Garbenfest Museumshof Lensahn
A journey back in time to the historic harvest season at Lensahn Museum Courtyard
About Garbenfest
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Harvest Festival with Historic Machine Park
The Museumshof Lensahn in Ostholstein, district of Ostholstein, state of Schleswig-Holstein, is one of Northern Germany's most important open-air agricultural museums. The grounds feature historic farmhouses, workshops, and an extensive collection of machinery documenting the mechanization of agriculture in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The museum hosts themed demonstration days several times a year — one of these is the Garbenfest in midsummer.
The Historic Grain Harvest
Before mechanization, the grain harvest was the most labor-intensive period of the farming year. The Garbenfest recreates this world:
- Scythe Mowing — skilled scythe mowers (often members of scythe associations from Northern Germany) demonstrate mowing with traditional hay-turner scythes
- Binding Sheaves by Hand — how the grain is tied into sheaves from loose stalks
- Binder in Action — a historic harvesting machine that mechanized the binding of sheaves
- Setting up Stooks — the sheaves are arranged in the typical triangular shape on the field to dry
- Historic Combine Harvester — the next stage of mechanization, compared to modern large-scale machines
More Than Just a Demonstration
The Garbenfest is also a family festival: children can see the historic combine harvester up close, the farm baker offers fresh bread from the wood-fired oven, and the museum café serves cakes made from traditional East Holstein recipes. The farm shop sells regional flour, honey, and jams.
Garbenfest — edition 2026
2026 Summer Edition
The 2026 edition of the Garbenfest demonstrates the full spectrum of pre-industrial and early industrial harvesting technology: from scythe mowing to the combine harvester. In dry weather, the machines will roll across the museum's own grain field; in case of rain, the demonstrations will be held under cover. Children can inspect the historic binder up close and help with binding sheaves.
Programme Garbenfest 2026
Sunday, July 26, 2026 — Museumshof Lensahn
- 10:00 AM — Courtyard opens, welcome by the museum director
- 10:30 AM — Scythe mowing demonstration in the field
- 11:30 AM — Hand-binding sheaves with visitor participation
- 12:30 PM — Lunch break, farm bakery and café open
- 2:00 PM — Demonstration of the historic binder
- 3:00 PM — Setting up stooks, explanation of the drying process
- 4:00 PM — Operation of the historic combine harvester
- 5:00 PM — Festival ends
Farm baker with fresh bread from the wood-fired oven, café with East Holstein cake specialties, farm shop with regional flour and honey. Program: museumshof-lensahn.de.
Highlights Garbenfest 2026
- Scythe mowing and hand-binding of sheaves
- Historic binder in action
- Historic combine harvester
- Farm bakery with fresh bread
- Family-friendly
Prices Garbenfest 2026
€8.50 per person. Children and family tickets are cheaper. Food and drinks in the farm café are separate.
Practical information — Garbenfest
Getting There
Lensahn is located in the hinterland of Ostholstein, district of Ostholstein. By car via the A1 (Lensahn exit) and B501. Lensahn train station with connections from Lübeck and Hamburg. Parking spaces directly at the Museumshof.
Opening Hours
The Sunday date of July 26, 2026, typically runs from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Admission
€8.50 per person. Children are cheaper, family tickets available.
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Travel to this festival
Reserva tu tren o autobús para llegar a Garbenfest al mejor precio.
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Where it takes place Garbenfest
Museumshof Lensahn
Bäderstraße 18, 23738 Lensahn