The cold, wet weather of the past few months has also hit vegetable cultivation in the Frankfurt area hard. "Our lettuces, especially green and red oakleaf, have suffered greatly from the waterlogged fields. However, with a final harvest of around 90 per cent, the losses are limited and the size of our lettuces is also consistently okay," says Peter Ludwig, Managing Director of the vegetable farm of the same name based in Griesheim. Demand for regional lettuces has so far been average to good, he continues.
On a total area of around 200 hectares, the Ludwig family produces a wide variety of crops, including salads, table and industrial potatoes, field vegetables and, for around ten years, strawberries. "Back then, we were looking for a mainstay that would bring us closer to the consumer and then decided to grow strawberries," says Ludwig. Today, the Clery, Malwina and Sonsation varieties, among others, grow and thrive on ten hectares (eight hectares of which are in the open and two hectares in tunnels). "We started harvesting the Clery variety in the tunnel in April, and we are aiming to expand our protected strawberry production."
Peter Ludwig with a box of Batavia lettuce. His customers include the market companies based in the fresh produce centre.
Marketing via three sales channels
In addition to growing vegetables, the Ludwig family also market their produce themselves. Throughout the year, they can be found weekly on Tuesdays and Fridays at the wholesale market stall in the Frankfurt Fresh Produce Centre. They also run several market stalls at weekly markets in Frankfurt am Main and Mainz. "My son has also set up his own online shop for private customers in the neighbourhood, and we are planning to expand this line of business further in the coming years," the company concludes.
Left: Strawberries. Right: Beetroot and radicchio, also grown on the farm.
For more information:
Peter Ludwig
Ludwig Obst & Gemüsebau
Pferchweg 19
64347 Griesheim
T: 0049 162 2600 522
[email protected]
www.ludwigs.shop