Stormarn
On the eastern outskirts of Hamburg lies a lush, green, bountiful region that stretches all the way to Lübeck. Whether it’s vineyards, specialty nurseries, traditional bakeries, or the Bioland Gut Wulksfelde farm with its finest country-style cuisine: Stormarn offers nature and culinary delights right on your doorstep, while also being in close proximity to the major cities of the north.
Country-style kitchen at its best
The in-house kitchen at Bioland Guts Wulksfelde, located in Hamburg’s lush Alster Valley, sources a large portion of its fruit, vegetables, bread, eggs, and meat directly from its own farm. The menu therefore features seasonal dishes, freshly prepared with great finesse, accompanied by excellent organic wines from the estate’s own wine cellar. The historic estate grounds also feature a farm store with a café, as well as an interactive farm with a petting zoo for children.
“Schatoh Feldmark”
A fine wine! Jörn Andresen and Leon Zijlstra took first place at this year’s Ahrensburg Wine Festival with their “Schatoh Feldmark.” Since 2016, these two wine pioneers have been passionately running the first winery in the Stormarn district—located in Bargteheide/Delingsdorf, just outside Hamburg—with great passion. On soil that is surprisingly well-suited for a vineyard, Andresen and Zijlstra planted grape varieties adapted to the rather wet and cool North German climate. The result is a “pure Nordic wine experience” that already has a small but dedicated following.
Regional Specialties
The Wichmann family, who have been running the Travenhof near Reinfeld since 1972, sell only what tastes good and meets their own high standards in their farm store: their TravenEier eggs, which they also use to make egg liqueur and pasta specialties; bread and rolls made with Travenhof flour; locally grown fruits and vegetables; meat, milk, cheese, yogurt, and ice cream. Of course, small decorative items are also available. Outside of business hours, customers can use a “Regiomat”: At the push of a button, they can purchase not only high-quality farm products but also honey from the farm’s own rapeseed fields.
Crazy About Tomatoes
Tomato lovers, take note! The Kleverhof in Elmenhorst, which is farmed to organic standards in accordance with the guidelines of the Demeter Association, breeds and grows over 1,000 different tomato varieties, some of which are very rare and unusual. At the specialty nursery, you can order seeds for tomatoes, vegetables, herbs, and flowers—as well as gardening supplies—online or purchase them in person at the farm store. The farm store also offers tomato seedlings, organic wines and cheeses, vegetables, and many everyday essentials.
Braaker Mill
Germans are known for their love of beer and bread. Even in the smallest of villages, you’ll always find a bakery offering a wide selection of bread, rolls, cakes, and pastries. In Braak, located on the eastern outskirts of Hamburg, stands an old mill where flour has been ground and bread baked since 1859. Today, it’s in its sixth generation. The founder’s great-great-great-grandson, Tim Lessau, is himself a pastry chef, master baker, business administrator specializing in the skilled trades, and one of Germany’s first bread sommeliers—so it’s no surprise that he places great emphasis on quality and excellent flavor. On site, the Mühlen-Café invites you to linger, and tours of the old mill are also available. Mill events round out the offerings.