Wertheim-Freudenberg

We arrived into Wertheim at 8am and were able to have quick look around the village before departing on our buses for today’s tour to a dairy farm at Freudenberg.  On our way to the farm we passed one of the many solar panel farms that have been established right across Germany.  This one covered approximately 200 acres. 

The solar panel farm

Germany, like Australia, gave out subsidies for people to install solar systems but has now taken away the subsidy.  Germans pay a very high price for electricity.

The dairy farm we visited has installed a Bio-Energy plant and you can tell from this diagram how it works. 

Basically the manure is collected from the cows and pumped into a giant underground tank and turned into electricity.  The young farmer told us that the system cost $300,000 euro or about $500,000 Au$ so it is not cheap.  However the generate a large amount of power which in turn is feed into the grid, for which they are paid.  After our farm visit we were taken to a “wine cellar” where we all enjoyed good food and music before returning to the ship.

We had to wear "booties" on the farm

All cows are shedded during the winter.  The manure is waste is cleared every two hours using the V-shaped implement

Our young farmer guide

Easter is in the air

Photo taken from the bus as we were crossing the river

Poor little puppy was so cold waiting outside for his master who was happily drinking coffee inside!

Lunch in the "cellar"