Cheese with character at 1,920 metres above sea level
The Gamsegghof organic farm
At the end of the Langtauferer Tal valley, where the trails lead to the Weißkugel mountain, lies the Gamsegghof organic farm at 1,920m above sea level. The Hohenegger family has owned the farm since 1702 – that’s over 320 years. The view from the window reveals the beautiful head of the valley, featuring glaciers, meadows and forests.
Here live Karl and Beatrix Hohenegger with their children Robert, Lea and David, around 80 goats, four cows, hens, geese and a collie called Sally. In their farm cheese dairy, the Hoheneggers process 100,000 litres of milk annually into 10 tonnes of raw milk cheese. “Straightforward, authentic and absolutely no gimmicks”, is how son Robert sums up their cheese range. And that’s exactly how it tastes: honest, strong and authentic.
Cheese is only made every other day
The farm cheese dairy
In the cheese dairy, which the Hoheneggers planned themselves, cheese is only made every other day. “We deliberately kept the workplace simple”, says Robert, “but you also have to know exactly what you’ll need beforehand.” No luxury, just functional tools – and a green synthetic resin floor for easy cleaning. “This cheerful colour is perfect for winter”, Robert explains with a smile, “because then all you see anyway when you walk across the farmyard is white.”
Authentic taste
Five cheese varieties
Five different semi-hard cheeses are made from raw goat’s, sheep’s and cow’s milk, and the former star chef Hansi Baumgartner, founder of Degust, also sells Gamsegghof cheese wheels. That speaks for itself. The varieties:
Freibrunn – pure cow’s milk cheese
Bergnelke – 80% cow’s milk, 20% goat’s milk
Bärenbart – pure goat’s cheese
Schafkopf – pure sheep’s cheese (with milk from Karl Thöni)
Brunelle – 80% cow’s milk, 20% goat’s milk, aged for at least 6 months
Intelligent, stubborn and greedy
The goats
“The first thing you should know about goats”, summarises Robert, “is that they always find a way out of their enclosure. Secondly: when they graze in a flower meadow, they always only choose the most beautiful blooms. Thirdly: they are curious, stubborn and incredibly greedy.” Despite this – or perhaps because of it – his eyes light up when he talks about his animals. “They are very intelligent, so you always have to be one step ahead of them. But with my ladies, I’m the boss.”
The family deliberately chose brown mountain goats for their farm. This breed has a relatively low average annual milk yield, but excellent properties – perfect for cheese production. Robert is also there when the animals are slaughtered.
Collaboration with Karl Thöni
Regional supply chains
Twice a week, Karl Thöni from Wies delivers the milk from his East Frisian dairy sheep to the Gamsegghof farm. The cheese dairy uses this to make tasty Schafkopf cheese. In return, Karl Thöni receives the whey from Gamsegghof farm – a perfect example of regional circular economy. The whey is not poured away, but ends up where it is appreciated for its flavour and provides valuable nutrients: with Karl Thöni’s pigs.
“Everything here is small”, Robert sums up, “but it works well for us.” The family has taken a major step forward by building a new barn and expanding their goat herd from 40 to 80 animals. “But for that to happen, the market needs to grow first, and that has to be a gradual process.”
Regional organic delights
What Robert provides for us
The Hoheneggers have been working with Bio Hotel Panorama for over 20 years. They supply:
Goat’s cheese in various degrees of ripeness, sheep’s cheese (made from Karl Thöni’s milk), cow’s milk cheese and mixed cheese made from goat’s and cow’s milk. All cheeses are made from raw milk, which is certified organic and produced in the farm’s own dairy .
