Get to the potatoes

"Get to the potatoes, get set, go!" Action on the stage in Hall 20: potato peelings fly, heads turn red with eagerness, music blares from the loudspeaker. Every second potato in Germany is harvested in Lower Saxony. That is why the Landjugend is not only exhibiting a potato barn at the Green Week, but has also organised a potato peeling competition. Eight rural youth teams, each with five members, will compete against each other in a duel: A basket of potatoes in front of them, one person peels a potato, then the next person takes over the peeling knife. After three minutes, the team weighs who has peeled the most potatoes.

Potato sushi and Schnuckenbräu beer

While the rural youth loudly cheer each other on, the potato barn next door not only serves potato waffles with salmon, but also potato brownies with vanilla sauce, potato sushi with or without beef, Schnuckenbräu beer and potato schnapps.

Animals guess at the wheel of fortune

Lower Saxony presents itself quite grounded in Hall 20 - but also as varied as its landscape. After all, the second-largest state in terms of area (after Bavaria) stretches from the North Sea islands to the Harz Mountains, from the Weserbergland over the Heath to the Elbe-Wendland. It is also home to the Lower Saxony Elbe Valley Biosphere Reserve, which is indicated by a large wheel of fortune. Those who turn the wheel have to recognise animals on photos before they are rewarded with jelly bears. Unfortunately, "bat" or "chicken" is not enough of an answer - the exact species name is needed. "Like the old hoover!", assists the stand leader. But those who still don't get it don't go away empty-handed - there are also consolation prizes.

Opposite, the Alte Land presents the new apple variety "Fräulein" and the "Wellant", which even apple allergy sufferers can tolerate. Those in need of something warm can treat themselves to a curry sausage with apple curry sauce. Or, once halfway through the hall, kale with pinkel and fried potatoes from the Oldenburg Münsterland.

Sweet crisps from Südheide

Right next door, there's a soup made from sweet potatoes - grown by "Gaus-Lütje Kartoffeln" in the district of Gifhorn in Südheide. "A customer asked us if we could also grow sweet potatoes, so we said 'yes'," says co-owner Tina Gaus-Gevers. The sweet potato actually comes from tropical regions of South America. But in Südheide, too, it has been thriving for five years now with moist soil, enough warmth and sunshine. Gaus-Lütje process the specimens that are too small or too crooked into chips with sea salt, which of course can also be bought at the Green Week.

Healthy shakes from the milk bar

Lower Saxony is not only potato country, but also milk country. At the Green Week visitors can virtually explore a cowshed with VR glasses. And get healthy drinks at the milk bar: whole milk, milkshake with chocolate or Salty Caramel, smoothie made of mango, milk and banana or with buttermilk, peach nectar and grenadine syrup). Also on offer: frozen yoghurt with toppings, curd cheese with strawberry or peach and nostalgic cheese skewer with grapes.

Visitors will find delicacies from Lower Saxony in Hall 20.