Touching farewell: mobile farm shop in Duisburg closes after 45 years!

Touching farewell: mobile farm shop in Duisburg closes after 45 years!

Josef Hartmann from Schermbeck says goodbye to his mobile farm shop in Duisburg after 45 years. This yellow van, which transported a variety of food, including apples, eggs and onions, is a familiar sight for many residents of the region. On March 5, 2025, the 64-year-old saw his last trading day as an emotional journey, on which, together with his wife Heike, he inserted 65 stops in Duisburg-Duissern and-Neudorf. School children and loyal customers had prepared small gifts such as flowers and homemade drawings to say goodbye to Hartmann and his wife.

The journey of the mobile farm shop had started in 1964 with Josef Hartmann's father, who initially set up a small egg delivery service. From 1980, Josef Hartmann was active at his side before taking over the tours later. Due to the lack of successor concept, the couple now decides to retire. Even if the Hartmanns look back on their decision with mixed feelings, they look forward to a quieter lifestyle.

a farewell with melancholy

The last tour was not just a business, but an emotional experience for everyone involved. Customers and friends of the Hartmann family were visibly affected by the farewell, which also ended an era. In the coming days there will be further farewell tours to give other loyal customers the opportunity to say goodbye. The response from the community shows how strongly the mobile farm shop was integrated into people's everyday life.

This retreat also ensures questions about the future of small agricultural companies in the region. Small courtyards like that of Hartmann play a crucial role in regional food supply. According to mein-hofladen.info you are not only important for local economic cycles, but also for the environment, since you offer fresh foods via short transport routes and often sustainable business.

The importance of small businesses

The advantages mentioned are varied: they promote biodiversity and protect natural resources by relying on ecological cultivation methods. Consumers are in direct connection to these companies, promote regional products and thus support sustainable agriculture. But the challenges for these companies are also considerable. High investments and the competition with larger companies represent great hurdles. Nevertheless, there is hope: The demand for regional and ecological products increases what can create perspectives for small courtyards.

The Hartmanns not only made an important contribution to local life of life with their delivery, but also won heart in the community. Your retreat reminds us of how important the role of small businesses for the entire regional system is. The last day for the farm shop may have come, but the memories and community bonds remain.

The reporting on this farewell was treated on February 25, 2025 on WDR television in the local time from Duisburg and shows how much the local community is affected by the closure of such an important service.