Judith Rakers: From the daily news to the vegetable harvest on Rügen!

Judith Rakers: From the daily news to the vegetable harvest on Rügen!

Judith Rakers, once the voice of the “Tagesschau”, brings a breath of fresh air to the northern German countryside. After almost 20 years in the spotlight and seven years on a farm in Hamburg, the 47-year-old plans to move to Rügen in July 2024, where she has built a new house that is not quite finished yet. This news is met with mixed reactions; Many of her critics do not understand this lifestyle change, which Rakers sees as an unfair prejudice against East Germany. Opinions about their move appear to be strongly influenced by the political situation locally - in the last federal election, the AfD received 37.3 percent of the vote in its future constituency of Vorpommern-Rügen, which illustrates the dissatisfaction of many citizens with current politics.

Since she launched her gardening brand “Homefarming – Judith Rakers”, Rakers has discovered gardening herself and has become largely self-sufficient. This initiative came about because she wanted to eat healthily and become independent of inflexible store opening times. She was supported by cultural anthropologist Wolf-Dieter Storl, who inspired her to grow her own vegetables. To give her experiences and knowledge a broader platform, she launched a podcast that recently celebrated its one-year anniversary. In now 25 episodes, the podcast deals with topics such as bed planning and the importance of crop rotation for sustainable vegetable cultivation.

From media personality to bestselling author

During her time on the farm, Rakers also found her footing as a best-selling author. Her new children's book "Judith's Little Farm - Little Farm in Danger" focuses on solidarity and changing perspectives among animals. Even though she doesn't have children of her own, she enthusiastically talks about how much she's looking forward to writing for young readers. Her time as a news anchor and presenter, including on the talk show “3nach9,” certainly helped her to tell these stories vividly.

Urban gardening is becoming increasingly popular for hobby gardeners and environmentally conscious people. Projects in cities like Cologne or Berlin are transforming gray areas into green oases. These initiatives not only strengthen a sense of community, but also promote local food production and environmental awareness. The “Home Farming” program fits perfectly into this wave, as it relies on simple and effective methods for growing fruit and vegetables.

Sustainable urban development and community gardening

As the urban gardening initiatives show, gardening in the city, whether on balconies, roofs or brownfields, is a way to promote social integration and increase awareness of sustainability. Urban gardens are not only habitats for insects, but they also help improve air quality and promote biodiversity. Anyone interested in urban gardening needs, above all, a dedicated team and suitable space.

The combination of Judith Rakers' personal move, her successful urban gardening initiatives and her commitment to sustainable food production represents an important step towards a future, green society. Her story shows that changes in public perception and personal lifestyles can go hand in hand and that it is never too late to reset your course.