Obsthof Matthies with kids

At Obsthof Matthies, families can roll through the apple, cherry and pear orchards on the Obsthof-Express, a guided horse-drawn wagon ride. The owner explains himself how cultivation works, which varieties ripen when, and what the large irrigation basin is for. The farm café serves breakfast and homemade cake, and the farm shop offers apples, juice, jam and regional products.

Particularly striking is the frost-protection sprinkling on cold nights during apple blossom time: the trees are sprayed with fine water mist so a protective layer of ice forms around the blossoms. The Altes Land then turns into a glittering ice landscape. The season is especially rewarding for families in spring during blossom time and in late summer during apple harvest.

The farm on the Elbe dike in Jork-Borstel is reachable by car or bike via the Elbe ferries and combines well with a walk along the dike.