How exactly are the products we see on the shelves every day produced? What steps are involved in producing eggs, meat or cereals – and what challenges shape everyday life on a farm? The answers to these questions can only be deduced from theory to a limited extent. You have to experience them for yourself. That is precisely what the “Farmer for a Day” initiative is all about, which on 23 May 2026 once again took colleagues from the REWE Group to farms across Germany.
Around 30 staff members swap their usual workplace for a barn, a field and a farmyard for a day – right in the thick of things rather than just on the sidelines. The aim is to strengthen ties between the retail sector and the agricultural sector and to foster a realistic and, above all, appreciative understanding of how our food is produced.
This year, we accompanied two colleagues, Anne (REWE-ZENTRALFINANZ eG, Executive HR) and Simon (Rewe Markt GmbH, Accounts Payable), who spent their working day at the Schenkellieck estate in Heinsberg.
Instead of computer screens and Teams meetings, their day is filled with physical labour under the scorching sun and hands-on tasks: looking after animals, driving a tractor, understanding processes, pitching in and asking questions.
Gut Schenkelieck is a diverse family-run farm where several generations work together. The farm combines traditional farming with modern direct marketing: here, suckler cows are kept, laying hens are reared in mobile free-range systems, and arable farming is practised. A visitor farm rounds off the offering.
The farm’s own produce has been sold through a farm shop since the 1990s and is now supplemented by its own regional delivery service. The farm’s regional produce is also sold in selected REWE supermarkets in the surrounding area.
It quickly becomes clear on this day that farming is complex, physically demanding and characterised by numerous challenges – ranging from animal welfare and legal requirements to economic pressures. Many aspects that are easily underestimated from the outside are revealed here in all their depth. At the same time, it becomes clear just how much dedication and innovative spirit are needed to produce high-quality food whilst running the farm profitably.
Through direct dialogue with farmer Nils Mustert (24), there is scope for questions, context and a change of perspective. How inventive do you have to be today for a farm to survive? What does responsibility mean in day-to-day practice? And what expectations are placed on the retail sector? This personal exchange becomes a central part of the day – and this is precisely the heart of the initiative.
Anne and Simon are helping out at Gut Schenkelieck as farmers for a day. Photo: REWE Group
After all, ‘Farmer for a Day’ is more than just a change of perspective. The initiative is part of the REWE Group’s Agricultural Academy, which is run in collaboration with the Forum for Modern Agriculture. Its aim is to promote understanding across the entire value chain and to strengthen dialogue between all stakeholders.
For the colleagues taking part, this day has a lasting impact. The on-the-ground experiences sharpen their awareness of interconnections that often remain abstract in day-to-day work. What appears simple from the outside turns out to be complex. Requirements relating to animal welfare, organisation and economic viability constantly coexist and must be rebalanced by the farmer on a daily basis.
In the end, the experience leaves a lasting impression. Both colleagues are deeply impressed by the intensity of the day – by the workload, the wide range of tasks, but also by the clarity and directness of the work. For Anne, one thing is certain: she wants to apply again next year. And Simon will be back too – he has harboured a great passion for farming ever since he was a child…
