Where happiness comes with the cows
Waldnerhof Schleis/Clusio
This little village of Schleis/Clusio with its 350 or so human inhabitants may be small, but at the Waldnerhof farm in the heart of the village, everything revolves around livestock. Hans Waldner’s 500-year-old farm, featuring a smokehouse with walls so thick that the temperature remains constant all year round, is more than just a workplace. It’s his calling.
This little village of Schleis/Clusio with its 350 or so human inhabitants may be small, At the Waldnerhof farm in the heart of the village, everything revolves around livestock. Hans Waldner’s 500-year-old farm, featuring a smokehouse with walls so thick that the temperature remains constant all year round, is more than just a workplace. It’s his calling.
A farm steeped in history
500 years
The Waldnerhof is a 500-year-old farm originating from the Rhaeto-Romanic period. The smokehouse, with walls so thick that the temperature remains constant all year round, is the centrepiece. Here hang smoked sausages, seasoned simply with salt and pepper. Apples are stored on the ‘Trendl’ – a rotating object that the mice try in vain to climb up.
To produce home-smoked bacon from his own pigs, Hans Waldner has built his own smokehouse – just as he has built almost everything around the farm himself.
Livestock farming with conviction
A calling for animal farming
The animals at the Waldnerhof have sufficient space and can be outside from April to All Saints’ Day. Hans Waldner farms 15 hectares of land with seven hectares of his own and another eight on lease – and produces most of the cattle feed himself. Everything stays within the cycle, everything is certified organic.
Since 2019, the cows have been spending the summer on the Gondaalm in Matschertal valley, an organic alpine pasture. The valley’s cattle farmers had reached an agreement: whilst the organic cattle graze around the Gondaalm, the operators of the Innere Matscheralm alpine farm look after the conventionally reared cows. This is a milestone for organic farmers in Vinschgau/Val Venosta.
Back when organic farming wasn’t yet profitable
Past & present
It may seem obvious that organic farmers today also benefit from better prices. But that was by no means the case just under 20 years ago. When the first organic milk from the dairy cooperative came onto the market, the organic farmers received almost the same price as the farmers whose cows were kept conventionally.
From 2011 onwards, payments to organic milk producers improved. Today, it fetches up to 85 cents per litre, while the prices of conventional milk are up to 56 cents.
Regional organic delights
What Hans provides for us
The Waldners have been supplying veal to the Bio Hotel Panorama for 30 years. From 2002, this was no longer possible, as the hotel needed certified organic suppliers. Today, Hans Waldner is delivering to us again – and the partnership is stronger than ever. They supply us with: organic beef (from cows and calves), organic pork, cheese (Alpine cheese from the Gondaalm Alpine pasture), butter (from the Gondaalm Alpine pasture), grain (from the farm) and potatoes (from the fields around Schleis/Clusio). And all these products come from ethical farming practices.
