Wolfgang, where is your apple orchard located and how is it managed?
We run a small part-time farm with a small organic apple orchard in Spondinig, in Upper Vinschgau. I take care of the manual work such as thinning, mulching and harvesting myself, with the help of my wife and sons. Other tasks are handled by our farm manager. In organic farming, being available at all times is crucial. For instance, if scab appears, you need to respond with perfect timing. There are no ecological products that work before or after—it must be immediate. So there’s no room to say: “I don’t have time today.”
Why did you choose organic?
Organic farming is more sustainable and closer to nature. In my view, the biodiversity in an organic orchard is far greater. When I find bird nests or ladybugs in my orchards, it makes me happy—it’s clear proof to me that organic makes a difference. For me, farming organically is a mindset that extends to other parts of my life. As an engineer and construction manager, I’ve always focused on sustainable building practices: I build sustainably, so I also want to farm sustainably.
Where do you see the challenges in organic farming?
Even in organic farming, you need to balance market and consumer demands with your farming practices to ensure good sales—and that can sometimes be a tightrope walk. For me, what matters is producing a good and sustainable product. Organic gives me a better feeling toward the environment, the neighbors, and the consumers. Even if the yield were lower—which it’s not—I would still choose organic.
