By the time he was born, Thomas’ parents were no longer spring chickens.
So, he grew up in the “old school” way. For example, fertilising with muck is completely normal for him. These are good foundations, because Thomas was one of the first organic apple farmers in South Tyrol. As early as the late 1980s, he and his five cousins were making their first forays into organic plant protection techniques.
In 1991 Thomas turned his farm completely over to organic farming and he has been active with the Bioland Südtirol association since it started. Sticking together, talking about everything openly and respectfully – and then carrying it out together: that’s what’s dear to him. And why he puts his heart and soul into being a member of the cooperative.
The Hafner cousins help each other, they even share some of their farm machines with each other. And that’s a huge help, because organic farming is much more mechanised than many realise. During inspections of the fields and development trips abroad, the South Tyrolean organic farmers were forced to recognise that organic farms frequently produced second-tier quality fruit mainly suitable for processing. But that was not what these organic pioneers wanted to do, nor is it today.
In 1991 Thomas turned his farm completely over to organic farming and he has been active with the Bioland Südtirol association since it started. Sticking together, talking about everything openly and respectfully – and then carrying it out together: that’s what’s dear to him. And why he puts his heart and soul into being a member of the cooperative.
The Hafner cousins help each other, they even share some of their farm machines with each other. And that’s a huge help, because organic farming is much more mechanised than many realise. During inspections of the fields and development trips abroad, the South Tyrolean organic farmers were forced to recognise that organic farms frequently produced second-tier quality fruit mainly suitable for processing. But that was not what these organic pioneers wanted to do, nor is it today.