Teaching and research farm Frankenhausen

As a teaching and research farm, the Hessische Staatsdomäne Frankenhausen has been available to the faculty since it was leased in 1998. The farm (firstly documentarily mentioned in the 9th Century) is not a classical research farm as such but a combined research and commercial farm. A modern teaching, research and transfer centre for organic farming and sustainable regional development has been set up on 320 ha of farmland and 36 ha grassland. The residual agricultural area is either used for research or under lease. A stock of 100 dairy cattle of the endangered breed "Altes schwarzbuntes Niederungsrind" has been kept since 2000. A loose housing stable has been newly erected in the direct vicinity of grassland areas and is used for investigations into various forms of pens for the cattle. Pigs and poultry are kept, and mixed farming is also carried out. Currently, active marketing measures have been built up in order to market the products produced on farm. The central approach of the interdisciplinary working teaching and research farm is the promotion of organic agriculture and employment in the agricultural and social sector. As a ‘transparent’ enterprise, the farm at Frankenhausen is a model farm for organic, economic and socially sustainable farm management in the region. The farm is not only reserved for university research and teaching, but is also open to the public.