Feldthurns near Brixen, a tiny hamlet called Schrambach. The houses there are crowded together, they number around 30. Among them is Schrotthof, a listed farm whose farmhouse was first mentioned in a document from 1248.
They know that the family has been in possession of the farm since at least 1700, and it has been passed on from generation to generation in succession. The Autonomous Region of South Tyrol designated it an ancestral farm (“Erbhof”) in 1983. Carefully renovated in 2005, many of its corners and angles bear witness to a long history.
And the pictures on the wall in the beautifully panelled parlour prove it. Yellowed black & white photos with holiday costumes and stately uniforms flanked by ones showing a horde of children in the middle of a field or adorable children’s eyes in a once-lush, green meadow.
A fine heritage. Today, Michaela runs the farm with her husband Marius. When they took it over, in 2005, it was a daring move: Michaela’s father had died suddenly, at a relatively young age.
As the oldest of 4 sisters, Michaela took the helm. In the beginning, she leased the fields and meadows of the farm to neighbours because her father was no longer there.
But she gradually began to farm the fields herself. Since 2017, she has run the farm herself and since 2020, she has been an organic farmer.
In total, Schrotthof farm has 4.5 hectares of apple orchards, most of which are the variety Gala. Michaela also cultivates Natyra®, Bonita and Golden Delicious apples.
On a small parcel, not even half a hectare, she grows grapes. She and Marius.
The two share a lot, including similar views. Both love nature and focus on healthy living. For example, they avoid taking medicine. Instead, they prefer herbal remedies and to let everything that occurs in nature take effect.
They applied their “healthy living” philosophy to apple cultivation on the farm, and quickly arrived at an answer: “organic”. They looked each other in the eyes and said that some day, they wanted to cultivate their apples using organic methods. And “some day” came sooner than they thought, as they jumped into doing it head first. For the second time. Together.
They converted everything and started over from scratch. New saplings, new varieties. Resistant varieties on the one hand, and support from nature on the other hand. They even try to intervene as little as possible when it comes to natural plant protection. The aim is to strengthen the plants while supporting plant health.
Certain infusions that both of them create or biodynamic preparations that help to support and strengthen the plants. They do this because they are convinced that it is a good cause.
We have never been “against”. We are interested in “for”. And have always been.
Michaela recalls that back when they converted to organic farming, the greatest challenge was to find information. Or rather, information that suited Michaela and Marius’ purpose.
Advice has always been available on which natural solutions help to counter which pests. But they weren’t interested in “against”. Instead, they wanted to know about “for”. What they can do for the trees, the soil and to support growth. Their approach has always been to intervene as little as possible, and they were basically on their own. So they put their noses to the grindstone and found out what they needed to know. She and Marius.
Yes, they share a lot. Dancing is another example. Salsa is their abiding passion. They met at a dance and they still enjoy going out to dance. When they have the time. They both like to sing, and occasionally go hiking. But they don’t need to climb every mountain – they prefer nocturnal activities in a nice dance club.
When they have the time.
Michaela loves calligraphy and makes her own greeting cards. She even used to sell her Christmas cards at the holiday market in Klausen. And she enjoys canning. The machines for the orchards are in the stall where they used to store hay when they had animals. In the loft above, they set up a room where they can process their agricultural products. They store apple juice, berry syrup and jams there. In late autumn, Michaela likes to offer them in the wine tavern and during the rest of the year she sells them at selected farmer’s markets.
And they also have four small flats on the top floor of the farmhouse. Two are permanently rented and two are available to holiday guests. They are also building a few rooms for harvest workers to ensure that they are well-housed and can rest after a long day in the orchard.
Here in Schrambach, surrounded by nature.
Marius is stirring the contents of an old wooden wine barrel. A horn-manure preparation that he made and plans to distribute in the spring. “To revitalise the plants,” he said. “As fertiliser, simply to give them a boost.”
He takes us down into the ancient cellar. Stone walls, an arched ceiling, creaking wooden posts and an earthen floor. In a crate filled with soil, he stores various compost preparations, valerian extract and other natural substances.
Biodynamic method. Those who see this concept in action quickly catch the bug themselves. Marius’ first exposure was with the local wine producer to whom he delivers their excess grapes. He is also a biodynamic farmer and strengthens his grapes with the same preparations that Michaela and Marius use for their apples. It is a completely unique mindset: interesting, thrilling and highly contagious, says Marius with a laugh.
Nature as a cycle. And in each of their apples.
