenery, of course, because Felix participated in our documentary “Rage is good. Action is better.” Our conversations about broken food systems are long, the thoughts profound, but the proposed solutions sound feasible.Felix is ​​a pioneer in regenerative agriculture, and his tireless commitment is inspiring. He took over the farm from his parents, who are still actively involved. The farm includes a herd of approximately 70 cows, its own farm shop, and its own dairy. Our tour begins at the farm’s own dairy, where we learn that dairy farming and cheese making are two different areas, each requiring specific training. This is where the milk is bottled and yogurt is made; the cheese and meat are produced in a neighbouring cheese dairy and slaughterhouse. We also learn that whey, for example, is unfortunately a waste product and has no market share.The calf nursery is for all calves that can spend their first few weeks with their mothers. Mother-calf rearing means more financial outlay for the farmer, because more milk is needed for the calf, than for the farmer. Felix says the effort is still worthwhile, as the calves are healthier and the mothers are more relaxed. On social media, Felix is ​​transparent about his work, including things that may not be so obvious to consumers—such as brother calves that aren’t kept on the farm for financial reasons. For this, he regularly receives criticism and has to argue, educate, communicate, and inform. Something I’ve seen all too often in customer service: those who are transparent are vulnerable. Those who do things differently have to justify themselves.Pioneering work, therefore, primarily means investing time in education. The Eichhof is a venue for courses, workshops, and meetings, and Felix is ​​often invited as a speaker. He comments: “It’s not easy to get the farmer off the farm,” because then work is left undone that others on the team have to do. And yet, Felix still takes the time to show our CrowdFarmers the pastures, the dairy, the stables, and everything that goes with them. He patiently administers a calcium infusion to a sick cow – the children watch with excitement and are even allowed to help.On the beautifully green pasture, we learn what a cow needs to milk 26-30 litres of milk a day and how much protein is contained in the grass.Using integrated agroforestry systems, Felix is ​​bringing more biodiversity to the pasture and expanding his cows’ menu with so-called “edible hedges.” The approximately 2,000 planted trees increase biodiversity and production in the ecosystem. They also provide shade in the pastures and improve water retention in the soil. This allows Felix to produce 90% of his cows’ feed himself, which is reflected in the quality of his cheese.We can experience the taste for ourselves at the subsequent campfire with bread on sticks and end the afternoon with interesting conversations.It was a long day, and after all the CowdFarmers have left, I take a walk around the farmyard alone and see a large chalkboard in the entrance area of ​​the house with a monthly calendar drawn on it. Today we shared the Eichhof with a children’s birthday party, and in a few days, an agroforestry workshop will take place.Raising awareness – a never-ending task! It’s incredibly wonderful when I see how many people came to the community meeting. It’s incredibly important when I see how much work it takes to produce a piece of cheese.