The Stickler farm is in the small village of Plars and belongs to Ulrich Kiems. He has been farming organically since 2000. He is a man of conviction. After going to the South Tyrol technical agricultural college he completed his education by studying biology. As a member of the South Tyrol Beratungsring association, he is now in demand as a consultant on organic fruit farming and viticulture. Ulrich runs the family business in his spare time and his mother and wife support him in all he does. "It is a nice balance," says Ulrich, "I especially like the jobs which need to be done by hand." He is particularly fond of his vineyard, and his orchards are mainly Gala because he loves the way they develop red cheeks in the Val Venosta. Human health was central to his decision to become organic. For Ulrich, organic ways of farming were historically developed in harmony with nature in the Val Venosta – luckily they have now been codified. They add value to agriculture and guarantee the best possible products. That way, both man and nature profit.