Counting SheepCheese from the Langenburg Sheep's Cheese Dairy

Let's start with the result: 280, which is roughly the number Norbert Fischer arrives at when he counts his milk sheep. Sometimes a little more, sometimes a little less. The exact number depends on the offspring. The Langenburg sheep farm of Norbert Fischer has now been in business for 37 years.

Fischer is known far beyond the borders of the Hohenlohe Region. His farm, with its green roofs, sits on a sunny ridge above the Jagst Valley. Architects would say: Fischer built it with the sun. The sheepfold, cheese dairy, and house are designed according to ecological principles. Anyone visiting the Hohenlohe Region should not miss a visit. At the Langenburg Sheep Cheese Dairy you can taste the landscape in its most natural form. Just ring the bell at the farm shop, cut off a piece of cheese and enjoy.

Apart from the cheese, there are several reasons to visit Langenburg. Car fans make a pilgrimage to the German Car Museum at Langenburg Castle. Hikers wander through the beautiful bends of the Jagst Valley and climb its steep slopes. Cyclists crisscross the wide Hohenlohe plain. No matter how you are out and about, one question comes to mind for all guests: Why has the landscape actually become exactly as beautiful as it is? Part of the answer leads back to the cheese dairy: it's the sheep.

In fact, the work of the sheep was sung about by Goethe: "Draw the sheep from the meadow / It is a pure green / But soon it will become a paradise / It will bloom in many colors. To be more precise, today we speak of active landscape conservation in connection with sheep grazing. Many meadows would have long since become overgrown if the sheep had not regularly kept them in order. Only what has thorns or tastes bitter is spared. The sheep love everything else and eat it with great relish. In this way, the animals keep the meadows short and colorful. In Hohenlohe and all over the world, sheep farming helps to keep the landscape as it is. Species-rich and flourishing. In the case of Hohenlohe, the result is a postcard-perfect landscape.

Without meaning to, Norbert Fischer is the picture-perfect shepherd. Dark shepherd's coat, white beard, sunny smile - with Fischer, everything fits. Only the last name is a bit misleading. While Fischer raises sheep according to traditional organic principles, his cheese compositions are imaginative and anything but ordinary. They are called Schaf-Picco, Robiola, Blue Grey, Pyrenean, Rye Blue, or Ricardo. But what Fischer produces is by no means just cheese. Contrary to popular belief, sheep's milk is extremely versatile. It doesn't "buck," so it's hard to compare it to goat's milk. Fischer uses it to make a unique ice cream. If you are going for a hike in the summer, you should definitely plan a stop at the sheep's cheese dairy. The ice cream menu includes raspberry, coffee, and chocolate, as well as unusual flavors like whey ginger and roque-blue pear. All handmade, of course.

Meanwhile, his sheep continue to cultivate the landscape. The animals do what we humans would like to do: They spend the day eating delicious food. So much so that they even miss sleep. Half-hour naps are enough for the animals. Then they continue to cultivate. Sheep are extremely social animals. They form friendships, rarely fight among themselves, and feel sad when a member of their flock dies. In short, they are great animals. If it weren't for the fact that they have a mind of their own, which remains difficult for humans and shepherds to understand. Perhaps this has shaped not only the landscape, but also shepherd Fischer. In any case, he is happy about every visit.