Berlin Agriculture: More Women in Leadership Roles | rbb24 Abendschau

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Berlin, January 25, 2026

farming in the City: One Berliner’s Fight to Keep Tradition Alive

Heike Zorn exemplifies a dwindling number of farmers in Berlin, embracing direct marketing and challenging conventional agricultural models.

• Heike Zorn operates one of the few farms remaining within Berlin’s city limits.
• her approach prioritizes direct sales to consumers, bypassing large-scale distribution.
• Zorn’s farm represents a shift in agricultural practices and a connection to older farming traditions.

imagine a working farm nestled within a major European capital. It’s not a scene most associate with modern agriculture, but for Heike Zorn, it’s reality. She’s one of the very few farmers still operating within Berlin, and her story highlights a crucial structural change happening in agriculture today. The farm’s existence is a testament to the enduring impact of conventional farming role models.

Zorn began her urban farming venture in 2020, inheriting a small plot of land from her grandfather, a long-time Berliner farmer.Witnessing the decline of local agriculture and the increasing dominance of industrial food production, she resolved to preserve a connection to the land and provide fresh produce directly to city residents. Initially, she faced skepticism and bureaucratic hurdles, as city regulations weren’t designed for agricultural operations within the urban core. However, through community support and advocacy, she secured the necessary permits and began cultivating a diverse range of fruits, vegetables, and herbs.

Did you know?– Urban farming can improve food security, reduce transportation costs, and enhance community engagement. It also offers educational opportunities about lasting agriculture.

Zorn’s farm, located in the Tegeler Forest, isn’t about maximizing yields for wholesale markets.Rather, she focuses on direct marketing, selling her produce directly to consumers. This approach allows her to maintain control over quality and build relationships with the people who eat her food. It’s a deliberate move away from the industrialization of agriculture, a system that frequently enough prioritizes efficiency over sustainability and community.

What is direct marketing in agriculture? Direct marketing involves farmers selling their products directly to consumers,cutting out intermediaries like wholesalers and retailers. This can include farmers’ markets, farm stands, and community-supported agriculture (CSA) programs.

The choice to farm in Berlin, and to do so with a focus on direct sales, isn’t simply a business decision; it’s a statement. It’s a recognition that agriculture can be more than just a commodity. It can be a vital part of a community, a source of fresh, healthy food, and a way to preserve traditional knowledge and practices.

Over the past six years, Zorn’s farm has become a local hub, offering weekly farm stands, workshops on sustainable gardening, and volunteer opportunities. She’s also partnered with local restaurants, supplying them with fresh, seasonal ingredients. Though, in late 2025, Zorn faced a new challenge: a proposed development project threatened to encroach on her farmland. A real estate firm planned to build a residential complex on a portion of the Tegeler Forest, potentially displacing zorn’s operation. This sparked a fierce community backlash, with residents organizing protests and petitions to save the farm.

Pro tip– Supporting local farms through direct purchases and advocacy helps preserve agricultural land and promotes sustainable food systems. Consider joining a CSA or visiting farmers’ markets.

Zorn’s farm serves as a microcosm of broader trends in agriculture. Many small farms have struggled to compete with large-scale operations, leading to a consolidation of the industry. However, there’s a growing movement towards more sustainable and localized food systems, and farmers like Zorn are at the forefront of this change