SUSTAINABILITY RATE: 89,71 %
Niederwieshof: fruit and berries from the Martelltal Valley
The Niederwieshof farm in Morter supplies local shops and tea rooms with their salubrious, fruity products. On the farm, long rows of berries, fruit trees and herbal plants stretch into the distance. There are cherry and apricot trees, raspberries, aronia berries and currants. Herbs cultivated on the four-hectare farm at the entrance of the Martelltal/Val Martello Valley include elderflower, mint and balm as well as rhubarb, which are all manually harvested.
Their natural, premium-quality fruit jams and syrups are all from home-grown fruit and made on the farm. Since at this altitude much sweeter berries are produced compared to down in the valley, considerably less sugar is required to make the jams. Here, the slow-ripening berries develop an intense flavour. It’s the high-quality fruit and low sugar content of the berries that’s made the Niederwieshof farm in the Martelltal Valley into such a success story.
Catering and Cooking Classes
At the Niederwieshof, berries and farm produce aren’t everything. Besides the homemade jams, syrups, herbal salts and dried fruit, they offer all-year-round tours of the farm with tastings of their home-made fare.
One of the Niederwieshof owners, Monika Stocker Schwembacher, runs her own ‘snack farm’ and is part of a catering service. A member of the "Gsund und Guat" farmers' wives’ organisation, she caters for corporate events, family and birthday parties – producing a variety of delicacies for all kinds of events. Only homemade bread and mouth-watering regional ingredients form part of their sumptuous fare.
To help raise awareness of regional products and specialties, Monika also hosts cooking courses and holds baking classes on her farm for visitors. What better way of promoting local produce than on a farm with such a marvellous view? From the Niederwieshof, you not only see the Annenberg Castle with the imposing Vermoisspitze peak above the Sonnenberg mountain, but also Obermontani Castle, where one of the most significant original Nibelungenlied manuscripts was discovered. Who knows if in this valley of herbs, hidden behind the castle walls, there might be a hidden cookbook or manuscript penned by the famous Abbess, Hildegard von Bingen?
Contact:
Monika and Thomas Schwembacher
Niederwieshof Farm, Vorhöfe 16
I-39021 Latsch/Laces (BZ)
call +39 388 9884302 or
+39 380 1881566
email:
niederwies@hotmail.com