Year of birth: 1960 Education: Apprenticeship as a gardener and florist; working as a farmer on my own farm in the Kaunertal for many years
Bäuerin Gretl - (c) Gretl
About me
Together with my husband and our three children, I live and work on a farm in the Kaunertal, and we also have our own cheese dairy. I like to eat early, go to bed early, and get up early, so being a farmer is just right for me. I love the smell of stables and hay, and the silence in winter. I die for milk with dark bread, which I actually make myself, and cooking is one of my greatest passions.
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Tell us about where and how you and your family live?
We live in a very old, quaint farmhouse and run a dairy farm and, for some time now, also a cheese dairy, of which we are very proud. The five of us are a colorful bunch and it can sometimes get quite chaotic, but in difficult situations we are an unbeatable team and that is a wonderful feeling.
What does a normal work day look like?
I get up at about five o'clock to feed the calves. After breakfast, I start my work in the cheese dairy, cook for my family, or work in the garden. I love the garden, especially my interest in herbs, and I am always amazed at what can be made from them.
What is special about your life?
On the one hand, the work is very varied and although I am physically very challenged, I have a lot of fun. I am a wife, mother, farmer, housewife, cook... for me the ideal combination, as I can combine the most different functions and organize my time myself. Above all, I can work in or with nature and live in the rhythm of the seasons.
How do you spend your free time?
When there are free days or times, I like to use them to recharge my energy. I often go hiking and love to visit the Tyrolean mountain huts, as meeting people brings a very welcome change. In winter, I often go cross-country skiing and sometimes I am also persuaded to go on a ski tour.
My life motto:
"Those who fight can lose. Those who do not fight have already lost." (Berthold Brecht)
My tip:
If you are in Tyrol, you should definitely stop at a mountain hut to enjoy the special atmosphere and try the culinary delights of the region.
The production of tasty cheese and healthy dairy products has a long tradition in South Tyrol. The first dairy cooperative was founded in San Candido in 1875, with many more to follow over time.
Asparagus cultivation in South Tyrol already has a tradition. Especially the area around Terlan in the Adige Valley is known for the excellent asparagus that is produced there. But also in the Vinschgau, around Kastelbell-Tschars, asparagus is cultivated, which need not shy away from any comparison.
In the Sarntal, people have always lived in close connection and in harmony with nature. The seclusion of the valley, which for centuries, especially during the winter months, was very difficult to access, made it necessary to adapt to the rules of nature and at the same time to utilize the gifts it offers to humans.
The cattle drive in autumn is a beautiful, old tradition and is celebrated every year in every valley with lots of colors and music. In Tyrol and South Tyrol, alpine farming is a very essential factor in the lives of people, and it also plays a big role in the maintenance and preservation of the alpine natural landscape.
Every year in autumn, it is time again for the apple harvest in South Tyrol. Fertile soils and the mild climate with up to 300 days of sunshine a year allow the South Tyrolean apple to thrive wonderfully.
