Jugendfarm

What Jugendfarm does

Jugendfarmverein Möhringen-Vaihingen e.V. is a registered non-profit association (eingetragener Verein, § 51 ff AO charitable) founded in 1972 by Jörg Zink and the Deringer family, operating one of Stuttgart's 22 Jugendfarmen on approximately 5 hectares of grassland and 21 surrounding meadows at Balinger Strasse 111, Stuttgart-Möhringen. The organisation delivers nature-based youth welfare services to children aged 6–16 via open-access programmes (animal care, crafts, gardening, hut-building, fire-making) and complementary structured offerings, including a Naturkindergarten (nature kindergarten), Mittagsbetreuung (lunchtime supervision) and Ferienangebote (holiday care), Kleine Farm sessions for under-6-year-olds, freie heilpädagogische Reiten (free therapeutic horseback riding) for children from three partner special-needs schools, and group visits. It also hosts the Bundesfreiwilligendienst (Bufdi) volunteer programme.

The business is asset-intensive rather than technology-based: the core 'product' is the farm itself — livestock (horses, donkeys, goats, sheep, rabbits, chickens, geese, cats), the Hüttendorf village with city wall and fire pit, a craft workshop, riding arena, and woodland, combined with pedagogically trained staff (including specialists in animal-assisted education) and a network of Bufdi volunteers, PiA trainees, and corporate volunteer teams. There is no proprietary software stack — distribution is an on-site walk-in facility backed by a WordPress website (jufa.de), an online booking tool for fee-based childcare, and Instagram/Facebook channels.

Revenue is a blend of municipal funding from Stuttgart's Jugendamt (the primary, recurring base), parent fees for Mittagsbetreuung/Ferienbetreuung/Frühbetreuung (FamilienCard-eligible), association membership fees, and donations/grants from corporates (Sparda-Bank BW, Edeka Südwest, Daimler, Porsche, Festo), foundations, and individuals. The City of Stuttgart's announced 5% (2026), 10% (2027), and up to 20% (2028) cuts to youth-welfare funding constitute the defining strategic risk; an approximately €1M anonymous donation orchestrated via the Jugendhilfeausschuss in late 2025 is currently bridging all 22 Stuttgart Jugendfarmen through 2026–2027, after which fee increases, further cost containment, and intensified fundraising are expected to be required.

Name

Jugendfarm

Legal name

Jugendfarmverein Möhringen-Vaihingen e.V.

Website

https://jufa.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Jugendfarmverein Möhringen-Vaihingen e.V. is a Stuttgart-based, 1972-founded non-profit youth farm offering free, open-access nature and animal-care programmes to children aged 6–16, plus a nature kindergarten, after-school and holiday care, free therapeutic horseback riding for special-needs children, and international youth-farm consultancy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Welfare and Outdoor Education

NAICS

Child Care Services (62441), Child Care Services (6244), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)

SIC

Services-Child Day Care Services (8351), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Outdoor/Nature/Forest Preschools (EDACABAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Outdoor / Nature-Based Before/After Care Programs (EDACAHAJ), Outdoor / Nature-Based Nursery & Forest Playgroups (EDACACAH)

Keywords

• Youth farm programs
• Nature kindergarten
• Therapeutic horseback riding
• After-school childcare
• Animal-assisted pedagogy

Headquarters

HQ city

Stuttgart

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Municipal government funding (Stadt Stuttgart / Jugendamt): The primary revenue stream is regular public funding from Stuttgart's Jugendamt (youth welfare office), which covers personnel costs and operating expenses. Funding has been subject to cuts starting 2026 (5% reduction) with further cuts anticipated in 2027 and 2028.
2. Parent fees (Mittagsbetreuung, Ferienbetreuung, Fruehbetreuung): Fees charged for childcare services including lunch supervision, holiday care, and morning care. Accepts FamilienCard (Stuttgart city discount program). Fee increases are anticipated due to budget cuts.
3. Donations and grants: The organization receives donations from individuals, companies, and charitable foundations. Recent major donors include Sparda-BW (8,000 euros for wood-fired oven), an anonymous donor (approximately 1 million euros for all 22 Stuttgart youth farms), Edeka Südwest (2,000 euros for hay baler), Aktion Weihnachten der StZ/StN (3,750 euros for therapeutic horseback riding), and Bezirksbeirat Möhringen.
4. Membership fees: Annual membership fees from association members, contributing to operational funding.
5. Volunteer labor (Bundesfreiwilligendienst / Bufdi): Federal volunteer service workers provide labor at no direct cost to the organization, reducing personnel expenses. The farm hosts up to 5 Bufdis at a time.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Jugendfarm operates an open-access urban youth farm in Stuttgart-Möhringen offering children aged 6–16 free, hands-on nature and animal-based recreation (animal care, crafts, gardening, fire-making, hut village play) on a ~5-hectare campus. Beyond the core open farm, it sells fee-based childcare (Mittagsbetreuung, Ferienangebote, Frühbetreuung), runs a Naturkindergarten (nature kindergarten), and delivers free therapeutic horseback riding for children with disabilities in cooperation with three partner special-needs schools.

Product overview

Jugendfarmverein Möhringen-Vaihingen e.V. operates as a unified charitable organization offering a portfolio of interrelated youth and family services centered around its core Jugendfarm (Youth Farm) facility. The main youth farm provides open-access recreational programs for children aged 6-16, while the supplementary services build upon this foundation: the Naturkindergarten extends early childhood education using nature-based pedagogy, the Mittagsbetreuung and Ferienangebote provide childcare during and after school hours, and the Heilpädagogisches Reiten program offers therapeutic horseback riding for children with disabilities. Additional offerings like Die kleine Farm welcome families with younger children, and the Bundesfreiwilligendienst program recruits volunteers. All services share common infrastructure (animals, farmland, buildings) and a unified educational philosophy emphasizing nature connection, animal responsibility, and child development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Naturkindergarten: A nature-based kindergarten operating at the same site, offering outdoor education for children with extended hours and full-day care options.
• Heilpädagogisches Reiten
• Kleine Farm
• Mittagsbetreuung
• Ferienangebote

Products and services

• Jugendfarm (Youth Farm) An open-access children's and youth recreation facility offering children aged 6–16 hands-on nature-based experiences including animal care (horses, ponies, donkeys, goats, sheep, chickens, geese, cats), a crafts workshop, a hut village with campfire area, and approximately 21 surrounding meadows and orchards. Operates without prior registration during published opening hours.
• Naturkindergarten (Nature Kindergarten) A forest and nature-based kindergarten program where children spend most of their time outdoors, engaging with nature and learning through hands-on activities in a natural environment. Operates at the same site as the youth farm.
• Mittagsbetreuung (Lunchtime Supervision) After-school lunch supervision service for school-age children during the school year, bookable via the online booking tool, with FamilienCard accepted. From autumn 2026 it operates Monday–Friday.
• Ferienangebote (Holiday Programs) Holiday care programs during school breaks, including early morning supervision (Frühbetreuung), summer camps, and themed activity weeks for children. Bookable per week via the online booking tool, with FamilienCard accepted.
• Heilpädagogisches Reiten (Therapeutic Horseback Riding) Therapeutic horseback riding program for children with physical and cognitive disabilities, delivered free of charge in cooperation with three special-needs schools (SBBZ) including Bodelschwinghschule Stuttgart. Sessions are led by a special education teacher and supported by the farm's horses, focusing on self-confidence, motor skills, and positive experiences. Funded by donations (e.g., Aktion Weihnachten 3,750 euros annually).
• Kleine Farm (Little Farm) Designated open sessions for parents with children under 6 years old, allowing families to experience the youth farm together with guidance from older farm children and staff. Held Saturday until September 2026 and Friday from autumn 2026, 14:00–18:00. Free, no registration required, donations welcome.
• Gruppenbesuche (Group Visits) Structured visits for organized groups including school classes, daycare groups, and other organizations to experience farm life and educational activities at the Jugendfarm.
• Bundesfreiwilligendienst (Federal Voluntary Service)

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 80 children and youth visit the farm daily (over 85 in 2025)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Stuttgarter Jugendhausgesellschaft (StJG)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2025StJG is the organizational anchor for most positions at Stuttgart's youth farms and activity playgrounds. The organization is in close and trust-based coordination with the Jugendfarm regarding the anonymous donor's funding. StJG employs most staff positions at the farm sites.
• proBiene gGmbHminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2025proBiene gGmbH conducted an international specialist exchange program that included the Jugendfarm as a model example of youth work, sustainability, democratic participation, and resilience. Guests from Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Austria, Denmark, and Germany participated.
• Forest Education Center Morinos / Gifu Academy of Forest Science and Culture (Japan)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2025The Jugendfarm is actively supporting the development of one of Japan's first youth farms at Morinos in Mino, Gifu Prefecture. Farm staff provided theoretical lectures, the Hüttenbau-Führerschein certification, and needle-felting workshops. Morinos is a forest education center visited by school and kindergarten classes.
• Festo (Helping Hands volunteer program)minorOthers · 1 October 2025Festo's 'Helping Hands' employee volunteer program sent a team to the farm for a day of maintenance work including workshop renovation, city wall repairs, fence maintenance, sheep stall improvements, and seating construction at the fire pit.
• Bund der Jugendfarmen und Aktivspielplätze e.V. (BdJA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2025BdJA is the national federation of youth farms and activity playgrounds in Germany. Jugendfarm Möhringen participates in BdJA competitions and events (e.g., AKI-Kicker-Cup, farm film contests) and exchanges knowledge with international visitors through BdJA connections.
• Porsche (corporate volunteer team)minorOthers · 1 July 2025A team of three Porsche employees volunteered to rebuild the shelter for donkeys Emil and Minou, providing labor and craftsmanship at no cost to the farm. Demonstrates corporate social engagement from a major local employer.
• Ceméa Occitanie (France)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2025A delegation of educators from the Ceméa Occitanie regional network in Southern France visited the farm to learn about youth farm and nature kindergarten concepts for potential replication in France.
• Bodelschwinghschule StuttgartcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThis special education school initiated and supports the therapeutic horseback riding program at the farm for children with physical and cognitive disabilities. The program is delivered at no cost to the children, funded by donations channeled through the school's initiative.
• Three special education schools (SBBZ) — children with physical and/or cognitive disabilitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWithout financial compensation, the farm provides its site, horses, additional staff, and infrastructure for therapeutic horseback riding sessions for children from three partner special education schools. A special education teacher leads the sessions. This program is a core component of the farm's inclusive mission.
• Kleintierzüchterverein Stuttgart-Möhringen e.V.minorOthersLocal small animal breeders' association donated a rooster to the farm's chicken coop.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Naturschutzjugend (NAJU): Germany's youth wing of NABU, providing nature-conservation programming for children and youth. Comparable in nature-pedagogy and youth engagement but focused on environmental activism rather than farm/animal-based programming; serves as adjacent ecosystem rather than direct competitor.
• proBiene gGmbH: German non-profit running international specialist exchanges in sustainability and democratic participation; hosted a 2025 delegation at Jugendfarm Möhringen-Vaihingen. Comparable as an ecosystem partner facilitating international knowledge transfer and pedagogical program design rather than as a competing operator.
• NABU (Naturschutzbund Deutschland): Germany's largest nature and biodiversity conservation association, providing environmental education programs including to youth. Compares on nature-pedagogy and donor mobilization, but NABU is a conservation/advocacy organization rather than a youth farm operator.

Regional players

• Morinos / Gifu Academy of Forest Science and Culture: Japan-based forest education center in Mino, Gifu Prefecture, currently developing one of Japan's first Jugendfarm-style youth farms with direct training support from Jugendfarm Möhringen-Vaihingen staff. The most direct international equivalent in active build-out — comparable model, different geography.

Direct peers

• Stuttgarter Jugendhausgesellschaft (StJG): Stuttgart's umbrella organization for youth facilities; employs most staff positions at Jugendfarm Möhringen-Vaihingen and co-coordinates the €1M anonymous donor across all 22 Stuttgart youth farms. Operationally intertwined and directly comparable in service mix and geography.
• Stadtjugendring Stuttgart: Stuttgart's umbrella association for independent youth organizations. Comparable as a Stuttgart-based youth welfare intermediary coordinating municipal funding, member associations, and youth programming — overlaps with Jugendfarm's municipal funding and volunteer mobilization model.
• Bund der Jugendfarmen und Aktivspielplätze e.V. (BdJA): National federation of German youth farms and activity playgrounds, of which Jugendfarm Möhringen-Vaihingen is a member. Directly comparable: BdJA members share the same combination of open-access youth work, animal care, nature pedagogy, and municipal funding model across Germany.

Broad incumbents

• SOS-Kinderdorf: Germany's largest established youth welfare provider operating residential villages and family-style care programs nationally. Overlaps in mission (supporting vulnerable children/youth) and partial funding sources (donations, public funding) but operates at much larger scale and in a different service segment (residential rather than open youth work).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/JugendfarmMoehringen
• Instagraminstagram.com/jufa.de
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/jugendfarm

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Jugendfarm