This year's Sensenfest is entering its third very special edition. Like every year kick-off takes place on Ascension Thursday, the date of which differs from year to year. Since nobody is really sure how to calculate the exact date, checking on google (or asking family members who are able to keep track of calendar dates) is a fairly safe investigation strategy.

Sensenfest evolved from a small Subbotnik on a more than 60 year old orchard in the sleepy little town of Strehla. In its current state this orchard is an open-sky lab which displays many of the challenges of small ecosystems coping with increasingly hostile conditions. Most notably extreme drought (annual rainfall is almost down to half the level of 2010), which is an undisputable consequence of climate change. But another factor is more involved. Changes in land-ownership structure, rural demography and overall increased cost of living are societal, but affect biodiversity. Landscape management on an industrial scale has largely replaced traditional methods of land use.

At Sensenfest we continually build and share knowledge of sustainable land use methods, like scything and swathing natural meadows, growing vegetables from seeds, planting new trees and pruning old ones with focus on promoting diverse insect and bird life.

However, agricultural methods and techniques alone will fall short of sustaining a healthy ecosystem. This garden needs us coming together as a caring community to construct things, party, get ourselves ruined and work the land. So get ready for the glorious experience of getting high on making something work together again.