My family’s farm was bought by my great-grandfather. At the time, livestock farming provided essential dairy products and a modest income. He also already grew Val Venosta apricots and old apple varieties that you no longer find today. My father was one of the first organic farmers in Val Venosta. By taking over the farm, I am continuing our agricultural tradition right at the entrance to the village of Morter. The apple orchards with Royal Gala, Pinova, Kanzi, and Golden Delicious are all located directly around the farm. Since I love diversity, I also grow Topaz, Natyra, and Cosmic Crisp. When you can intensely smell the blossoms of these varieties in spring, it promises good pollination by the bees and a bountiful harvest. From the pleasant fragrance, I can tell that the honeybees are having fun, and wild bees and bumblebees are also enjoying their work. I particularly appreciate the busy flight activity of the bumblebees and wild bees, as they are even more diligent than their relatives and venture out even in cooler temperatures. If these tireless pollinators fertilize only 10% of the apple blossoms on my trees, that is enough for a good harvest. Of course, I play it safe and borrow up to seven bee colonies from a friend every year, which create a humming swarm at the farm for a few weeks. By placing bee hotels in my orchards, the wild bee brood can overwinter and a new generation will hatch the following year. Evergreen flower strips and seedings on the outskirts of my orchards attract more beneficial insects.

Due to the many apple varieties, the harvest in autumn results in a cheerful display of colors.

For a good mountain apple, good mountain water is essential. Our irrigation water comes from the Martell Valley, directly from the glacier area. Sometimes the water has a pale film because the movement of the glaciers carries glacier flour full of minerals into the water and then onto my fields. I am happy about this valuable natural fertilizer from Stelvio National Park. It’s in moments like these that I feel my profession as a farmer is also my calling. Here in the most beautiful region of South Tyrol, I wouldn’t trade places with anyone.