Britta Johannsen
Innovator
Honkenswarf farm
Germany
Environmental
Rural Areas
Remote rural areas
The innovation journey
Britta Johannsen and her husband are the fourth generation to run a grassland farm with suckler cows and dairy cattle on a small North Sea island (Hallig) in the north of Germany. In summer, the milk from 8 of the 30 cows is processed into butter, cream and yoghurt in the farm’s own dairy and sold in the farm shop. Their butter is also sold in shops on other islands. This makes Honkenswarf the last dairy farm on a Hallig. The farm shop is also a speciality; it has been the only shopping opportunity in this remote region for 10 years.
The innovation impact
Her father-in-law already ran a small direct marketing business for farm produce, but Britta has expanded the business into a respectable shop selling everything the islanders need apart from bread, fruit and vegetables. Meat and sausages are processed on farm, but are also bought in. From April to October, dairy products are produced on the farm. The region is very remote and is only served by ferries twice a day in summer and irregularly in winter. As a result, her shop is not only popular with tourists, but also with many locals and is also a social meeting place. As their farm is small-scale, it is popular for 4-week student internships.