Who knows what farm Harry has landed on! Maybe the bull chasing our time traveler into the nettles is a real Hinterwald cow! About half of Germany's land is used for agriculture, most of it for conventional farming. Just over 10 percent of farmland is organic – among the farms here, the Ark farms are a true rarity. These farms work to preserve traditional livestock breeds. They breed rare species, like the Bunte Bentheimer pig, the Black Forest goat or Hinterwald cattle.

During the historical span of mass livestock farming, breeds that used to be widespread in certain regions – and well-adapted to the climate and conditions – have been displaced. In 2021, 56 of the 80 native livestock breeds of horse, cattle, pig, sheep and goat in Germany were classified as endangered. Since 1981 – typical for Germany – an association has existed to tackle the problem: A society for the preservation of old and endangered domestic animal breeds. In 1995, the association launched the Ark Farms project. Aside from agricultural production, passing on knowledge is critical. Anyone interested in learning about the different animals and their histories can take a farm tour.