I’m a typical case of a “late calling”. I worked as an elementary teacher and I only became an organic producer after retiring. At the beginning, I cultivated organic vegetables. My small field in the valley floor between Lasa and Cengles was very well suited for that. Then I regularly got back problems and cultivating vegetables became more and more difficult. So I decided to grow juicy Topaz apples, which was a very good decision.

My wife and me do most of the work alone but we can count on the help of relatives during work-intensive weeks such as picking and harvest. When we need a tractor or technical aids, we ask our business manager who also works as an organic producer. Our wonderful Topaz apples are my favorite ingredient for delicious sweets such as apple strudel, baked apples and stewed apples. I’m very proud of my apple orchard directly next to the Adige river. I guess it’s the only one in the whole valley floor that is completely lined with hedges – a feast for the eyes.

Moreover, we allow ourselves the luxury of growing our own cherries, plums, apricots and nuts for own consumption. As a part-time farmer, I can now have a direct influence on what I taught the children at school: the importance of a healthy diet. I pride myself on my ABCERT and Bioland certificates. For me, they are much more than just a piece of paper as they remind me every day of what I’m convinced of: promoting biodiversity and producing sustainably.