Laura Kulow
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Back to the parental large farm with fresh ideas
Laura Kulow - BSc Organic Farming, graduated 2016.
Currently: farm manager of Biohof Ritzleben, Arendsee.
When I decided on "agriculture" at the age of 19, the main reason was that no other bright idea for my career path came to mind, I had found my childhood on my parents' farm very idyllic and my love of nature had accompanied me ever since.
After an internship on a mixed farm in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, I began to study agricultural sciences in Berlin. With the birth of my first son a year later, I moved back to the countryside for two semesters and only went to the big city for exams. However, in Berlin I missed, among other things, the ecological topics and I enrolled in 2011 at the University of Kassel in the course "Ecological Agriculture".
With the change to Witzenhausen, I was gripped by an enthusiasm for agricultural topics that still exists today.
Teachers are on fire for their subject
The lecturers were committed to their work and were passionate about their subject areas. I found the interaction with the students to be cooperative and respectful. It was possible to discuss with the lecturers and to present one's own - sometimes special - opinions , which were discussed objectively and not ridiculed. Today, I consider this a great human achievement and essential for the development of new, progressive, forward-looking ideas for our agriculture.
The contact with fellow students was also exciting and enriching, as a wide variety of people came together who had already had contact with agricultural issues in many different ways. Thus, political and social discussions were always closely linked to (organic) agriculture, environmental protection and resource conservation.
End of studies and farm handover
After two intensive years, I moved back to my parents' business, which until then had been run by my father Carsten Niemann as a sole proprietorship, for the birth of my second son. Together we then additionally founded a GbR. Since then we have been accompanied in the farm handover process by our valued advisor Dirk Werner and the socio-economic advisor Dr. Marianne Nobelmann.
Our farm is located in northwestern Saxony-Anhalt - in the small village of Ritzleben. In 1991, my parents came here and converted the land directly; in July 2021, we will also celebrate 30 years of organic farming. The gradual transfer of farm tasks to me was suspended for a few months at a time due to the births of my daughters, and my father again took care of the day-to-day business. Fortunately, we were able to master these phases as a team with great employees.
Today we cultivate about 430 hectares of arable land and 80 hectares of grassland. The main focus of the farm is potatoes with about 70 to 80 ha of arable land. In addition, we grow spring oats, spelt, winter wheat, winter rye, spring barley, corn, blue and white lupins, field beans and various catch crops.
20 years ago, my father and five other farmers founded "Bio Kartoffel GmbH Nord & Co. KG", which organizes the marketing of our potatoes and, in addition to edibles, has also been producing potato flakes and starch for some years. Our long-standing marketing partners also include "Bauck GmbH & Co. KG" in Rosche and "Bohlsener Mühle".
Expanding your own horizons
The most important result of my time in Witzenhausen to date is the expansion of my own horizons on various levels. I find this very valuable and significant, as it gives me a lot of flexibility in my current position, but also security. According to the motto: "If operational adjustments are needed, the studies in Witzenhausen have given me a colorful bouquet of meadow flowers full of forward-looking possibilities and ideas to take with me on my way." I am very grateful for this to this day!
Finally, I would like to congratulate "my" university and all contributors on the anniversaries and I sincerely wish all the best for the future!