With two fingers to the white Spear, the earth around it a little wegbuddeln, in parallel with the blade down and then with a swing stand. That’s the theory. “Sometimes it runs, sometimes not. I still have no feeling for it,“ says Hendrik Weyenberg. It is his first day on the field. Actually, he is studying law and works part-time as a bartender at the Cologne Club Bahnhof Ehrenfeld. Actually.

“Now, I need coal”

Because the Corona-crisis delayed the semester start, is Weyenberg now instead of in Overalls on the asparagus field by Marco Kettelaers in Goch on the lower Rhine (North Rhine-Westphalia), in the vicinity of his parents ‘ house. His last savings on a trip to Nepal on it. “Now, I need coal.” That goes for Maik Graven, which operates in a normal life as a chef in the Restaurant “de Deichgräf” directly on the river Rhine, – which is closed until Further notice and he even in short-time work. Marius Becker/dpa, a trained chef Maik Graven stands on a field of asparagus

No more work for the people, so it is currently in many industries. In agriculture, it is the other way around: a lot of work, but hardly any workers. Since the government has imposed a ban on entry for harvest workers, suggest the associations alert: nationally, the talk is of around 300,000 missing helpers. Usually the year is a travel year tens of thousands of seasonal workers from Romania and Poland. How stable many of these systems work, sometimes only when it breaks down.

More harvest workers than jobs

Like the asparagus, the favorite vegetable of the German comes so well out of the ground? Platforms such as “helping The country” shot up quickly from the floor to the desperate farmers have to bring those together, now is the time, and no other work more.

Instead of outside in the yard, Marco Kettelaers therefore, in the last few days, a lot of time with phone Calls spent. More than 80 Volunteers have reported to him, two thirds of which he has called you – pupils, students, people on short-time work, self-employed persons without jobs or unemployed. Three of its Romanian employees, who come here for years, have made it in time to the Land, “the other sitting on Packed suitcases.” Around 45 workers Kettelaers in a normal season. Now he invites the day-to-day Individual to the sample work. “It’s been a crazy year,” says Marco Kettelaers. “We have to be flexible.”

Also wants to harvest Asparagus

learned of The offers of volunteers appears to exceed currently the demand. A 22-year-old student from Düsseldorf, Germany has already created one and a half weeks, a profile, and companies contacted. “So far I’ve heard nothing,” she says on the phone. In many cases, it will fail because there is nobody, the seeker and Willing, targeted leads together. For example, the Rheinische agriculture was overwhelmed bandage quickly, as after the call of thousands of Mails with Offers arrived.

Kettelaers is with the Phone now and shows his New patient, what it takes to stand out. It looks on to a well-Trained, and that looks pretty easy. But hardly a beginner made it straight. “This has been a thicker,” says Kettelaers, when a rod breaks off. “All the more annoying when he goes broke.” But most of the time outweighs his patience. “If it doesn’t work the first Time, is not that bad. But afterwards, zack, zack, zack goes.“ Marius Becker/dpa, farmer Marco Kettelaers (left) explains to the students Hendrik Weyenberg, how to asparagus stings

the main thing is that Maik Graven collects no Hollandaise Sauce

After the first half an hour, the rods, which he stabbed in after the first half hour, and puts you in a box. Only a few days, he is now in the “Deichgräf” on the stove, in a couple of days of the week, there is going to be pancakes and Pasta for Pick up. “The only Good thing is that I now have to turn to no Hollandaise Sauce, I hate it,” says Graven.

But whether or not harvesting Asparagus is really enjoyable? “I know what I was getting into,” he says. Two weeks ago, he has tried it already in the vicinity of Mannheim, with the field work, but the barren Hostels and the food, let him quickly return home. Now for the second attempt, this time in the vicinity, so that he can sleep in his own bed.

Work in the Wind and weather

“Quite well”, is Kettelaers conclusion to his two workers after the first lesson – even if Romanians moved in the meantime already several times with your asparagus crates past them. “I would not send you back home.” A loss for this year, he has factored in already. Meanwhile, the Federal government has loosened the travel ban for harvesters, so that the Germans need not fear for their fruit and vegetables. However, the under-stre ngen pads allowed the 80,000 helpers from abroad will not be able to close the gaping gap for a long time.

“After three, four days, hurts the back,” says Kettelaers Work on the pike. “If that is overcome, all is well.” What is the work of his helper of the season on hold and whom to hard, it will show. On that April day in the glistening sun reflected on the bright film, and all are glad of the fresh air. But: “We work in Wind and weather here, seven days a week.” Everything about the development of the Corona-crisis

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