Oderbruch is a landscape in the east of Brandenburg, with the river Oder being the border to Poland. It is a highly productive agricultural area with fertile grounds.
There is the rule that one should leave the land within 5 minutes when it starts to rain, otherwise you get stuck, men as well as maschinery. With the draught of the last two summers, this rule has lost its importance.
Agrogenossenschaft Schiffmühle is a cooperative that evolved out of a former state cooperative (LPG). They combine cattle breeding and arable farming, a combination that nowadays is not considered the most efficient, financially. 8 people work full time for the cooperative. The bad harvest forced them to pay themselves only half-salary in 2018/19.
The cooperative took over some of the traditional obligations of the state farms, providing workshops for the kindergarden or organising the annual senior citizens christmas feast.
