The social commitment of the apprentices at Kräuter Mix in Abtswind, the largest sponsor of Mix for Kids, fell on fertile ground: When asked to choose a project, they decided to build two raised herb beds for the children’s home in Geesdorf, Germany.

Since 2019, the facility has received regular financial and in-kind support from Mix for Kids. Recently, three apprentices – Calvin Gehret, Florian Wächter and Lucas Geisel – demonstrated their craftsmanship and green thumbs while gaining experience in project management and teamwork.

Wooden pallets, potting soil, pond liner and herb seedlings were needed to create the beds. Kräuter Mix covered the cost of the materials while the apprentices spent an entire Saturday working at the children’s home. With the enthusiastic children as their little helpers, they assembled the wooden pieces, lined the finished frames, filled in the soil and planted the herbs: Thyme, chives, parsley, basil, rosemary, marjoram and oregano now grow in the raised beds, tended and eventually harvested by the children and their teachers.

“The project gave our apprentices a positive experience of teamwork and reinforced sustainability and social responsibility, values that are particularly important to the team at Kräuter Mix,” said Michael Kämmerer, the company’s project supervisor and mentor to the apprentices.