Donkey grazing on green grass (siur (123RF))
Tucked into the valley of a verdant hilltop I hear braying and clucking, running water and conversation. Lush, thick rows of sage green trees sit atop the hill, their branches greeting my friend and me as we push strollers down a paved path.
Donkeys peek their heads over a worn, wooden fence while horses watch us from further back, swaying their tails. We pause and take pictures while scanning the view for our destination: Eselmühle, meaning “donkey mill” in English.
Eselmühle is located in the countryside of Musberg, Germany less than a half-hour drive from USAG Stuttgart. It is one of seven mills that dot the landscape, each full of rich history.
Group of three donkeys grazing on grass (Betsy McLaughlin )
At Eselmühle, cottage-style buildings hold a mill, a bakery and bread shop, a mini food market and a private event center, along with a restaurant. Home decor is also available for purchase, including dishes adorned with donkeys, wood carvings and rustic iron pigs. Both muted as well as bright blue, pink and green dishware is set in an eye-catching display, and flowers interspersed with small and large candles create a cozy ambiance. Chickens peck through the cobblestones, increasing the farm-style atmosphere.
After ordering food from one of the cottages, we sit at an outdoor slated wooden table, shaded by trees, with flowered bushes encircling us. A small creek runs through the Biergarten and two wooden foot bridges occupy galloping children with mud-filled toes.
Brown donkey looking right at the camera (Betsy McLaughlin )
My friend eats a classic Swabian dish, Maultaschen, and I try a bite. She, a native German speaker, translates everything for me and she eloquently describes it as a “pillow hiding meat.” She further explains that the dish was created centuries ago during the Lenten season when people adhered to refraining from eating meat on Fridays. They hoped that mixing meat with spinach wrapped in a doughy pasta-like exterior would hide the true contents from God. Whatever the original purpose, the tastiness of the dish pushes me to practice the pronunciation, ensuring I can order it during my next visit. Meanwhile, I devour my garden salad and the German potato salad that sits atop it.
Though meat is included in dishes as requested, vegan options are also available (with no hidden meat, and that is a promise). If not seeking a full meal, desserts and cappuccinos along with other drinks can be purchased.
Biergarten on a sunny day (Betsy McLaughlin )
While dining, some donkeys meander through the Biergarten and decide the best-tasting grass is directly in front of our table. We laugh and call it all part of the experience, smells included, turning our attention back to the food we are unwilling to share with them.
Later, I approach a fence-line-abiding donkey and pet him on the nose. He snorts in appreciation, like a dog being rubbed behind the ears. Soon, his other donkey friends join him, while horses trot behind them.
Eselsmühle is renowned for its homemade bread, including a unique red loaf speckled with nuts, gaining its color from organic beetroot. Smells wafting from the bakery far outweigh those of the animals, creating an environment that begs for return.
Outdoor store (Betsy McLaughlin )
It is easy to find this quaint location, as an S-Bahn can be taken directly to Leinfelden, where a four-minute bus ride awaits a stop at Musberg Eselsmühle. If driving, a large parking lot is available free of charge. Eselmühle can also be directly accessed through the area’s abundant and expansive walking and biking trails. If planning to dine, it is best, and recommended, to secure reservations, particularly on weekends. An added bonus is that their small supermarket remains open on Sundays, a day that is often difficult to find groceries otherwise.
Whether you find yourself a city dweller needing an escape to nature, a farm animal enthusiast or someone just seeking a tranquil, charming location, Eselmühle will fill the need. Let the braying (and neighing) lull you into an afternoon of peace.
