Bernhard, what made you switch to organic farming?
Mainly my two grown-up daughters and my son. They told me: if we continue, it should be organic.
So I converted the farm and appointed a manager to handle the bureaucracy.
I still take care of the apple, pear, and apricot trees myself – it’s a welcome balance to my office work.
Apricots, in particular, are very demanding in organic farming.
But I’m glad we made this decision, and I wouldn’t go back.
Has organic farming changed your mindset?
Definitely. Working organically changes the way you relate to nature.
I now notice all the creatures that live in the orchard – beetles, insects, lizards – and I think more holistically and long-term.
It’s a mental shift that also affects daily life: I’ve become more mindful of where my food comes from and how it’s produced.
What brings you the most joy?
When I send my grown-up children home with a crate of our organic apples, I know they’re getting something healthy and good.
This May, we were still enjoying apples from the previous season – they kept perfectly.
