A Meyer is not just a manager of a farm in the strictest sense, and the term is a relict of feudal property law.
A "Meyer" is a farmer who owns the land that was originally given to his family as a "feoff", meaning when he dies his son or daughter does not automatically get the land but has to apply for it and - if accepted - gets a document confirming the possession (it varies between real possession and forms of tenancy); it can also mean that he or she had to pay a certain amount or work
a number of days every year for the feudal lord.
"Wede" could be derived from "Weide" = pasture. Thus Nicole's family name (and mine) of WEDEMEYER could mean an enfeoffed pastoralist farmer?
I have a copy of an 1864 mortgage document in Canada which refers to "feoff". This shows that the "feoff" persisted in countries apart from Germany, and also up to relatively recent times.
Quote: " Have granted bargained sold aliened enfeoffed conveyed and confirmed ... by these presents Do grant bargain sell aliene enfeoff convey and confirm unto the said James F. Mixner his Heirs and assigns" End quote.