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In the last farm stories I already reported about Grandpa Hias, my father-in-law, who is a Senner with heart and soul. A lot of work, diligence and love for Alm work are behind it. This year the Zittraueralm is being farmed again for the first time – Nicole from Tyrol is responsible for serving the guests and actively helps Hias with the daily work.
My father-in-law Hias and Nicole
A special attraction are her goats, which she took with her to the Alm. In the next few lines, Nicole would like to introduce herself and tell a bit about herself, her love for the Alm and for working on the mountains.
Born as the oldest of 5 children on a mountain farm (1,600 m) in Tyrol on the Kaunerberg, we had to help out on the farm from an early age. With us, until about 10 years ago, a lot was still done by hand – hay harvest, wood work and much more. We always drove our three cows to the Alm in summer and my father and I visited them almost every Sunday to salt them and pick up the cheese and butter. This Alm time shaped me and the love for the Sennerei has stayed with me. In 2008 I went to the Alm as a Sennerin for the first time in the Verwall. The two of us milked 56 cows – it was exhausting, but unforgettable. There I also met my current boyfriend. We now live together in Adnet near Hallein and run a farm. The last two Alm summers, after an 11-year break, I was back in the heights – on the Seiser Alm in South Tyrol. There were 20 cows and 30 goats… Speaking of GOATS – I was so taken with them that in autumn I bought a small herd of Pinzgauer goats with billy goat Bertl. If everything works out, there will be offspring on the Alm this midsummer :-)
Billy goat Bertl
Harmony between the cows and goats
I know the Zittraueralm through our two horses (Mohrenköpfe), which have been coming to the Zittraueralm for their summer retreat for 10 years. Since mid-June I have been a Sennerin on the Zittraueralm and I like it very much. It is almost like home and also makes the sometimes arising homesickness disappear quickly! Not only my herd of goats accompanies me on the mountain, but I was also allowed to take my dear dog Maxi with me.
Maxi and Nelly get along well
I love the Alm life, the joint milking of the cows, the peace of the Alm evenings and the splashing of the fountain. Even if the day starts early, milking is one of the most beautiful activities on the Alm. A very personal highlight for me is the variety of plants right in front of the (Alm) front door. So you have everything there that you need for delicious delicacies from the kitchen. I serve only simple things on the Alm that are typical for a beautiful, old rustic hut. This is how yogurt with fresh berries, Topfen, sour milk and fresh cheese with herbs are created in the kitchen of the Alm hut. True to the motto: Good things from the Alm on the Alm. I attach importance to the fact that the products come directly from the farmer and prepare everything as I would like to receive it myself.
In the future, I would like to set up a farm dairy on my own farm, in which I produce fresh handmade cheese from goat and cow milk.
I look forward to the one or other interested reader who finds their way to Hias and me on the Alm. Best wishes,
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