Erich talks with his guests
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Schweitzer Erich
BIO Organic Producer – Stockerhof
“A transparent job for a transparent life.”
Older stems are grafted with a new variety
At work in the apple orchard
At work in the apple orchard
Erich with his daughter
My story
Stocker farm and its holiday apartments have a somewhat unusual location. They are right next to the pedestrian area in the centre of Silandro, which has the atmosphere of a small town and is the administrative centre of the Val Venosta. The orchards are also within the village's municipal boundaries, but are some distance away from the centre, in a very peaceful spot.
The Schweitzers have now been running the property for three generations. Even though Erich started his career by training in business administration, his love for agriculture kept on growing so he switched courses accordingly. These days he manages his farm by himself. When harvest time comes around, he hires in professional help with the picking.
His favourite job is gathering in his Golden Delicious, Gala and Pinova, after going to so much trouble to grow them. "As a farmer, you experience a different type of contact with the earth. You think a lot more about the consequences of your actions." That is why he did not hesitate to join his neighbour, when he decided to switch his farm to organics in 1998. "I work naturally and healthily. With the help of the organic guidelines, I can now also be completely transparent."
The Schweitzers have now been running the property for three generations. Even though Erich started his career by training in business administration, his love for agriculture kept on growing so he switched courses accordingly. These days he manages his farm by himself. When harvest time comes around, he hires in professional help with the picking.
His favourite job is gathering in his Golden Delicious, Gala and Pinova, after going to so much trouble to grow them. "As a farmer, you experience a different type of contact with the earth. You think a lot more about the consequences of your actions." That is why he did not hesitate to join his neighbour, when he decided to switch his farm to organics in 1998. "I work naturally and healthily. With the help of the organic guidelines, I can now also be completely transparent."
Where I live
My harvest
Bonita
The bittersweet lady
Beauty meets acidity: This bright and smooth crossover between Topaz & Cripps Pink makes the pests stay away, therefore, it is especially popular in organic farming.
Availability
January - May
Appearance:
opaque radiant red colour on creamy background, homogeneous shape, very smooth shell
Features:
juicy and crunchy bite
Taste:
aromatic with pronounced acidity
Royal Gala
The elegant precocity
The tasty gala appears every summer in its reddish yellow shell and the new apple season begins.
Appearance:
smooth shell, spherical shape, slightly conical, pale yellow base colour with bright red and striped cover
Features:
crispy and juicy with firm pulp
Taste:
refreshing, sweet with little acidity
Red Delicious
Red seduction
The image of the Red Delicious is difficult to resist. Seeing red can be really nice. And the red flavour is even more beautiful!
Appearance:
dark red colour, conical shape, oblong
Features:
juicy with very white pulp
Taste:
sweet, very aromatic with relatively slight acidity
Golden Delicious
The classic delicious
Golden Delicious is our main variety and, therefore, the queen of Val Venosta apples. That the most popular apple has a real quality, can be seen in its lovely red cheek. By the way, this is typical of fruits on a hillside.
Appearance:
greenish yellow to golden yellow
Features:
juicy with very fine and soft pulp
Taste:
sweet with delicate acidity
SQ 159 / Natyra®
Natural talent loaded with aroma
The rustic apple with delicate pear and citrus spices keeps the pests away and impresses by its excellent flavour.
Availability
January - April
Appearance:
red to dark red, rustic appearance
Features:
good texture and juiciness, crunchy and compact
Taste:
sweet and sour with pear and citrus aroma
Pinova
The Val Venosta resistant
The Pinova with its red vermilion-red skin is a typical apple of Val Venosta. Not only is it colourful, it also has a very balanced flavour. Thanks to its long durability, it offers you unlimited fruit enjoyment until the summer season.
Appearance:
Bicolour, yellow to greenish, at least 30% of the fruit is covered with a bright vermilion colour
Features:
refreshing with very crisp, juicy and firm pulp
Taste:
Balanced proportion of sugar and acid
Topaz
The beautiful acid
Topaz makes biting the sour apple worthy! The aromatic fruit impresses with a pleasant acidity and is also a common variety in organic farming.
Availability
January - May
Appearance:
basic yellow tone with red striped components, round shape with flattened calyx
Features:
crunchy pulp with pleasant cream colouring
Taste:
acidified with sharp acidity
WA38 / Cosmic Crisp®
Heavenly taste
Heavenly attractive in appearance and taste. Pleasant summer fruitiness with aromas of green grass, kiwi and gooseberry.
Availability
February – April
Appearance:
Dark red-purple blush on a yellow-bright base color.
Features:
Very crunchy, particularly juicy and with a hard paring.
Taste:
Sweet-sour; balanced taste. Aromas of green grass, kiwi and gooseberry.
