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#ndr #ndrdoku #sheep A fresh wind is blowing through the traditional Kolmannskuppe dike sheep farm in North Friesland: Henning Hecker (31) has taken over the farm from his father Wilhelm Hecker (59) and is now running it in the fourth generation. The young shepherd studied agricultural economics and is currently modernizing the farm with 1200 sheep. As one of the first dike sheep farms, he is introducing a technical data collection system in order to work more efficiently with the animals. He also wants to get people excited about lamb again and provide insights into his work. That's why he even runs his own YouTube channel, Hof Kolmannskuppe. A dike vlog with almost 2000 subscribers. In spring, Easter time is also lambing time: when the offspring arrive from March to May, the whole family has to pitch in. With over 1600 births, Henning and his father Wilhelm divide the day into sweaty twelve-hour shifts. Someone always has to monitor the births and sometimes lend a hand if a birth does not go according to plan. The offspring take their first steps in the individual boxes. Femke Andresen, Henning's partner and former lamb queen of North Frisia, looks after her own family's two offspring. The young shepherd is afraid of the wolf, which has already arrived in Dithmarschen. However, the competition from the air is much greater: geese are Henning Hecker's greatest challenge. They come in flocks, eat up the best growth and cause problems for farmers all along the North Sea coast. In March, the dike season begins for the sheep. Henning Hecker takes the herd from the stable to the green dike and to the foreland on the North Sea. There they graze until November and maintain the dikes. Dike sheep farming is essential for coastal protection in northern Germany; the sheep keep the turf short and tread the ground firmly. In November, the animals will be taken to the inland areas of Schleswig-Holstein to be grazed on conventional dairy farms. The shepherd is enjoying the time with his family in a balancing act between tradition and innovation and is already working on further plans for the future. A farm shop is due to be added soon.