Holzkirchen - A farm kindergarten is to be built in Asberg.
The municipal councils are initially skeptical and are calling for improvements.
Hanna Müller's farm couldn't be more idyllic: Up on the Asberg behind Hartpenning, surrounded by wide meadows and far away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Up there, the educator Hester Frieß would like to open a farm kindergarten together with the farmer.
Now the community councils in Holzkirchen have generally approved the project.
The idea is not new: Frieß, who was currently working in kindergartens in Neuperlach and before that for many years in Holzkirchen, has been playing with the idea of establishing a farm kindergarten up on the farm since 2017.
When Müller completed her training as an adventure farmer and took over the farm from her father in 2018, Frieß had found the perfect partner for her idea.
Tailwind from the local council needed
Since then, the friends have been offering annual courses for children as well as adventure days for groups of visitors to Lebenshilfe and Regens Wagner, as well as school classes and kindergarten groups. Experience the annual cycle of flora and fauna, plant yourself in spring and harvest in autumn, take care of the animals or just let the calming effect of the idyllic atmosphere work on you - "This is amazing for the children", they know both from experience. To offer this experience to a fixed group of around 20 children all year round would be the dream for Frieß and Müller.
The community councils in Holzkirchen recently also dealt with the project, because the FWG parliamentary group had submitted an application to open a farm kindergarten on the Asberg.
"This is supposed to be an encouragement application without any obligation to pay for the community," said parliamentary group leader Torsten Hensel.
In order to show the two women that their project is desired, they would need a wind from the local council.
No rules for farm kindergarten
The project is not new to the administration, as Johann Löffler, responsible for day-care centers and schools, explained.
They had already been in contact with Frieß and Müller in 2017 and 2019, but repeatedly encountered problems during implementation.
The crux of the matter lies in the Bavarian Child Education and Care Act, in which no basis for a farm kindergarten has yet been laid down.
The only thing that is certain is that facilities of this type always need a spatial reference to a permanent building that is recognized as a kindergarten, explained manager Robert Haunschild.
If these rooms are located in the farm, a change in the use of agriculture would be necessary.
For the economically operated Demeterhof on the Asberg, this is not an option, as farmer Hanna Müller says.
Concerns in the local council
In general, the committee was benevolent towards the idea.
Sebastian Beil (CSU) and Wolfgang Huber (SPD) praised the high quality educational work that is already taking place on the farm.
"The legal basis is there and must be met," said Karl Bär (Greens), who saw approval but also as a positive signal for the project.
Michael Wohlschläger (CSU) had more concerns: “The idea is nice, but not fully developed.” Mayor Christoph Schmid also lacked extensive documents on the part of the two women: “Just an educational concept is not enough.” The municipal councils spoke out with two dissenting votes for the application.
Tricky situation with administration
For Frieß and Müller there is actually still a lot of work to do, because in order to receive the necessary recognition of needs from the community, they should now also submit a financial requirement and a construction plan for the educational concept.
“We can only apply for funding, for example, when the need has been recognized,” explains the educator.
“We're going in circles,” says Frieß, because in order to obtain an operating permit from the Miesbach district office, the two women need the community's approval of their needs.
Founding a parents' association, as suggested by Wohlschläger at the meeting, is out of the question for her.
"Working with your parents is extremely important, but it also makes you very dependent," says Frieß.
Start planned for September 2022
The upbringing concept in the all-day farm kindergarten should, above all, be geared towards the needs of the children. The activities would then be tailored to this. As an inclusion specialist, Frieß would like to offer two integration positions. "Children with developmental retardation or those from difficult social backgrounds benefit from the therapeutic effects of the animals," explains the Holzkirchnerin. The kindergarten area would be in a separate part of the yard, but the three to six year olds would always be involved in the agricultural work on a voluntary basis. “Amazingly, mucking out is always the best thing for all children,” says Müller.
The girlfriends are not discouraged.
With two helpful ladies from the district office, Frieß and Müller are now bridling the horse from behind.
Together they check what is structurally possible on the outside area of the courtyard and draw up a financial concept.
“Even if the numbers are vague, we can do it,” the educator is convinced.
When all the necessary documents are in place, it goes back to the community.
The start of the farm kindergarten on the Asberg in September 2022 would be a dream for the friends.
There are enough interested parties.
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