The Merkelhof has existed since 1964. Karl Merkel, who gave the farm its name, resettled from the main street ("Hauptstraße") to the northern border of Schwegenheim. At this time he specialized in tobacco growing. In 1982 Gerd Degen, his son-in-law, took over the management of the farm and started the cultivation of strawberries in 1988. In 1990 they grew the first asparagus. In 2001 the leading of the farm was passed into the hands of his son Andreas Degen. The Merkelhof has been Q-S EUREP GAP certified since 2004.