Today Judith Rakers lives as she pleases. The way there? challenging. In GALA she tells how she found herself and her happiness.
Instead of opening cans, Judith Rakers now prefers to stand at the stove. Of course also when her father comes to visit, one of the most important people in her life. Sometimes he has to smile about the fact that his daughter has become a real “foodie”, as the recipes in her new book now show.
A lot has changed for the 47-year-old – for example, that a certain dress size is no longer as important to her as she tells GALA. Her divorce in 2019 also contributed to this change. After that, Judith Rakers was free to think about what she really wants. And that is life in the country with lots of animals and a large self-sufficient garden.
Judith Rakers – Self-sufficiency suits her well
GALA: How does it feel to cook with home-grown produce?
Judith Rakers: Wonderful. My fruit and vegetables inspire me anew every day. Even in my fifth year gardening, I’m still amazed at how well I’m doing planting and living on my small farm.
Did you have doubts at first?
But yes! Because I used to be a total honk when it came to gardening, keeping chickens and cooking. Exactly the three things that have now become my greatest passion – I had absolutely nothing to do with them in the first half of my life. Every orchid died for me. I also liked to eat canned ravioli. And I found chickens – to put it nicely – unsympathetic.
What led to this change?
I suddenly found the idea of freedom and independence very appealing. Just going outside when you don’t have anything in the fridge sounded wonderful to me. Above all, I felt the ever-increasing desire to spend more time in the midst of nature. So I started looking for a house outside of the city and away from the hustle and bustle.
You were single then.
Yes. I was at a point in my life where I could uncompromisingly follow my inner voice. She had gotten so loud that it was taking more and more energy to ignore her. During this time I learned something important: If there is any way, it is right to follow this voice. This can be the key to great personal happiness.
Out of the city – into the “middle of nowhere”
You’ve turned your life around.
And completely. Until I was 40, I loved life in the center of Hamburg – the bakery right next door, cafes, restaurants, culture. It felt right. Until the moment I realized I needed something else to be happy. I was out of my mind with this life in the city. So I adapted the outer circumstances to my inner self.
A radical cut that requires courage. How were the reactions?
Many have advised me not to go that far, as a woman, alone and on a huge property “in the middle of nowhere”. However, I knew instinctively that it was the right thing to do.
In addition to gardening, you have discovered your love for chickens. Does your rooster Giovanni – named after your “3 to 9” colleague Giovanni di Lorenzo – still exist?
Unfortunately, he passed away, which saddened his godfather very much. Giovanni sacrificed himself in the heroic defense of his hens in a fight with a hawk. Hawks are perfidious hunters. They are large birds of prey, but they can make themselves small enough to fit through a tiny hole. One actually squeezed through the mesh of the bird protection net and raged in the enclosure.
Don’t your own chickens end up on your table?
No, I wouldn’t bring myself to do that!
What you find easier is dealing with snails.
My advice: Don’t use beer traps, that attracts all the snails in the neighborhood. I swear by a snail fence, then they won’t even get into the bed. If they are already inside, you can place a pair of Indian runner ducks in the garden. You can even rent the animals. They eat all snails and especially their eggs.
Sounds like you’re steeled dealing with garden critters. How about caterpillars?
I recently had a pretty bright green one in my salad that was almost the size of my little finger. I spontaneously decided to feed the lettuce to the chickens. They were happy.
She has a heart for animals
Your mare Sazou often grazes in the garden – just like with Pippi Longstocking.
That’s exactly how it is here. (laughs) Sazou actually lives in a riding facility, but every now and then I bring her over for a few days. Then when I’m having a barbecue with friends, she trotts over like a dog and wants to be petted. In such moments I am particularly happy about my little paradise. Sazou’s foal Charlie will also be there at some point. At the moment he is still in the young stallion group of the foal day-care center.
Sazou also takes care of the fertilizer.
You only have to store the horse manure for five months, then you have the best hummus. I recommend all garden lovers to get some from the riding stables or simply pick them up on the street if there is anything there. Best fully organic fertilizer.
Did you learn how to grab from your father who raised you?
Yes. I’m already realizing that I seem to have some skills that many of my girlfriends lack. I can build a garden house, lay laminate and use circular saws. For me this is normal because I helped a lot with DIY. In addition, my single father instilled in me a healthy pragmatism and fearlessness.
Family comes first for Judith
How do you feel about your father getting older?
The thought makes me sad. Life is short, I am aware of that. So I use the time we have. We go on family vacations together every year, we call regularly, and we always spend Christmas together in Bad Lippspringe. I’m an absolute family man, and that’s how I live it.
And how do you deal with your own aging?
I’m so relaxed about it. Maybe because I’ve found happiness in life and I’m enjoying it so much right now. I look at one or the other dent on the body with love. A look into the garden helps here too: even the crunchy carrot will eventually shrivele. I also don’t pay attention to my weight as much as I used to, otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to write this cookbook. (laughs) I tried a lot for this and everything was so delicious. But fitting into a certain dress size is no longer important to me. I haven’t been to a society event for a number of years, although I used to enjoy attending such events. Given the choice between red carpet and campfire, I know exactly where I’m drawn to.
What does your everyday life in the middle of nature give you?
Pure, pure happiness.