The Heidschnucken is an old landscape breed that is described as highly frugal, and is considered the heraldic animal of the Lüneburg Heath, for example. In 1998, the Society for the Preservation of Old and Endangered Breeds of Domestic Animals (GEH) declared the white horned Heidschnucke to be the "Endangered Livestock Breed of the Year" along with the Old German Shepherd Dog.

Farmer Hochgürtel also appreciates this breed of sheep because of its frugality and comparatively simple husbandry. In addition, there is another aspect that is important to her: Since Dorothee Hochgürtel relies on fruit cultivation, and especially on old varieties of scattered fruit, a lot of fallen fruit accumulates regularly. "The Heidschnucken love to eat it," she explains. In this way, the animals also help to maintain the meadows. Hochgürtel's grassland farm has been working according to the Bioland guidelines since 2001, and a total of over a hundred old apple varieties grow in her meadows, which are pressed into fruit juices after harvesting in her own production, for example. On Thursday, 29 April, at 16 o'clock Hochgürtel offers an information visit to their yard for those interested, on the occasion of the VHS program "agriculture and nutrition", participation fee eight Euro. Written registration for the visit is requested, written cancellation is possible until April 22.

(Original text: Axel Vogel / Translation: Mareike Graepel)