Consciously close to nature and sustainable. A conversation with two generations about mindfulness, honey massages and homeopathy in agriculture.
Where does it come from, the mindfulness and love of nature?
Erika: The decisive factor was a vitality course of the South Tyrolean farmers' wives that I attended in 2009. There they taught us how to eat properly and explained the difference between living food and dead, industrially produced food. That's when I felt the change for me, and after the course I immediately bought a grain mill.
Elisabeth: I can still remember it well. After the grain mill came the crusher and then the massage table for the honey massages. (laughs)
Erika: Yes, exactly. With the crusher you can easily make your own oat flakes and then make your own muesli. With dates, sultanas, fresh apples, from whatever your own garden provides or you like best. And the honey massage is simply fascinating. Our guests love it - above all it is incredibly detoxifying and calming.
Elisabeth: And the amazing thing: When you have a lot of toxins in your body, the honey turns white.
Did you discover a passion for the natural and sustainable together?
Erika: No, I started it, but it was clear to me right away: my girls absolutely have to learn that.
Elisabeth: Yes, and at that time I had just finished my cooking apprenticeship and thought to myself: Well, then I'll just go to one of those courses and take a look. But it didn't stop there. I really enjoyed the whole thing. So much so, that I then also registered for the course "Health & Nature" at the winter school in Ulten valley. Then I completed my training as a Kneipp and health trainer. Kneipp is exactly my thing.
Erika: That's right, she does it every day.
Elisabeth: It's almost like an addiction. I don't need alcohol or cigarettes, but my daily ration of Kneipp! (laughs)
What does mindfulness look like in your everyday life?
Elisabeth: In fruit growing, for example, we work a lot with homeopathy. We use it to strengthen the immune system of the plant and make it more resistant to pests and diseases. We have had really good results with globules or charcoal as a natural fertiliser.
Erika: And my peppers in the garden have been lice-free ever since!
Elisabeth: You just have to think about it. In the past, for example, we always used coconut fat. But at some point you ask yourself: Is it really necessary to buy things that have to be brought to us from so far away what actually grows right in front of our door? The trees in our forests provide the most valuable oil and our own beeswax is the perfect base for ointments and creams.
Erika: Of course, not everyone has the opportunity to produce and grow everything themselves. But mindfulness also goes into shopping: What do I buy for myself? What do I want to feed my body? What is good for me?
Elisabeth: And even if it's just in a flower pot on the balcony: do yourself a favour and grow some fresh herbs!
Tip: Expand your herbal knowledge on the
guided herb walks with Erika(in german). You will get to know wild and garden herbs and be amazed at the edible diversity of our meadows. You will not only learn which plants you can eat, but also what (healing) effect they have on our bodies.
In her farm shop (only on request) you can buy teas, herbal salts and much more.