Lana magazine 2018 (en)

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Apple and Nature

The world of apples

10–19

Between apples and seeds

The chestnut whisperer

Art and Culture

“Artistic research”

20–31 A journey through time in Cermes

Drama and art

Big Apple in an apple community

8 Content

In good Taste

32–39

Alpine pasta

From the field straight to the table

A flower you will fall in love with

A Variety of Experiences

40–47

San Vigilio

The Italian atmosphere

Winter Magic

48–50

Lana: enjoy the magic of winter

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Between apples and seeds Lana and the entire region are full of diversity. And thanks to the favourable mix of Mediterranean and Alpine climates, it’s not just apples that have found perfect conditions for growth here for several centuries and at all altitudes… Text: Petra Schwienbacher Others have to go shopping. Martha Lochmann, on the other hand, picks up a small knife and goes out into her garden. “I can find everything I need right here”. We meet the farmer with the characteristic long, grey braid and her blue apron out in a small tunnel-shaped greenhouse full of little pots sprouting new sprigs on a table by the side. This is where she grows the plants she needs for her fields. Every autumn, it is time to harvest the seeds.

She grows twelve di≠erent tomato varieties, various types of lettuce, beetroot, strawberries and rather unusual plants such as oka or Egyptian onions – and there are many more items on her seed list. The 60-year-old doesn’t know the exact number of plants she grows, and could hardly find the time to count them, because growing your own seeds is a time-consuming endeavour. Yet Martha wouldn’t want it any other way. In 2002, she attended a course for seed growing and harvesting and has grown her own seeds ever since: “The reason I’m doing this is that I want to preserve what we have today for tomorrow”, she says determinedly.

Seeds and varieties Martha and her husband Hermann run the small Bildheim farm built by her grandparents back in 1939 up here in Völlan/Foiana, at an altitude of 700 metres (2,300 ft) above sea level. The wooden house with its pointed gable almost looks straight out of a fairy tale with its wild vines climbing the walls and the dried seeds hanging out in the yard, waiting to be threshed. A large crate filled with Jonagold apples sits on the front step. “This is for us, so we don’t have to buy apples in winter”, Martha says.

She is a member of Sorten Garten, a horticultural society dedicated to the preservation of local and heirloom plant varieties.

On their one-hectare-big plot of land, they grow di≠erent apple varieties and also have several chestnut trees next to their house.

In autumn, when the spiky chestnut burrs split open and the fruits fall o≠ the trees, they serve traditional hot sweet chestnuts. This is the time of year when “the entire village goes crazy”: the “Keschtnriggl”, almost an entire month dedicated to a series of chestnut-themed events.

“We also have many di≠erent animals”, the farmer says proudly, pointing at the chickens, ducks, blue quails and the little chicks that hatched a few days ago. The farm is also home to blacknose

10 Apple and nature

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sheep, spectacles sheep, blackneck goats and giant rabbits. The Bildheim farm is almost self-su∞cient. On a table in the farm’s warm parlour, Martha shows me dozens of transparent little tins full of seeds. She has saved a lot of seeds over the last ten years.

“It really hurts to see that many people don’t care about seeds”, she complains. The farmer is a valuable asset for her community and likes to pass on her knowledge to others, running chestnut tours or holding cheese-making classes for the guests of the nine “Creative Farmers’ in Lana, a group formed to make farm holidays even more appealing to the tourists.

Farmers” cooperation group 14 years ago. The women in the group now organise guided moonlight walks with torches, wine tastings and invite their guests to cook traditional South Tyrolean specialties such as apple strudel or dumplings. Customs and traditions really matter a lot to Ulrike. When baking their own bread, the women of the group use old, traditional recipes. Some evenings, the Goldbichl farmer simply enjoys spending the night outdoors with her guests, having a nice BBQ in summer or roasting chestnuts in autumn. “I feel very lucky that I get to live on a farm. I really enjoy the peace and quiet up here”, she says, and is happy whenever she has the time to do so.

Customs and traditions for guests Ulrike Laimer from Lana’s Goldbichlhof farm is one of the “Creative Farmers”. Her 17th-century farm with its two buildings and a barn is located at 450 metres (1,480 ft) above sea level.

The barn is home to 15 sheep – the pastime of Ulrike’s father – and some chickens, which are busy chasing the flies sitting on the barn windows right as we get there. The total land amounts to 2.6 hectares and is used for orchards and vineyards, but also for some chestnut trees. Ulrike has planted more than five apple varieties, focusing mainly on Golden and Stark Delicious and Fuji.

And she grows four di≠erent types of wine grapes: Chardonnay, Sauvignon, the aromatic Gewürztraminer and Schiava. Most of her grapes are shipped to a winery, and only some of the Schiava harvest is pressed at the farm for their own personal use. The berries and fruit grown out in her garden are used for making delicious jams. And Ulrike also makes her own apple juice and South Tyrolean speck, a bacon variety: She buys legs of pork from farmers personally known to her and prepares them in her own smokery (a special room known as Selchküche, which all those farms used to have in the past) following old, traditional recipes.

For Ulrike, it’s all about diversity, and she would hate restricting herself to just one thing. And her guests love the opportunity to try her home-smoked bacon, eat some fresh eggs for breakfast and savour her home-pressed wine. The 45-year-old rents out two apartments for holidaymakers. To improve the farm holiday experience, she and some other farmers founded the “Creative

12 Apple and nature

Hard work Working the farm is time-consuming and physically challenging.

“It’s especially di∞cult, because the terrain is very steep and I’m a woman running the farm on my own”, says the mother of a 25-year-old son and of two daughters aged 13 and 16. “But I love my work. I put my heart and soul into farming”. Her parents help out wherever they can, but her husband Joachim has a full-time job. One year ago, a former refugee from Africa helped her out with the hard work on the farm for a couple of months. Her grandparents from Ultental Valley bought the farm back in 1954.

Ulrike took over six years ago. She always knew she wanted to be a farmer. Of her four sisters, she was the one who loved helping her father with his farm work most. He taught her how to drive a tractor when she was only 13 years old, and now she rides in the cabin almost every day, up and down the steep and narrow paths around the farm. And she has put her long years of tractor practice to good use: In 2012, she won the European Tractor Drivers Championship. “You can’t a≠ord to make any mistakes while driving up here”, she says, laughing. She walks out into the orchards.

A lot of work awaits her during the next few days. Ulrike needs to mow the grass around the vines and “pluck” apples – meaning she needs to remove the small redundant apples on the trees so as to allow for better growth of the remaining crop. But all the hard work is really worth it for Ulrike, and she loves the reward: a good harvest in autumn and getting to live up here, where she truly feels at home.

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The world of apples Lana is South Tyrol’s leading apple community. A look behind the scenes of Lanafruit, one of the two local fruit growers’ cooperatives, shows how much work and technology go into the apple business. Text: Petra Schwienbacher

Approx. 500 agricultural businesses are located in Lana, harvesting a total of about 70,000 tonnes of apples each year. The 350 members of Lanafruit alone produce some 55,000 tonnes grown on approx. 900 hectares. The harvest starts on 15th August, when the sweet red Gala apples are ripe, and ends in November when the juicy, sweet and sour Pink Lady variety is ready to be harvested.

Norbert Schnitzer, foreman at Lanafruit, is proud to be part of South Tyrol’s leading apple community. “But sure, it’s a lot of hard work”, the 65-year-old admits. Back in 2009, the two cooperatives Pomus and Lana Frucht merged (Lana Frucht had previously already merged with Ogol), forming what is now known as Lanafruit. The cooperative is responsible for storing, sorting and selling the apples produced. The farmers get all the money they make once the expenses have been deducted from the total revenue. Total sales amount to approx. 35 to 40 million euros per year, of which approx. 20 million go to the Lanafruit members.

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Schnitzer puts on his cap, and o≠ we go on our tour of the cooperative facilities. At the front of the building, farmers arrive to deliver their bulging fruit crates. Every crate is numbered and barcoded before being sent to a several metre-high warehouse with top-notch cooling technology. “We remove oxygen from the air”, Schnitzer explains. All cold-storage rooms are cooled down to 2–2.5 °C (35–37 °F), humidity is brought up to 90–100% and the oxygen content in the air is reduced to 1–1.5%. This makes it possible to supply top-quality apples year round.

Before they can be sold, the sweet fruits are sorted. A conveyor belt transports them to the scanner of the high-tech sorting machine, which sorts the apples by quality. Modern analysis systems define the quality of the apples based on factors such as colour, size and weight. Approximately 70 photos are taken of each and every piece of fruit that passes through within milliseconds – a pure high-tech experience. “Our default settings define the sorting criteria. The arriving apples are directed to the corresponding water-filled track”, Schnitzer explains, and has to raise his voice to be heard above the noise of the machine. One track is filled with green apples, another with yellow ones and a third with red ones. A suction-based filling mechanism located below the waterline directs the pre-sorted fruits to the crates. “The apples are delicate and stay in the water the whole time to make sure they don’t get damaged in the process”, Schnitzer says. The water is channelled in a closed cycle and is continuously filtered, cleaned and reused.

Every day, some 80 to 85 workers man the packing unit, the last section of the modern facility, and hand-pack the apples into little crates and boxes. A total of 100 employees ensure that the overall process at Lanafruit runs smoothly. In the past, apples from Lana were mainly sold in Italy and exported to Germany, but the market has changed and their customers are now far more international. Scandinavia, Spain and Northern Africa have become key markets. “Before the war, Libya was our best sales market”, Schnitzer says. India is another key customer, and getting the apples across to the Indian market is a major challenge.

Shipping by vessel takes up to two months. “Sales and technology have changed, and managing all these processes is far from easy”, Schnitzer admits. But he is not worried about retiring from his position at some point in the future. “We have some excellent and talented young people here at our company, so it will be no problem for me to leave my job to them”.

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The chestnut whisperer Nobody knows all the secrets of the sweet chestnut as well as Johann “Hans” Laimer does. He runs a chestnut tree farm in Postal/Burgstall.

The portrait of a chestnut expert. Text: Petra Schwienbacher

It’s a foggy day in May. A constant drizzle. Wearing his Wellingtons, Johann Laimer heads outside to “make trees” anyway: The 46-year-old grows chestnut trees. Up here, at an altitude of 600 metres above Postal, you can normally see all the way over to Merano and Bolzano on a clear day, but today the entire landscape is covered in foggy mist. “Better than no rain at all”, the farmer says, smiling. Each chestnut is planted into a 20-centimetre-wide pot to grow the basis for cultivation onto which the desired chestnut variety will be grafted in summer. “If we didn’t do any grafting, we would just have any arbitrary variety grow from the seedling”, the expert explains.

Laimer started his organic chestnut growing and sales business back in 1999 and now has over 200 chestnut trees as well as a few of grape vines on his three hectares of land. In 2009, the farmer founded South Tyrol’s first chestnut tree nursery, specialising in producing certified chestnut trees.

Sweet yellow nuts It all started 16 years ago, on a farm that Laimer took over from his father back in 1997. He used to run a little farm tavern there together with his parents, and every year, during the Törggelen season, they needed chestnuts. That’s when he first had the idea of planting his own chestnut trees on the slope right behind his parents’ home.

Törggelen is an old South Tyrolean tradition – spending the night with friends and enjoying some culinary delights from South Tyrol such as barley soup, Schlutzkrapfen ravioli or dumplings accompanied by some delicious new wine and, at the end of a mouth-watering meal, some freshly roasted chestnuts. The name “Törggelen” is derived from the word “Torggl”, which refers to a South Tyrolean wine press. In the past, people used to go from Torggl to Torggl after the grape harvest, and this turned into the custom of “Törggelen”.

It was important to Laimer to preserve this South Tyrolean tradition, and he got more and more passionate about these impressive deciduous trees. He now grows three di≠erent tree species and sells them all over South Tyrol and beyond to Germany and Austria.

16 Apple and nature

His favourite chestnut is what he calls “Südtiroler Gelbe” (yellow chestnut from South Tyrol). “This is a nice variety, with sweet, large, light brown chestnuts. They are typically roasted here in autumn”. And he also grows a French-Japanese breed known as “Bouche de Betizac” and the H2 variety, a chestnut species cultivated by Laimer himself. This one is for pollination only. “In order for a tree to bear fruit, you have to plant at least two di≠erent types of chestnut trees next to each other”, Laimer explains. He is an expert when it comes to the secrets of the chestnut. After all, he plants approx. 5,000 trees for his nursery every year and harvests a total of 4,000 kilogrammes of chestnuts for sale every season.

Gathering chestnuts In early October, when the flat, almost heart-shaped nuts in their spiky burr mature and fall o≠ the trees, it is harvest season.

The entire family heads out to help – even the children, Nadia, 8, and Andreas, 5, help their dad gather the chestnuts, because here everything is still done manually. Automated harvesting would be faster, but this would a≠ect chestnut quality: out of the question for Laimer. To preserve the chestnuts for as long as possible, he puts them in a water bath for six days before selling them.

From mid-October to mid-November, the family man roasts chestnuts at a stall outside the tourism o∞ce. Starting in late November, he runs a stall on Lana’s Star Talers market on the four weekends before Christmas. Laimer has no interest in modern roasting technology. He still uses his good old chestnut pan with holes in the bottom over an open fire pit. Before roasting them, he cracks open each chestnut with a sharp pocket knife to prevent them from bursting in the heat. The chestnut expert loves his chestnuts best with a little butter and a “nice glass of wine”.

As a dessert, he recommends sweet doughnuts with chestnut filling or some of the famous South Tyrolean chocolate chestnut hearts.

>> TIP

Chestnuts can be stored for approx. three weeks. To make them keep longer, Laimer recommends freezing them right after purchase. For roasting or cooking, you can simply put the frozen chestnuts into a hot pan or a pot of boiling water – this will maintain the chestnuts’ top quality.

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Eco farm and apple cider Located at the heart of the Gargazzone/Gargazon apple orchards o≠ering a stunning view of the nearby mountains – the Thuile family’s Sandwiesn fruit farm is a prime example of farming in total harmony with nature.

The Sandwiesnhof farm is no conventional farming operation: It is South Tyrol’s and even Italy’s first certified “climate farm”, making it the most ecological place to stay.

An ecologically run farm was the family’s big goal, a project for which they were even awarded the Trentino-South Tyrol environment prize.

The farm is entirely self-su∞cient, producing all the required power and heat on its own premises using a heat pump, PV installations and room ventilation control. The house meets the KlimaHaus A Gold standard. The two farm buildings have green roofs in order to give back to nature what man has taken from it by building on the land. And the guests staying in the two Sandwiesnhof holiday flats truly appreciate their holiday home’s green sustainability.

The South Tyrol Museum of Fruit Cultivation The history of farming Well into the 19th and 20th centuries, the valley bottom of Val d’Adige was a swamp.

Once drained, the area became farmland – the origin of fruit farming in the region.

Lana is South Tyrol’s largest apple-growing community and home to South Tyrol’s Museum of Fruit Cultivation, also known as the “Apple Museum”.

The museum is located in Lana di Sotto, in the historic Larchgut estate, which dates back to the Middle Ages and was first mentioned in o∞cial records back in 1301.

On a total of 1,000 square metres (approx.

10,800 sq ft) of exhibition space, the museum introduces visitors to farm life and South Tyrolean farming history, covering fruit farming, arable farming, livestock farming and the vineyards.

Original exhibits such as South Tyrol’s oldest grape press dating back to 1570 give visitors a hands-on experience of the evolution of farming, farm-related traditions and everyday life on a farm back in the 19th century.

But being a climate farm is not the only thing that’s new on the Thuile family farm: Make sure to check out their unique apple cider made using traditional bottle fermentation without any additives, sulphur or residual sugars. The sparkling yet dry apple cider makes for a great aperitif and perfectly accompanies a variety of yummy dishes.

Out in the barn you can also find old transport vehicles, tools and machinery, which give us at least a rough idea of how hard working a farm must have been back in those early days.

>> www.sandwiesn.it

>> www.obstbaumuseum.it

18 Apple and nature

The Apple Blossom Days The start of the apple blossom season in spring is a great natural spectacle: Millions of little white/rose-coloured blossoms turn the orchards into a sweetly scented paradise. And the apple blossom is especially impressive when tiny ice crystals start growing on the branches in cold and clear spring nights thanks to the fine water droplets sprayed on the trees to prevent them from freezing.

This is when the Apple Blossom Days take place in Lana, Cermes/Tscherms, Postal/ Burgstall and Gargazzone/Gargazon: a series of culinary and cultural events held in April.

One of the highlights of the Apple Blossom Days are the many farm stalls set up in Lana’s historic city centre. Farmers and local producers run some 40 farm and food stalls, selling their own products bearing the “Red Rooster” quality seal.

There is also a Farm Blossom Festival, which invites visitors to take a stroll out in the blossom-filled spring orchards, walk from farm to farm or hop on one of the free shuttle buses that take guests to historic farms that hold tastings of high-quality farm products. >> www.lana.info/blossomfestival

Celebrating autumn The “Keschtnriggl” Chestnut Days

The wild and romantic Gaul canyon

In autumn, once the leaves start changing colour, the flavour of freshly roasted sweet chestnuts fills the villages and cities of South Tyrol. It’s the start of the Törggele season. The popular fruit has a long-standing tradition in the region, and the villages of Tesimo/Tisens, Prissiano/Prissian, Foiana/Völlan and Lana have dedicated a special two-week programme to the sweet chestnut, titled “Keschtnriggl”, which is the name of the traditional tool used to remove the skin of freshly roasted chestnuts.

Ragged rock on both sides of the canyon, a rough riverbed, a rushing stream and mildly refreshing temperatures even in midsummer: The Lana Gaul canyon, located at the foot of Braunsberg Castle, is a popular family destination. Only a couple of minutes by foot from the city centre, visitors will find a totally di≠erent world out there, characterised by a mix of di≠erent rock types such as rhyolite, the primary gneiss rock, streaked with granite. Every summer, the diverse rock scenery becomes a stage for various festivals and an open-air cinema.

The Chestnut Days give visitors the opportunity to learn more about the culture and tradition of the region as well as about chestnuts and their traditional role. The Keschtnriggl has a lot to o≠er in terms of cultural and culinary events. Farmers and forest rangers o≠er guided tours of the autumn woods, many restaurants serve special chestnut courses made from regional products, and there are many wine tastings and Törggele celebrations for guests to join.

The Gaul canyon makes for a great tour in summer. A well-secured path that crosses suspension bridges and leads past a rushing waterfall takes hikers deeper and deeper down into the wild, romantic and increasingly narrowing canyon.

Gaul canyon is also the starting point for hiking tours to Braunsberg Castle, which o≠ers a truly stunning view of the entire village.

And make sure you don’t miss the highlight of the Green Event: the Keschtnfestl celebration in Foiana with lots of folk music, a farmers’ market, craftsmen’s stalls, farm dishes and chestnut specialties. A shuttle service running from the neighbouring villages makes it especially easy to get to the festival.

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“When living in such a castle, you can’t a≠ord to be squeamish”, Anouschka van Rossem van Sinoutskerke says and smiles, tossing a small pebble over the wall fencing o≠ the castle’s gardens. When she was little, the daughter of a Dutchman and a German used to jump over the castle walls – and now she is the lady of one of the largest castles in South Tyrol. Lebenberg Castle is situated at high above Cermes, at an altitude of 505 metres (1,657 ft), and has been owned by her family for almost 100 years now. The stately, earth-coloured building and especially the 24metre-high castle keep can be seen from afar, contrasted against the green vineyard slopes in the background. Numerous castle buildings can be found snuggling to the stolid keep, like pieces of a puzzle.

A journey through time in Cermes High above Cermes/Tscherms you will find one of the largest castles in South Tyrol.

The lady of the castle, Anouschka van Rossem, gives us a tour of Lebenberg Castle, telling us stories about cellars that are upstairs instead of downstairs, about former castle owners and how to keep fit by carrying firewood.

Text: Lisa Maria Kager

“The castle was owned by many other families, including the Lords of Marlengo and the Fuchs family, before we ended up with it”, Anouschka van Rossem explains, pressing down the heavy cast iron door handle and opening the door leading out to the courtyard. “And it was expanded numerous times”. Our tour begins.

Living in a castle toughens you up The first courtyard leads to a 14th-century chapel with a wooden shingle roof that stands out among the other castle buildings.

Anouschka van Rossem especially loves the great acoustics of this building. Yet it is also the just recently discovered Medieval paintings on the northern wall that make the chapel one of the gems of the castle. It feels cold in the little church – so I ask about temperatures in the castle itself. The lady of the castle laughs: “No, there’s no heating in the castle. In winter, we use gas heaters and fireplaces, but the hallways always stay cold. That helps you toughen up. I don’t even know what it’s like to come down with the flu. But first of all, you have to drag all the firewood up to our living quarters. I sure don’t need to head out to the gym – I have my castle for that”, van Rossem says, laughing again.

To reach the family’s private chambers, you have to climb a total of 104 steps from the courtyard below. Looking up from the gardens, you can see two Romanesque arched windows. “That’s where we live”, the lady of the castle says, pointing up almost all the way to the sky with her slender hands. While looking up, she notices a bird circling the castle keep and grounds and explains: “Those up there are our pets. The falcons live in our tower”.

Walking through the ages A flight of stone stairs leads us along the old castle walls and into the next courtyard. Only then do I realise how well all the additions that were made to the various buildings over the course of several centuries fit together, in spite of the di≠erent architectural styles. We pass the collection of arms, climb another flight of stairs and walk past a special tree of life: All castle owners and their coats of arms are painted on the walls of the stairwell. The tree starts at the very top with Konrad of Marlengo back in 1216, and the last branch down at the bottom of the stairs reads Cornelis Jan van Rossem van Sinoutskerke, the lady’s father.

20 Art and culture

After walking down the stairs, we enter the castle itself. The rooms are fully furnished and kept in their original style to show how people used to live back in the day. Crossing the first room, known as the farmers’ room, we reach an ancient parlour featuring one of the earliest folding beds made from wood, a fireplace and chests from the Gothic and Renaissance periods. The old wooden floorboards creak as the lady of the castle walks over them, leading us into the next room, the stately mirror hall.

At Lebenberg Castle, stepping into another room is like travelling into a completely di≠erent era. The luxuriant furniture, ornate patterned wallpaper, oriental rugs and large chandeliers under a stucco ceiling are reminiscent of the Roccoco era. We move on to the next room, the knights’ hall with its dark and heavy wooden furniture. Looking out the window, you can see all the way over to the Lagorai mountain range. “I can see the peaks of Corno Nero, Corno Bianco and Pietralba from here”, she says while accompanying us to the next hall, the Empire Room. It’s much warmer in here. The room is located in the palas, and just like some other rooms on the upper floors, it was built into the rock. “This is how it was possible to erect a building that tall. We have cellars that are upstairs instead of downstairs”, the lady of the castle explains.

The last part of our tour takes us out to the well-tended French Rococco gardens at the foot of the castle. A large mulberry tree grows between the garden and the barn. “It is more than 200 years old”, Anouschka van Rossem says proudly, gently stroking the mossy bark of the tree. At night, she reports, when the sun goes down and you look up to the castle from down there, the tree is illuminated in the most beautiful of colours. “Those are the moments when I truly enjoy living here”, she says.

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“Artistic research” Hannes Egger from Lana is a concept artist.

But he is also a curator, publisher, philosopher, festival director and many things more.

An encounter. Text: Ariane Löbert “In the beginning was the Word”. Should we really start our portrait of a fairly worldly artist with a quote from the Gospel of John? Yet when looking at Hannes Egger’s work, this quote is what almost immediately comes to mind. The word – in our mind or spoken aloud – as a starting point for analysing our world, as the origin of the artistic process. Hannes Egger, born in 1981, read philosophy at the universities of Vienna and Rome before turning to art, because he was “fed up with reading books”. While he felt that the written word was too one-dimensional, he stuck with what could be committed to paper. For him, the starting point of his artistic work is what can be drawn on a sheet – and drawing is essentially what we do when writing individual letters, which, when combined, form language, i.e. words.

Hannes Egger is a concept artist, and most of his works are installations; three-dimensional objects inviting viewers to participate, to no longer be mere observers, but to turn into performers themselves. A prime example of that is his work “The Artist is absent, perform yourself” – an installation consisting of a small platform, a kind of dancing stage with instructions inviting viewers to become performers themselves. Sometimes cameras are set to capture the spur-of-the-moment artistic expressions, sometimes photos are taken and often the artist himself studies the scene. “I really like this observing approach”, Egger says, also referring to the participation encouraged by his work. For him, his works are “objects of study in disguise”, i.e. his exhibits aren’t the product of his artistic research, but work in progress. His work is always based on an initial thought or idea which is then developed into a concept during the course of his “research”.

Very often, the artist also adds some ironic or playful touches.

And it is only when viewers start interacting that Egger finds the answers to his artistic research questions. “It’s not necessarily the language or symbols used, but sometimes just a tiny movement or the way people interact with my installations”, he says.

22 Art and culture

It’s all in his head

“Lana Live”

Egger is especially thrilled about exploring the di≠erent levels of his thought experiments turned into real-world objects: the dimensions, the interactions with the visitors, the visual axes as well as the relationships that evolve. He does a lot of research (so he hasn’t given up reading entirely, after all), pins newspaper clippings, pictures and written thoughts onto corkboards, draws very basic black-and-white sketches. Egger is self-taught; his drawings are always stylised, utterly frugal, downright simple.

He is not very interested in one-dimensional, finalised work, like pieces you would hang up in your flat or o∞ce. The origin of his work of art is in his head, and he often brings in craftsmen and video or sound technicians to realise his installations. Therefore, his studio set up in the former forgery on his parents’ farm in Lana mostly serves as a storage space, private archive and workshop.

However, Hannes Egger is not only a concept artist. For several years now, he has served as the artistic director of the “Lana Live” festival, a cultural festival that is dedicated to the transdisciplinary and monothematic study of Lana and the surrounding region and takes place each year at several, sometimes unusual, locations. Music, performances, exhibitions, lectures and many other events are held at places like churches, industrial parks or, like this year, in the residential areas of Lana. Moreover, Hannes Egger is one of the editors of “Kulturelemente”, a magazine that is published several times a year and addresses both political and art-related topics. He has acted as a curator for several exhibitions, developed concepts for museums for locations such as the Marienberg abbey and is currently working on a concept for Castel Tirolo.

Egger’s series of works called “Blanco” is a prime example of his approach defined by participation and his ironic view on the business and reception of art. The series comprises several white, but signed sheets, on which the new owners can draw whatever they like. Customised art, so to speak. The series was bought by the province of South Tyrol. “see you” is Hannes Egger’s contribution to the Austrian pavilion at the Venice Art Biennale – a camera located in one of the corners of the pavilion sends a live stream out to the Kürsinger Hütte mountain hut located right below the 3,666-metre-high Großvenediger peak in the Hohe Tauern mountain range. This was the first time people could see Venice from the Großvenediger, thus bringing together the city and the countryside, alpinists and guests at the Biennale, making all of them objects of art themselves. At the Venice location, only a small panel informed visitors of the installation in place.

Hannes Egger’s work rarely includes references to the region he comes from; his pieces are no classic regional art, but, as he says, Lana is the place to be for him: not too big, not too loud, not too busy. This is where he has his family, a dog, a garden, four chickens and, last but not least, the mountains, which make your legs grow heavy, but clear your mind.

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Big Apple in an apple community Helga Plankensteiner and Michl Lösch are old hands in South Tyrol’s music business. For more than 25 years now, the saxophonist and the pianist have been a couple – both on stage and at home. They have launched numerous joint projects such as the “Lana meets Jazz” festival. Interview: Ariane Löbert

Lana Journal: What’s so special about “Lana meets Jazz’?

Helga Plankensteiner: It’s a festival built up from scratch each year.

It’s not just about music or about culture, but about fostering young talents. You don’t find that very often. Of course, that’s also because I work as a teacher at a music school, and many of my colleagues participate in the festival.

Michl Lösch: It’s simply a great mix, some true synergies.

Helga Plankensteiner: We don’t need a lot of advance planning.

We give everything room to evolve. You always need the right vibes. Nothing should ever be taken for granted. Most of the energy we need for this comes from our students. This festival was initiated for them and together with them, to give them the chance to play on stage in front of a wider audience together with some professional musicians.

How did you become interested in Jazz?

Michl Lösch: For me, classical music was always a little too boring.

I was more into improvisation, into simply playing whatever came to mind. My first band played a lot of fusion, i.e. a mix of jazz and rock. Later, the jazz component became stronger and stronger.

But back then, there were not a lot of options for studying jazz, so I first went to Milano, to Franco D’Andrea, and to Graz in Austria. It was only later that you could find more workshops in other places, too. To listen to jazz or buy jazz records, you had to travel to Bologna, Milano or Munich, Germany. Very slowly, a jazz scene started developing here in South Tyrol. First in Merano/Meran, Bolzano/Bozen and Bressanone/Brixen, where there were now some opportunities to play in bars and pubs. Today, we have various festivals, and all the music academies have their own jazz classes.

24 Art and culture

Helga Plankensteiner: My career was pretty straightforward.

First, I was member of a church choir and played the clarinet in a band. Later, I went to Innsbruck, Austria, and to Milano to study voice, and I also went to New York. When I came back, I got more serious about learning to play the saxophone: I attended workshops and listened to a lot of music before getting a regular degree at a music academy.

How do you manage to accommodate all the di≠erent projects you do? I mean, you work as composers, play in various bands, are teachers, are the artistic directors of the concert series “All that Music…!” in Bolzano…

Helga Plankensteiner: Well, you neglect your families and friends!

Michl Lösch: You simply need to focus on whatever needs to be done first. If you’re composing a piece, that is what you focus on for the next few of weeks.

Helga Plankensteiner: Getting invited to participate in band projects, however, is very relaxing. I really love that. You don’t have to take care of anything, you can just focus on playing your music.

Managing your own projects is a totally di≠erent story, what with all the composing, writing, organising and marketing you need to do.

Are there any pet fads or pet peeves in your work?

Things you especially like or dislike?

Michl Lösch: I really like our own projects, of course. It’s great to have my music played by others. It’s not all that great to play in front of people who aren’t really interested in music, though, when the audience doesn’t really catch fire.

Helga Plankensteiner: For me, it’s not so important whether people really listen or not – but the performance has to have the right vibes. And that’s something you can feel right away.

How important is teaching music to you? Sure, it’s your job, what you do for a living, but I’m sure there’s more to it?

Helga Plankensteiner: Sure, because if there wasn’t, I should quit right away. You can only teach music if you really want to.

And if your students really want to, when they’re open to your teaching, when they really practice their music and see some success in return. If not, teaching can be very painful. When teaching, I try to pass on everything I know. This is great. For me, playing music and teaching music go hand in hand. If I quit playing music, I would have to quit teaching, too.

Michl Lösch: I used to earn a living as an architect for a very long time. I’ve never worked as a teacher for longer periods. That’s just not my cup of tea. But I like teaching classes every once in a while: Just recently I started holding monthly jazz workshops in Merano and a piano workshop in Bressanone.

You have both travelled the world, spent time in Milano and New York, won several international awards, and played with famous Jazz musicians from around the globe. So why stay in Lana?

Helga Plankensteiner: Lana is my home. I do my teaching in Lana.

And we can always travel abroad if we want.

Michl Lösch: All the projects we’re involved in allow us to travel the world time and again. And if not, we do our own projects to bring the world home to us.

25

Drama and art It’s not just the eyes that run in the Müller family.

Actress Deborah Müller and her father, artist Ernst Müller, have far more in common than that: their deep-seated passion. Interview: Lisa Maria Kager

He would describe himself as a sociable guy, and she would simply say she is “die Debby va Lana” (literally, “Debbie from Lana”), but there is far more to them than that: Ernst Müller is a renowned artist who is famous far beyond Italy, and his daughter Deborah is a popular actress in Munich. Even though the two of them are really busy most of the time, spending some time together back home is far from boring for them, because turning the lives of “Tata” and his “Poppa” into a book would fill volumes.

Passion is a big word for your family – passion for the stage and passion for the paintbrush. But what does passion actually mean to you?

Ernst: Passion is something that takes over. During one of my painting phases, I may well spend eight to ten hours in a row in my workshop and not leave the house at all. In those moments, painting is everything to me; there’s nothing that could stop me.

Deborah: Yes, it unleashes a lot of energy. It’s the same for me when I’m on stage. I use my body to express myself, while my father uses his paintbrushes. But the passion behind these di≠erent forms of expression is the same.

Ernst: The only thing that matters is to never stop criticising yourself in spite of all the passion involved.

Are you just as self-critical as your dad?

Deborah: I think that others like working with me because I’m good at getting a certain atmosphere across with my acting.

I think that’s because I’m often not happy with my performance and keep on rehearsing until I feel that I got it right. Only then can I get these special vibes across. If not, I have to go for something else. And the same is true for dad’s paintings.

Ernst Müller is self-taught. He started painting when he was 14 years old and is now 65 years old.

Ernst, I was told you’re self-taught. Is that true?

Ernst: That’s right. I attended a holiday class once, but for me it just doesn’t make sense to sit down and draw a jug placed in front of you. I’ve been painting for more than 50 years now, and, to be honest, I’m a little proud of that. I never painted because I wanted to make money from it. I paint because I enjoy it.

I didn’t have teachers. I was the one deciding what to do and how to go about it.

26 Art and culture

Is Ernst stubborn? How would you describe him, Deborah?

Deborah: Not stubborn, no, but pretty ambitious, I would say.

Family is very important to “Tata” and he is a very social guy – somebody you can always rely on. If I rang him today to tell him that I’m a little under the weather, he would be the first to come over and help me out. He’s always there to support me, and I really appreciate everything he does for me.

Ernst: Our health and our family are our greatest assets, and you have to support your family. Family is more important than money could ever be.

And how would you in turn describe Deborah?

Ernst: All I need to do is look in the mirror, and I’ll see “Poppa” staring right back at me. (They both laugh.)

Deborah: Gosh, I’m so handsome! (laughs even louder) So you two have a lot in common? Is that what you’re trying to say?

Ernst: Yes, we’re both full of energy and ambition.

You’re a passionate alpinist. I’m sure energy and ambition are two character traits that come in handy when climbing a mountain, right?

Ernst: They sure do. When you want to climb a summit, you have to get body, mind and soul in harmony. And life is just the same; it’s full of ups and downs. Only later will you realise that you had to fall before you could rise up to the next challenge. But you must never lose heart. If we did, we wouldn’t be where we are now. Yet, in arts, you will never really reach the summit.

You don’t have a final destination. Your work is undergoing constant change and evolution. Your work is what you leave behind for future generations.

And what would you like to leave behind in your paintings?

Ernst: South Tyrol’s ancient architectural structures that got lost over time. Sure, some of the old farms had to be torn down, but many of them were demolished to erect new, modern buildings.

That’s a pity. Over the last 35 years, I’ve immortalised those farms in my paintings in a race against time.

Talking about his works of art, Ernst Müller starts gesticulating vividly and his blue eyes suddenly turn dark.

Where do you work?

Ernst: I always dreamed of having my own studio, but never really thought I would have one someday. But I got lucky and put a lot of hard work and faith in God into this project, and we’re now sitting right outside my “Schlössl” (literally, “little castle”), the largest existing Müller sculpture.

Ernst Müller gives me a tour of his “Schlössl”, an old building he meticulously renovated and converted. His studio is located on the ground floor: colourful canvases, paints, photos and models, and a huge portrait of Pope Ratzinger wearing a red coat right in the middle of the room. Standing next to the portrait, Ernst Müller rummages through some old photos and tells me stories from his life.

Deborah Müller is a trained social care worker and started out as an actress at the age of 24. She attended the Neue Münchner Schauspielschule (New Munich Drama School) and is now a popular actress performing in many commercials, stage plays, movies and TV series abroad.

Ernst Müller is an artist and father of three children. His works in oil are paintings “of the soul”. He was born in Vinschgau valley and is a self-taught painter constantly improving and refining his arts. His favourite motif is farms, for which he often uses a palette knife to add many colourful layers to his paintings.

Do you like telling others about yourself, Ernst?

Ernst: What really matters in life is to be self-confident while not emphasising the word “I” too much.

Deborah: (smiling) This is what my father taught me, to stay down-to-earth. This is what people like about me. Some people can’t believe that I’m still the person I used to be. (Deborah looks at her father.) He has always been my role model. I always wanted to be like my “Tata”, and I realise I’m becoming more and more like him – thank goodness.

27

Lana Open-Air Theatre Who wouldn’t want to spend those mild summer evenings some place outdoors?

“Let’s go out into nature” is everyone’s motto – and the theatre is no exception.

At the height of summer, Lana hosts some contemporary popular theatre in the great outdoors, with nature being both stage and backdrop. The Lana Open-Air Theatre is a truly unique experience that takes place either at the Capuchin Gardens of the former Capuchin monastery or in the romantic Gaul canyon. Each year sees a i≠erent play in which professional actors and amateurs work together to bring to life carefully selected stage plays that are great entertainment for the audiences while at the same time confronting viewers with contemporary social issues.

Please make sure to get tickets for all shows well in advance.

Only in German language. >> www.freilichtspielelana.eu

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Lana di Sotto parish church and Schnatterpeck altar Visit one of the most beautiful buildings of the late Gothic period: the Lana di Sotto parish church with its Schnatterpeck altar, which is one of the largest winged altars in the entire Alpine region and famous far beyond.

The majestic altar is more than 14 metres high and 7 metres wide (approx. 46 and 23 ft respectively) and depicts stories from the life of Jesus Christ: A total of 64 statues, some of them head-high, depict scenes such as the birth of Jesus, Jesus at the temple, the Three Wise Men, the Coronation of Mary and the Mercy Seat.

In the early 16th century, the Swabian sculptor Hans Schnatterpeck and his fellow guild members spent eight years carving the altar from chestnut wood, painting it and finally decorating it with fine gold. The population of Lana (approx. 800 people at the time) paid 1,600 Rhenish guilders for their work, which, back then, was equivalent to buying three farms and eight loads of wine.

The Schnatterpeck altar was inaugurated in 1511 at the Lana di Sotto parish church and has not been removed since, not even in times of war.

Lana summer nights LanaPhil

The “Long Thursdays’

Old times are calling

A collectors’ paradise

The Santa Margherita Church

Rare stamps, ancient coins, historic postcards and many other collectors’ items: Each year in April and October, the Lana Rai≠eisenhaus hosts LanaPhil – a major international collectors’ fair.

“The later the evening, the younger the night” – this is the motto of summer nights in Lana, filled with nice strolls, lots of dancing, late-night shopping and much more. From June to August, Lana’s city centre hosts the “Long Thursdays”, a series of events and great entertainment perfectly suitable for those long and mild summer nights.

South Tyrol is a country of castles, churches and chapels. Remnants of Medieval times as well as the Early and High Romanticism periods can be found everywhere. Lana alone is home to more than 30 monasteries, churches and chapels dating back to that time in history. One of the most famous churches is Lana’s Santa Margherita Church with architectural and artistic components dating back to the year 1000.

The Romanesque church with its green and golden roof has a total of three apses and a detailed fresco cycle. Stories suggest that it dates back to the 10th century ad and was commissioned by the wife of the Byzantine emperor Otto II, Empress Theophanu, as an expression of her gratitude. Elements original to the Romanesque structures are the round apses with paintings dating back to 1215, with bestiaries to be found on the pedestals. The Santa Margherita Church is located right below the Brandis track and can easily reached by foot. Guided tours run all day on Wednesdays from beginning of April to late October.

Visitors to the fair can explore, bid for or exchange much sought-after collectors’ items. In addition to the many private collectors, approx. 60 commercial exhibitors put historic postcards, stamps, coins and letters up for sale. The full list of items exhibited and o≠ered for sale is much longer: Correspondence from the pre-stamp period, stamped mail items, local keepsakes, historic shares and securities and images of saints can be found among militaria, banknotes, phone cards, typical Tyrolean items and other books, engraved illustrations and old photos.

In addition to the collectors’ market, the event also gives visitors the opportunity to exchange experiences and consult experts. Albert Innerhofer, a passionate collector of old and historic postcards, was the one to initiate LanaPhil and has been organising the collectors’ fair ever since.

The event has been taking place regularly since 2000. Very recently, he added a special treat for all collectors: customised stamps.

Every Thursday night, the Lana city centre features live music accompanied by a great entertainment programme taking place on the square in front of the city hall. The pedestrian zone is lined with food and market stalls and there are many great events including dance shows, flea markets and other activities such as “Lana’s Next Shopping Queen”. Fun games, bouncy castles or balloon figure makers cater for the little ones. All participating shops, restaurants and food stalls are open way into the night and turn Lana into a huge festival site for young and old each week in summer. >> www.lana.infogiovedi-lungo

>> www.lanaphil.info

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South Tyrol’s garden fair at the Galanthus garden centre

Passion Play Music, culinary delights and market stalls at the heart of a sea of blossoming plants – Südtiroler Gartenlust (literally, “South Tyrol’s Gardening Passion”) is a special fair – not only for passionate gardeners.

The Galanthus garden centre hosts this unique market each year in autumn.

More than 80 exhibitors from South Tyrol, Italy, Germany and Austria come here for one weekend to sell everything you need for or in your garden: a wide range of garden decorations, useful gardening tools, glass and ceramics products, plant pots, antiques and wickerwork, felt and woven products, artisan craftwork, natural products, plants and seeds including special rose varieties and flower bulbs, rare phlox species and shrubs. Sorten Garten Südtirol, a horticultural society, presents old and rare fruit and vegetable varieties, and craftsmen explain their trades at the co≠ee house in the monastery garden. The fair also features interesting lectures on a variety of gardening topics and special kids’ activities. >> www.galanthus.it

The Passion Play – a great way of expressing religion and introducing a wider audience to the amazing mystery that is Jesus Christ. Lana’s Braunsberg stage initiated the Lana Passion Play several decades ago and has held the event every five years ever since. The Lana Passion Play has meanwhile become famous and popular far beyond the region. It enacts the Passion and Transfiguration of Christ as well as the resulting promise of salvation for mankind.

The Passion Play is a special highlight for everyone interested in culture as well as for all artists, volunteers and helping hands involved in the staging the event. In future, choirs will support the play on stage to add to its special character. The Passion Play is held at the Lana di Mezzo Santa Croce Church, which was built in the historically and economically di∞cult period between the years of 1938 and 1943 and wasn’t finished until 1950. The spherical roof of the tower is called the “Lana Apple” by locals.

The three swing doors you encounter right after entering through the three main church doors are a symbol of the Holy Trinity.

Only in German language. >> www.passionsspiele.it

Lana Literature For those of you who love reading poetry, are writers themselves or are simply interested in literary texts, the Lana Literature Days are a must. Lectures and talks presented by well-known writers, poets and artists are dedicated to the poetry aspects of literary history, making the Literature Days a unique festival of its kind.

The Lana Literature Days are organised by the Verein der Bücherwürmer (literally, “The Bookworm Association”) which, together with the South Tyrolean Association of Artists/Literature, also awards the Merano Poetry Prize, a competition that has become one of the key events of the German-speaking literature scene.

During the award finals, poets read from their yet unpublished works, which are analysed by a first-rate panel of judges.

The award ceremony is followed by talks and debates on contemporary poetry.

The Lana Literature Days also feature a dramatic writing workshop held within the framework of the South Tyrol Summer School and includes presentations and talks.

Only in German language. >> www.literaturlana.com

30 Art and culture

31

From the field straight to the table Asparagus, apples, wine: The region has many culinary delights to o≠er. An ever-growing number of farmers and restaurant owners has started using and refining local products – just like farmer Norbert Kerschbamer, the Schwienbacher family and the miil restaurant.

Text: Petra Schwienbacher Norbert Kerschbamer likes his asparagus best with Parmesan cheese and olive oil accompanied by a nice glass of Sauvignon, from his own winery, of course. We visit the 49-year-old Lana farmer out in his 1,600-square-metre-big and 800-metre-long asparagus field. It is the last day of this year’s asparagus harvest, a job for which he uses a special tool: an asparagus knife, a blade for cutting the delicate asparagus spears. First, he carefully removes all the dirt around the asparagus crowns that have emerged from the soil-filled trenches, before cutting the asparagus spears at the lower end of the plant – a process to be repeated until the entire crop has been harvested.

Later, he sells his asparagus to hotels and restaurants near his farm as well as to non-commercial customers. For this, the asparagus has to be sorted and washed before being delivered on the same afternoon. “They can serve their guests the asparagus the very same evening”, the farmer proudly says.

For Andreas Heinisch, chef de cuisine of the miil gourmet restaurant in Cermes, buying fresh local produce is key. Every spring, the Schwienbacher family running the “Hofer-Hof Jausenstation” (tavern) in Cermes also get fresh asparagus right from the farm to their guests. An ever-growing number of restaurants now value regional, fresh produce from the farm straight to their tables.

32 In good taste

33

Hands-on business In the afternoon, right after completing the harvest, Kerschbamer planes the field to prevent the asparagus from growing further.

“At some point, it would simply emerge too far”, he says while cutting spear after spear. It’s tedious hands-on work, but he is lucky to have three daughters that give him a hand whenever he needs one.

Thanks to his many years of experience, it is easy for Kerschbamer to identify all the spots where asparagus spears are to be found, even when the crowns have not yet emerged: You have to watch for fine cracks in the sandy soil. He cuts them at a length of 23 centimetres (approx. 9 inches), because all the spears going into sale should be at least 20 centimetres (approx. 8 inches) long. To prevent the crops from going stringy, asparagus has to be planted below the soil line, and each trench is then filled with soil and covered with a dark-coloured tarp to keep the sunlight out, which would turn the spears violet. For all his hard work, he yields approximately half a kilo of asparagus per season and plant.

Back in 1997, Kerschbamer started planting asparagus between his apple trees in the village of Lana di Sotto. The soil here is very sandy and thus ideal for the delicate crop. Moreover, this zone is very prone to hail and has seen 19 bouts of hail over the course of 25 years – a serious threat to the apple yield.

From South Tyrolean Speck dumplings to sweet buckwheat desserts In an e≠ort to support farmers like Mr Kerschbamer, the Schwienbacher family only buy regional products for their Hofer-Hof inn and grow as many vegetables as they can in their own garden and the field next to their house. This not only means a lot of hard work, but also reduces their bottom-line revenue. Yet it is worth it.

“Seeing me bring in fresh lettuce straight from our garden makes their salad taste even better”, Luise Schwienbacher says about her guests, laughing. The 65-year-old prepares fresh dishes for the large numbers of hikers who visit their place every day from mid-March to mid-November, and the restaurant wouldn’t be the same without her. Her daughter-in-law Stefanie, 31, works with her in the kitchen.

The other section of his two hectares of land is used for planting grape vines and some apple trees. In 1998, he started making wine for personal consumption.

The men in the family – Josef, 70, and Stefan, 31 – take care of the garden, the field and the greenhouse and see to the needs of their guests. On sunny Sundays just like today, the whole family is really busy, with the first hikers arriving as early as at 11am, waiting to indulge in all the Tyrolian delicacies and Mediterranean delights.

They order traditional dishes like Speck dumplings with coleslaw, spinach-filled turnovers or a treat known as “Schwarzplentenen Riebl”, a sweet, pancake-style dessert made from buckwheat. Specialty of the day: Cordon bleu made from locally produced meat and topped with wild garlic from their own garden.

In 2003, the farmer opened an o∞cial commercial winery called “Weingut Hännsl am Ort” (Hännsl, your local winery), and now grows seven di≠erent varieties: Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Sauvignon and Schiava, Merlot, Lagrein and Pinot Noir. Moreover, they bottle DOC quality wines. “I like winemaking, because it allows me to be creative and design a signature product”, he proudly says. Some of the apples he grows are delivered to a fruit growers’ cooperative, others are used for making apple juice. His customers appreciate all the hard work that goes into his products.

“I like being in touch with consumers, especially in the modern day and age when production has become ever more anonymous”, Kerschbamer says, glad to have opted for this strategy.

Lettuce, watercress, beans, beetroot, berries and fruit can be grown here at an altitude of 800 metres, which is where the inn is located.

“We only buy vegetables when we run out of something. And if possible, we try to procure them straight from the farms”, Luise says. She herself makes all the juices they serve – a total of seven di≠erent varieties including raspberry, cherry, currant and apple.

But there is even more on o≠er: The Schwienbacher family also smokes their own Speck (a bacon variety). “But we have to buy some, too, because we can’t make enough”. Butter and cheese are among the few products they have to buy. As they want to avoid long transport routes for their products, the four of them all agree to only buy from local dairies.

Signature products

34 In good taste

Dedicated to their guests

A culinary trip to the old mill

“We baked some bread yesterday”, Josef tells us: traditional “Paarlen” bread made from rye flour and a little wheat, in addition to fennel, aniseed, caraway, blue fenugreek, salt and yeast. This type of bread was the reason why the farm, which was first mentioned in historic documents as early as in 1399, was turned into a rustic tavern back in 1990.

Top-quality local products can also be found at the miil restaurant in Cermes/Tscherms, located right next to the historic Kränzel residence and the maze gardens in a 14th century mill. The restaurant serves up unusual creations defined by a mix of regional and international cuisine: deer tartar on a “forest bed”, zander carpaccio with apple, horseradish and ribwort, asparagus from Marlengo, venison from Passiria, pan dishes with porcini mushrooms, potatoes and sea bass. Specialties cooked with USAmerican beef or Mediterranean tuna complement the venison and beef dishes made with meat from local farmers.

“This room used to be our private parlour”, Luise says, showing us a wood-panelled room featuring a traditional farm oven and ledge that has been turned into a dining area. Nowadays, only the rear part of the house is exclusively for personal use.

Their bakery is located on the bottom floor and has always been used for making bread for the family. “But people spread the word, and more and more friends and acquaintances came to us to buy bread”, Luise explains. This made her think about selling bread with bacon and cheese when two nearby taverns were closed at the same time and increasing numbers of thirsty hikers started showing up on her doorstep on their way to the Ochsentodsteig trail.

Since 2015, Stefan has been in charge of the tavern o≠ering a great view of the entire Etsch valley. He knew right from the very start that he wanted to run the family business someday. He is the youngest child of the family, with three older brothers and one sister, and has always worked at the inn. While serving his guests “Marende”, a typical Tyrolean snack platter usually consisting of bacon, Kaminwurzen sausages, cheese, bread and a glass of wine, Stefan sometimes plays a couple of songs on his accordion for his guests.

The dedication that goes into their cooking earned the Schwienbacher family the seal “Echte Qualität am Berg” (authentic mountain quality), which is awarded to businesses o≠ering authentic, traditional, high-quality products.

Andreas Heinisch has been miil’s chef de cuisine for six years now. We meet the 34-year-old in his kitchen, where he is busy dicing fresh porcini mushrooms. It is especially important to him to use as many regional, locally farmed ingredients as possible.

“We purchase a lot of meat and seasonal vegetables right from farms close by”, Mr Heinisch explains. Carrots, broccoli, cabbage, lettuce, beetroot, strawberries, raspberries, apples and even goji berries come from local farms. The restaurant opts for local produce whenever possible.

All kitchen sta≠ contribute to the modern creations served up at the restaurant. “When buying meat, we buy the entire animal and try to make good use of all its parts. We would like to show our guests that you don’t always have to go for the fillet to prepare mouth-watering dishes”, says the father of a little girl. Cooking is his passion, and he spends some 13 hours a day at the old mill.

“You really have to love your job to do that”. And it’s all the more fun when your guests love the food you prepare.

35

Alpine pasta Natural, organic wholefoods – the secret behind the success of Alexander Gross’s handmade grissini and pasta varieties.

Text: Petra Schwienbacher

The master baker picks up a piece of spelt dough and flattens it with both hands. Using a dough scraper, he cuts o≠ several thin strips, stretches them with both hands and places them on a baking sheet. As an experienced baker, Alexander Gross repeats all those steps so fast that it is hard to follow them with your bare eyes: 2,000 to 3,000 times a day, six days out of seven.

Each morning, the 38-year-old starts work at the 70-square-metre production site on the bottom floor of the PUR South Tyrol store in Bolzano/Bozen. And he doesn’t call it a day before sometime in the evening. But Gross doesn’t make his work look hard. Talking about his job puts a big smile on his face. “Well, my job isn’t all hip and cool, but if a crazy little thing like this makes you happy,” Gross tells us, smiling and picking up one of the crumbly bread sticks known as grissini, “and it tastes great too, that’s just amazing”. Each grissino stick is handmade. As Gross explains, you can tell that not only by the way it looks, but also by the way it tastes. The baker, who was born in Lana and now lives in Cermes/ Tscherms, says that the crispy sticks go perfectly with a South Tyrolean Marende platter of speck (bacon) and cheese.

Whole grain only The dough needs to rest for one day before the grissini can be baked. “Great food needs time. Most people will understand that with wine, but nobody sees that with bread”, the baker says.

In addition to his grissini, he also bakes fresh rolls every day.

Three years ago, in summer, he founded Pastalpina. His goal is to use heirloom grains and produce authentic products.

Back then, the trained baker worked as a salesman for a mill.

For him, a healthy diet has always been important and he has always acted out of conviction. So producing his own organic wholefood products was the logical next step to take.

36 In good taste

From the very beginning, he has been producing three types of grissini – plain, with tomatoes, and with rosemary – and nine pasta varieties including spelt, rye, einkorn wheat, buckwheat and durum wheat. His pasta is all organic and made from South Tyrolean Regiokorn grains and the traditional Austrian einkorn grains. A friend of his, also a baker, does all the milling for him.

And the flour is not sifted. “The term “wholemeal” is not clearly defined here in Italy, so companies can go and sell white flour with bran as wholemeal”, Gross complains. “But wholemeal actually means using whole grains only, i.e. including the outer layers.

This also makes the grains easier to digest”.

Straight from production to sale After putting the finishing touches on his grissini, Gross moves on to make some pasta. The dough is made from flour and water only. His fully automated pasta extruder allows him to produce di≠erent pasta shapes: ri±ed crescents, also known as galletti, or the long strips known as tagliatelle, for example. Gross’s favourite variety are the light brown, slightly reddish einkorn wheat tagliatelle. Maybe that’s because he has to work on them manually after the machine is done.

It takes the machine three hours to produce a batch of 70 kilogrammes. Gross spreads the fresh pasta out on several grids, which he then stacks in a kitchen dryer. Depending on the shape of the pasta, it takes 16 to 30 hours for it to dry. The drying temperature is one of his secrets. He will only reveal this much, with a big grin on his face: “Spending some time in the dryer would leave you comfortably warm, but you wouldn’t get roasted”.

Once dried, Gross weighs the pasta in the back of his bakery, fills it into small bags and labels it, before bringing the pouches upstairs right into the PUR South Tyrol sales room. As is often the case, some of his customers peek through the large shop window on the bottom floor and watch Gross work – they absolutely love the fact that they can watch production here. And, as is often the case, the master baker brings some fresh grissini sticks outside for his audience to try. “And sometimes I even have time for a little chat”, Gross says, smiling.

37

The Kränzelhof experience From meditation to culinary delights Erlebnis Kränzelhof (the Kränzelhof experience) – the title says it all. The estate is full of unique experiences: the Medieval structures, the estate’s own vineyard and wine shop, a gourmet restaurant and seven exciting gardens.

The Kränzelhof estate is a prime example of tradition complemented by modern artistic and cultural activities. The Garden of Love, of Trust, and of Sensuality, the Yin and Yang Garden, the Wine Garden and the Labyrinth Garden on a total of 20,000 square metres (approx. 215k sq ft) are adventure gardens that continuously change their appearance thanks to plant growth and the addition of new installations.

38 In good taste

Nutris South Tyrol’s first vegetarian/vegan gourmet restaurant Healthy, sustainable and authentic foods and unique cuisine in a stylish atmosphere: That is the mission of Nutris, South Tyrol’s first vegetarian/vegan gourmet restaurant, located in the Dolce Vita Hotel Alpiana Resort in Foiana/Völlan. “Great food, great conscience” – this is the motto of Arnold Nussbaumer for his vegetarian and vegan creations. His goal is to develop alternative options for a healthy diet.

The guiding principle of the restaurant’s head chef is to only use regional, seasonal products and local herbs and condiments.

Sourcing his foods locally is possible thanks to a close cooperation with PUR Südtirol, a local food dealer selling high-quality products from farmers and producers throughout South Tyrol.

The Kränzelhof is a year-round experience featuring numerous events including meditation sessions, various art exhibitions, guided tours and wine tastings. The ancient flour-producing grain mill is now home to the miil gourmet restaurant, inviting guests to wine and dine and enjoy culinary delights under the mill’s dark wooden beams, up on the mill’s gallery, in one of the many little rooms or out in the idyllic farmyard.

His guests enjoy his innovative dishes served with regional wines and garnished with a great view of the outdoor landscape.

This is conscious eating taken to a whole new level.

>> www.kraenzelhof.it

>> www.alpiana.com

Magdalena Felder Cooking and blogging Pumpkin gnocchi with asparagus, zucchini spaghetti with a vegetable sauce or veal strips with chard stalks – there is nothing she would not dare to try. And Magdalena Felder’s dishes are far from boring. Cooking is her great passion. Thinking of her first attempts at cooking takes her back to the kitchen of her childhood, with little Magdalena having to use a chair to be able to reach up to the worktop.

Meanwhile, her passion has become her profession. Together with her husband Norbert, she owns the “Felder” household appliances store in Lana, serves up sophisticated creations for family and friends every day and runs regular cooking classes.

Moreover, she is a tester for kitchen utensils and appliances. The results of her tests get published on her blog, where you can also find her favourite dishes complete with photos and recipes in case you want to give them a try yourself. >> www.kochfelder.blogspot.com

The taste of diversity at the traditional Buschenschänke taverns The rustic and comfy, traditional public rooms are filled with the most pleasant flavours. The farmyard taverns, also known as Buschenschänken, are famous for their traditional, home-cooked meals from South Tyrol. And there are plenty of varieties: home-baked bread, a typical South Tyrolean Speckbrettl platter with bacon, cheese from the tavern’s own farm, dumplings, all sorts of South Tyrolean gnocchi as well as the region’s popular mezzelune pasta called Schlutzkrapfen.

These dishes all go perfectly with homemade juice and great wine made from the tavern’s own vineyard – all homegrown and produced.

Leaving the award-winning restaurants of Lana behind, the village and the surrounding region are still characterised by the traditional South Tyrolean lifestyle out on the many farms and in the rural taverns.

Especially in autumn, these places are highly frequented by hikers. This is when the chestnut season starts: Once the sweet chestnuts are ripe, they are roasted and sold in the streets and taverns, often served with Sußer, a special, sweet grape cider, or with young wine. During that season, make sure to get your reservations early.

A special event The Wild Herbs Days For a long time, many wild herbs and vegetables were almost completely neglected and hardly ever used when cooking or compiling recipe books. What a pity! Wild herbs are in fact a great asset for many dishes, and they are especially healthy. That is precisely why in early May gourmet weeks dedicated to the culinary uses of these natural ingredients are held: the “Wildkräuter. einheimisch und gsund” (Wild Herb Days). Participating restaurants and inns in Lana, Foiana/Völlan, Prissiano/ Prissian, Sirmiano/ Sirmian and San Vigilio/ Vigiljoch create the most delicious dishes with wild herbs and vegetables. In addition to serving typical home-cooked meals, the chefs reinterpret traditional dishes to put together some truly innovative courses.

All ingredients are sourced locally from farmers throughout the region. This event also gives interested guests the opportunity to learn a lot about wild herbs and vegetables. The culinary delights are complemented by wild herb tours, wild herb cooking classes, a wild herb festival as well as workshops and lectures on the healing power of herbs. The key goal of the gourmet festival is to bring back flavourful wild vegetables and herbs to restaurant menus.

39

San Vigilio San Vigilio/Vigiljoch, a hilly crest of grassland and forests located right above Lana, is a recreational area popular with tourists and locals alike. Text: Matthias Mayr

When he was little, Ulrich Ladurner was fascinated by the hotel located right next to the mountain station of San Vigilio’s cable car. “I was always asking myself: What kind of people live there? What happens inside this building?”, he tells us.

Those were perfectly valid questions, seeing as in its prime in the 1930s, 1950s and 1960s, the hotel was a holiday home for highclass guests, including former German chancellor Willi Brandt as well as South Italian aristocracy, who spent entire summers in San Vigilio.

Yet once the glamour was gone, the hotel gradually went to rack and ruin and ended up in a squalid state. Ulrich Ladurner, a Merano native and director of “Dr. Schär”, a company producing gluten-free foods, did not want it to decline any further and decided to buy the hotel. He commissioned renowned architect Matteo Thun and spared no expense to turn the “vigilius mountain resort” into something truly new and special. The five-star hotel located at 1,500 metres (4,900 ft) above sea level now shines in sparkling glass and wood – it is not just any old hotel. “I wanted to turn it into something special”, Ladurner says. “And it worked in the past, even though it’s not connected to any roads. So why not make it work again?’

Not all locals were happy with what he did at first – after all, they consider San Vigilio their personal property. They kept calling the hotel names such as “bird house” or “cowshed”. Meanwhile, however, all the former critics have been convinced (or have simply fallen silent), and the stark contrast between the extraordinary structure and the rustic landscape around it remains.

40 A variety of experiences

Nature right on your doorstep But San Vigilio has far more to o≠er than just Ladurner’s hotel.

A multitude of hiking paths crisscross the area, mountain inns and huts cater for hikers and tourists in summer, and the area is a great insiders’ tip for tobogganers and skiers in winter.

San Vigilio remains a car-free zone. The easiest way up there is to take the cable car from Lana, which was built back in 1912 and was one of the first passenger cable cars in the world. The gondola was renovated a few years ago and takes you to the mountain station located at 1,500 metres (4,900 ft) above sea level.

The ride is short and takes you up steep terrain. From the mountain station you take a one-person chair lift almost all the way up to the top of the pass.

Short hiking tours get you from there to the small Vigilius Church and the idyllic Schwarze Lacke (black lake) mountain lake. Alternatively, you can take a cable car from Lana’s Pavicolo/Pawigl neighbourhood or a cable car from Rablà/Rabland on the Vinschgau valley side of the mountain.

San Vigilio has always been a highly popular spot with the locals from the valley. Many families spent their summers in the small holiday homes spread across the entire crest, and it is a traditional destination for school field trips in May. For Ladurner, San Vigilio is one of many great childhood memories, reminding him of day trips with his class at school, his parents and friends.

Just a short distance from the Ortles mountains San Vigilio stretches from Merano/Meran to the Southwest and separates the lower Vinschgau valley in the West from Burgraviato in the East. The hilly and forested Merano area of San Vigilio is the foothills of the Ortler mountain range, a massif home to South Tyrol’s highest peak.

On its flank, starting from Vinschgau valley, you will find Naturno/ Naturns, Plaus, Rablà/Rabland, Tel/Töll, Foresta/Forst, Marlengo/ Marling, Cermes/Tscherms and Lana. On the south side of Mount San Vigilio lies Val d’Ultimo. San Vigilio itself lies 1,743 metres (5,720 ft) above sea level and refers to the section between Vinschgau valley and Burgraviato. Here, at the site of a former Pagan cult, close to the former border between the bishoprics of Trento and Chur, you will find the Vigilius Church, also known as the “Jocher Kirchl”, which is dedicated to Saint Vigilius. The church is what is known as “weather church” and every year on 26th June, the Day of Saint Vigilius, it becomes a popular destination for pilgrims from nearby villages. The early Romanesque nave shows a cycle of 14th-century frescoes depicting the 12 apostles and a crucifixion group. After having been used as a cowshed for a long time, the little church was renovated in the late 19th century and reconsecrated. Close by, at the foot of the church, you will find the Jocher See, a small pond that reflects the trees and sky. It carries water only during the snowmelt period and is said to be haunted.

Jocher Gschichtn (Stories from San Vigilio) Norbert Menz from Merano compiled everything you need to know about San Vigilio in his book titled “Jocher Gschichtn” (Stories from San Vigilio). He introduces the reader to many plants that are found there and explains how they can be used in cooking and for medicinal purposes, including the “Zirm”, a species of stone pine also known as the “Queen of the Alps”.

Menz does a very thorough job of taking stock of the area, lists all the mountain huts, tells stories of wolves’ caves and lime kilns

and gives a description of the people living there – one-of-a-kind characters shaped by lonely summers up in the mountain huts.

History and stories such as the one about “Wascht”, a shepherd at the Tufer Mountain hut, and the flour soup recipe of “Wendl” are characteristic of his book.

Ancient Celts are said to have left their marks there long ago: Some old stone bowls were found, and there are many stories about the “Tatzelwurm” (a mythological worm-like creature), gold treasures and human remains.

A journey into the past For Ladurner, San Vigilio is like an obligation. “I spend a lot of time up there and need to take care of things that others don’t even think about: I get rid of litter, restore paths and roads after winter, clear up, and continue improving things”. For him, the future of San Vigilio is its past. “San Vigilio is still very original, and that’s what makes it so appealing”.

San Vigilio used to be Merano’s and Lana’s local skiing resort, and this is also where the San Vigilio ski club used to organise legendary club championships. Yet modern-day skiers have totally di≠erent expectations regarding the slopes, lifts, culinary delights and entertainment provided by such a resort, so Ladurner prefers focusing on “winter relaxation”. “It was a conscious decision to counter that trend”, he says. “People look for simplicity. They want to escape from their complicated worlds; they don’t want to be overwhelmed. They want a retreat, to keep things away from them for a while”. But he doesn’t think it’s all that easy. “We have to be the first ones to do this”, he says a little thoughtfully.

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A flower you will fall in love with Orchids are the largest existing plant family on our planet. Yet that wasn’t the only reason for Valtl Ra≠einer to create his orchid world in Gargazzone/Gargazon.

Text: Lisa Maria Kager

42 A variety of experiences

“This plant is so diverse you just can’t help but fall in love with it”, Valtl Raffeiner says as he reaches for the delicate stem of a rose-coloured orchid with his heavy worker’s hands, shaking it lightly. The flower’s tiny violet lips start swinging back and forth.

“Isn’t that fabulous?” Ra≠einer asks, beaming with joy. You can’t help but notice the passion this gardener has been putting into his work ever since he started out back in 1970. He truly loves the orchid family. This was why the business man and father decided to initiate the “Orchid World” project. “After growing Mediterranean plants in Apulia for 30 years to be exported to countries all over Europe, I wanted to do something to make people happy”, Ra≠einer says. This spring, he started using the huge orchid glass houses located at the entrance to the Gargazzone village not only for growing the precious plants, but also as show rooms for the colourful blooms, thus turning the half-hectare sized space into an adventure park dedicated to educating visitors about these exotic plants.

“Try to imagine how insects make their way through the blossom, all the way down to the pollen”, the Orchid World manager tells us while walking through the imaginary flower. Bright orange, dark yellow and mixes of violet and green – the range of colours of the flowers in the glass house is vast. “For plants, it’s important to look beautiful – not to impress us human beings, but to make insects notice them so as to get pollinated”, Ra≠einer says, explaining the extraordinary beauty of the blossoms. For that very purpose, some orchids even drop all their leaves while in bloom, just like a rose-coloured hanging orchid we see here. Valtl Ra≠einer removes some of the dried-up blossoms. For five years now, the orchid enthusiast has been collecting specimens from all around the world to test them for durability and marketability in the park’s own lab. “That’s my daughter Barbara’s job. She studied genetics and now runs our own lab”, the proud dad tells us. That is where Ra≠einer’s orchids are cultivated as well. “From the seed to the first blossoms takes about five years”, he explains.

From seeds to blossoms

Past banana trees and across a suspension bridge we go, ending up in front of a head-high map of the world. It serves to give you some orientation, Valtl Ra≠einer says. “Most orchids are found near the equator in Asia, Central and South America”, he explains, pointing to the regions on the map. Whenever Ra≠einer is not working at the park, he spends time with his family or travels the world. Strolling along the orchid path, he tells us about his adventures in the “real jungle”. In spite of being in charge of such a large business, he doesn’t seem stressed out at all. “You need to take the time to have a life”, he says. “That’s really important”.

A short educational trail with pictures and panels right at the entrance to the Orchid World provides some basic information about the history of this flower. The orchid plant family is 70–80 million years old, a fact proven by the existence of orchid pollen found on the back of a bee fossilised in an amber stone.

We walk past Dracula orchids and tree fern to a large glass window that grants us a peek at the many rows of orchids produced at the park. “We have more than 500 di≠erent orchids and 6,000 plants in total”, Ra≠einer says proudly.

A couple metres on, visitors can explore the world of insects.

A narrow tunnel leads us into a room painted all in yellow.

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The Italian atmosphere A great sense for fashion trends.

Top-notch in-store advice for men and women.

Lucas Kuntner is more than just a shoe salesman.

Text: Petra Schwienbacher

A mild and lovely Thursday evening. The little piazza located in the historic village centre of Lana is filled with warm lights.

The quiet rush of the fountain is accompanied by live music from a band. People sit outside, enjoying their Hugo and Veneziano drinks, while others stroll along the small market stalls and food stands. Some children have started dancing to the music. The air is filled with the flavours of culinary delights. Italian atmosphere – right in the heart of the Alps.

Lana’s “Long Thursdays Nights” held from June to August are filled with all kinds of events and celebrations, because “the later the evening, the younger the night”: Engaging dance shows, flea markets, great drinks and numerous traditional games and activities for kids draw large crowds to the village square.

Yet there is more to the special atmosphere of Lana’s “Long Thursdays” than just great food and entertainment. The hustle and bustle of the day’s business in shops and firms dies down, and (window) shopping becomes a whole new and relaxing holiday experience at this time of night. This is especially true for the posh shoe stores like Calceus or the little In Piazza store located right across the little fountain – on just 24 square metres, customers find a truly unique atmosphere.

Once home to a general store, the shoe shop has kept the original wooden floors, the bar and the old shelves formerly used to store flour and condiments, and turned them into shoe displays. Shoes made from real Italian leather and luxury sneakers are arranged right next to ankle boots and college-style slippers. Young and modern. “Italy is at the forefront of fashion, shoes and accessories”, Lucas Kuntner explains. The 33-year-old has been working at the shop since 3pm this afternoon. But even if the “Long Thursdays” mean long working hours for him, he “wouldn’t want to miss them anymore”.

44 A variety of experiences

The In Piazza shop opened ten years ago, when Lucas Kuntner started working for his family’s business. The passion for fashion and elegance has a long-standing tradition in his family, and he started his professional career as a shoe seller when he was only 13 years old and was allowed to help out at his father’s shop during the summer breaks. After graduating from secondary school, he went to Verona University to study languages and hospitality management before returning to the family business. Whenever Kuntner doesn’t spend time at his In Piazza store, he works as a skiing instructor out on the mountain slopes in his role as the manager of the skiing school at the San Vigilio/Vigiljoch family skiing resort.

Together with his father and his sister, he is responsible for purchasing for the three family-owned shoe stores and solely responsible for marketing and social media. “I like the fact that my area

of responsibility is so diverse”, the father of a two-year-old daughter tells us. “It’s not just about selling the shoes or talking to your customers at the shop. Before the shoes end up on display in our windows, there is lots of background work to do”. Kuntner attends trade shows and showrooms in Milano to pick items from the latest collections to be sold the next season. He always tries to spot trends as early as he can – and he has a great sense for fashion trends. The numerous regulars that visit his shop confirm that: “If you want authentic Italian quality, you should buy from the Kuntner family”.

Many people come to the shop on this Thursday night in August.

With celebrations going on outside, Kuntner takes his time in the shop to present modern leather shoes in dark blue, low shoes in shiny black and ankle boots in dark red, all of them featuring sturdy soles: “This is the trend of the year”.

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The Gargazzone bathing pond

Summer for kids in Lana

A natural swim space

Explore, discover, be creative

The little ones play with pebbles and have fun in the splash pool resembling a natural stream, while their parents kick back and relax out on the lawn, legs dangling in the refreshing water of the lake, enjoying the view of the water lilies on the shores. The Gargazzone/Gargazon bathing pond is fun for young and old alike.

Being a detective – that’s what most kids dream of. And their dream can now come true at San Vigilio/Vigiljoch.

The natural bathing pond is similar to a natural lake in that it has a sustainable, independent ecosystem. There is no need for chlorine or other chemicals, because thanks to water plants, phytoplankton and zooplankton, the water in the lake cleanses itself. In addition, the pond water is purified by plant filters.

Visitors will find a total of 2,200 square metres (approx. 23,700 sq ft) of swim space including a kids’ pool, a non-swimmers zone no deeper than 1.20 metres (approx.

4 ft), a 50-metre (164 ft) long pool and a fun pool with a depth of 2 metres (approx.

6.6 ft). Playground equipment, a beach volleyball field, table tennis and table soccer provide entertainment for adults and kids.

This natural swimming pond is located right next to the train station and is easy to get to even when you don’t have a car: Just take your bike, the train or simply walk there. Moreover, there is a city bus shuttle service running regularly from the city centre to the pools. >> www.naturbad-gargazon.it

46 A variety of experiences

The adventure starts out in the woods – the best and largest fun playground for kids – where the little nature detectives can track animals and explore many other mysterious things. But there is more to it: In the summertime, Lana also o≠ers kids a lama trekking ride, climbing adventures, a kids’ cooking course, moonlight adventures and amazing expeditions. This great programme for children is full of adventures and activities inviting the little ones to scout and explore and unleash their creativity, while mum and dad get half a day o≠ to enjoy some peace and quiet as a couple.

The events and activities of the Kids’ Summer programme run from Monday through Saturday in July and August and are open to girls and boys between six and fourteen years of age. All activities are supervised by two experienced counsellors.

Please bring sturdy shoes, a backpack, a sweater, a rain jacket and sun screen. The Lana Kids’ Summer activities are highly popular, so please register your kids early for any activity they want to join. >> www.lana.info/kidssummer

Hiking trails The “waal” trails – paths steeped in history From early spring to late autumn, the “waal” trails lead us through vineyards, orchards and chestnut groves, opening up a stunning view of the nearby mountains and the great wide open of the Val d’Adige.

But those ancient paths have more to o≠er than just a stunning view of the scenery: They tell us about the culture and history of the region. The “waal” trails were built in pre-industrial times and originally used by “waalers”, the old keepers of the irrigation channels (known as “waals”) formerly used for getting water out to the fields and meadows.

You can find two of these “waal” paths near Lana: the Brandis trail and the Marlengo trail. The Brandis trail starts at Via Palade in Lana and takes you via the Lanegg monastery and the Santa Margherita Church all the way to the Brandis canyon in Lana di Sotto.

The Marlengo trail starts out with a short, yet steep climb at Via Ra≠ein near Via Ultimo, taking you to Tel/Töll without any further changes in altitude. From here, you can go on a longer hike taking the Lagundo trail and the Tappeiner promenade all the way to Merano/Meran.

Lana – a great and diverse cycling experience

Hole in one

Flat orchard trails, wood and meadow tracks, curvy pass roads winding up to the mountain huts and summits – Lana and the surrounding region o≠er a versatile biking experience that is great fun for leisure bikers, mountain bikers and race bikers alike.

A large number of cycling paths to Bolzano/ Bozen, the Passeiertal valley and across the Vinschgau valley make for exciting rides in the region.

Located on the foothill of the ruins of Brandis Castle and o≠ering a stunning, wide view of the Etschtal valley and its orchards lies Lana’s golf course. The historic Brandis Castle site is now home to a unique 9-hole course conceptualised by the renowned British golf course designer Michael Pinter: 2,793 metres long (2,436 metres for the ladies, approx. 9,163 and 7,992 ft respectively), three par 3, four par 4, and two par 5 (par 70).

An easy trail ideal for the entire family runs through the Vinschgau valley alongside the ancient Via Claudia Augusta. Several outdoor swimming pools are located close by on this tour. If you don’t want to go for a classic bike, this and many other routes are perfectly suitable for electric bikes that make for an even more comfy ride around the region. Race bikers have a variety of nearby pass roads to choose from, and mountain bikers will find numerous tracks and trails.

Lana’s local bike rental service rents out mountain bikes, race bikes and electric bikes and o≠ers guided bike tours. The bikemobil Card allows card holders to use all public transport in South Tyrol for periods of one, three or seven days – and they even get a bike on top for one day.

Lana golfing

The course was built with only minor differences in altitude, which makes for a pleasant golfing experience for all ages and abilities. Its length, however, can be a bit of a challenge, and the course requires lots of energy and precision – even for experienced golfers. Thanks to the mild climate, the course is open almost all year round.

Golfers wishing to improve their technique can take lessons at the course’s own golf school and train with excellent pros. >> www.golfclublana.it

>> www.lana.info

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Lana: enjoy the magic of winter Lana and the entire region never get boring – not even in winter.

Numerous outdoor activities, culinary delights and Christmas highlights make winter a truly special time of the year, not only for the little ones.

Text: Petra Schwienbacher Once it starts snowing, it seems as if time stands still. Life in the villages at the foot of the snow-covered mountains seems to slow down and grow a little quieter than during the other seasons of the year. Especially in winter there are so many fun activities to do outdoors: skiing, tobogganing, snow shoe tours or ice-skating – Lana and the entire region o≠er great winter hiking trails, toboggan runs and ski slopes to suit all ages and abilities. Every winter, Lana’s romantic Gaul canyon is turned into an ice-skating rink lined by majestic cli≠s. The Gaul rink and the Schwarze Lacke (black lake) on the San Vigilio/Vigiljoch mountain are the perfect place to try playing some ice stock, one of the most traditional winter sports in the Alpine region which is somewhat similar to curling. After some outdoor fun, you shouldn’t miss the amazing Christmas markets held in Lana and throughout the region, and make sure to enjoy some hot tea, mulled wine and traditional local culinary delights.

Take a stroll in the snow Snow shoe tours and winter hiking are the perfect activities to recharge your batteries while spending some great time out in nature. The rustic Ultental valley and Vigiljoch, a car-free hiking zone, are the places to be: Numerous hiking trails cross the countryside and o≠er a stunning view of the surrounding mountains. A cable car takes you up Lana’s local mountain (1,500 metres / 4,900 ft a.s.l.) within minutes, where you will find a large number of paths and trails out in the spruce forests and along the many clearings. You can rent snow shoes at the valley station.

48 Winter magic

The Ultental valley has a lot of great tours on o≠er, too: The area next to the Steinrast mountain hut and the Schwemmalm skiing resort is especially popular. Make sure you don’t miss out on the regular guided tours taking place there. You can rent some snow shoes either at the Steinrast hut or at the San Nicolò/ St. Nikolaus ski rental service. Other amazing snow shoe routes to check out can be found at Alta Val di Non, at Palade pass, near the Laugenalm and around the Felixer Weiher pond, which is frozen over in winter and a truly idyllic place to visit.

Fun for all – downhill skiing, tobogganing and cross-country skiing Lana is just a short drive away from five of the most diverse skiing resorts of the Merano region, and is especially close to the nostalgic, car-free Vigiljoch ski resort: a place where winter is at its most original, with fun-filled snowball fights and tobogganing on a two-kilometre run through light larch woods.

The small Vigiljoch family ski resort with its gentle slopes and a total of five kilometres of pistes makes for some easy skiing for kids, beginners and leisure skiers. The race slope and toboggan run are open all winter (provided there is enough snow, of course), while the two ski lifts run only on weekends as well as during the Christmas season and the carnival week. Toboggans can be rented from the mountain station.

Make sure to also check out the Merano 2000 family ski resort near Lana. The high plateau located right above the spa town of Merano with some 40 kilometres of easy to medium slopes is perfect for beginners and experienced skiers alike. A cable car

takes you up all the way from the town to the resort. The new snow park located at the rear of the resort is a paradise for snowboarders and freestylers to practice their stunning jumps and tricks on a variety of rails, tubes and boxes. There are also some amazing activities for experienced skiers: night-time skiing on floodlit slopes or romantic night-time descents with torches.

And there is also plenty to do for the little ones at Merano 2000: experienced instructors teach them how to ski at the Luckis Kinderland kids’ ski school, and they will have great fun racing down the three-kilometre toboggan run, which sometimes opens for night-time sledding. A special highlight with lots of action and fun for the whole family: the roughly one-kilometre-long “Alpin Bob” rail toboggan run, the first of its kind in South Tyrol.

For those who love being out in nature, the Schwemmalm at the Ultental valley family ski resort is the place to be. Located 1,200 to 2,600 metres (3,900 to 8,500 ft) above sea level, the resort offers a total of 25 kilometres of pistes on a variety of slopes: wide pistes that are perfect for children, and more challenging courses for experienced skiers. The longest slope runs for five kilometres, covering a total change in elevation of 1,100 metres (3,600 ft), and is great fun for everyone. The “Bärenhöhle” (bear cave) ski kindergarden o≠ers daycare for the little ones, while mum and dad can spend a day out on the slopes on their own. Down in the valley, idyllic trails running lead past rustic farms and all the way up to the mountain huts, inviting winter hikers to go for a tour. The village of Pracupola/Kuppelwie also has an ice rink and one of the most beautiful cross-country tracks in South Tyrol, crossing the entire valley. A cross-country equipment rental service is located right next to the trail in San Nicolò/St. Nikolaus.

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Another great and sustainable place for skiing that features both family-friendly and more demanding slopes is the Pfelders resort in Passeiertal valley. The entire village is car-free and especially popular with families, because the little ones can have lots of fun out in the snow without having to watch out for traffic. Spend some cosy nights up in the mountain huts, go for some night-time skiing or a moonshine walk, take a hike on one of the scenic paths or hire a horse sleigh for a romantic ride through the winter wonderland of the forests surrounding the Alpine village. In the village itself, you can also find a natural ice rink, a 3.5-kilometre-long toboggan run and floodlit paths for cross-country skiing that you can even use at night. And each year, near Corvara, climbers will find a huge ice tower where they can make their way up high into the sky.

The fifth ski area is the Val Senales glacier ski resort, which features 35 diverse kilometres on the slopes at an altitude of more than 3,200 metres (10,500 ft) and is guaranteed to have snow. While skiing down the mountain you can enjoy the impressive panorama of the Alps’ majestic peaks. The piste leading from the glacier down into the valley is eight kilometres long, and the modern cable car takes visitors back up to the mountain station in just six minutes. After a great day of skiing, you can have some fun on the toboggan run, which is more than three kilometres long, or on one of the gorgeous high-altitude cross-country trails.

Waiting for Santa – the Sterntaler Christmas market In Lana, the weeks before Christmas are truly special. On the four weekends before Christmas and on the morning of the 24th of December, 19 nicely decorated Christmas market stalls o≠er a variety of seasonal products including original crafts and culinary delights, and a festive programme conveys the truly special atmosphere of the Christmas season.

The air is filled with the flavours of mountain pine and Swiss pine, roasted chestnuts, cinnamon, cloves and oranges. Quiet music plays in the background. Visitors stroll around the market, looking at the stalls, tasting fruit-filled chocolate, savoury mountain

50 Winter magic

cheese or South Tyrolean speck, a bacon variety. And there are plenty of souvenirs and Christmas presents to be found here for family and friends: products made from wool, felt, wax, glass or wood. Some great activities await the little ones, too: pony riding, a family of sheep at the Mair-Rimblhof and some crafts classes in a Christmas workshop.

Every year, the Sterntaler girl sells Sterntaler lottery tickets in the four weeks leading up to Christmas. You should definitely try your luck with some of these. There are great prizes to be won, and the Sterntaler lottery is a charity that donates some of its revenue to the “Stille Hilfe” (silent help) organisation which helps families in need – a great gesture to show support from within the community. The nearby city of Merano is home to one of the most beautiful Christmas markets in the entire Alpine region. It is held at the Passer Promenade and opens to the public in late November.

Time to relax in winter – the Thermal Bath at Merano The Terme Merano thermal bath is located right on Merano’s historic “Kurpromenade” (Spa Promenade). During the Christmas season, the Terme square is home to a small petting zoo for children and features some giant Christmas tree baubles turned into little food stalls. The thermal bath building is a quite extraordinary cube-shaped architectural structure made from glass, steel and sandstone. The thermal baths are open 365 days a year and feature 25 pools as well as an extensive sauna area – a great way to end your day both in summer after a long hike and in winter after some fun-filled activities out in the snow. The “Spa- und VitalCenter” awaits with a wide range of spa treatments to choose from: High-quality extracts of whey, honey, apples, grapes, herbs and wool help restore inner balance and will leave you totally relaxed.

The two large outdoor pools o≠er a stunning view of the Texel mountain group year round and are especially romantic in winter when the snowflakes start dancing through the night against the backdrop of some quiet Christmas market carols and music.

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Editor, coordination © 2017 Tourist o∞ce Lana e dintorni Via Andreas Hofer 9/1, 39011 Lana tel. + 39 0473 561 770, fax. + 39 0473 561 979 www.lana.info Authors Lisa Maria Kager, Ariane Löbert, Petra Schwienbacher, Matthias Mayr Editing, translation and proofreading Ex Libris cooperativa, Bolzano – www.exlibris.bz.it Graphic design, image editing ganeshGraphics, Lana Photos Cover Ganesh Neumair From left to right p. 1 IDM Alto Adige/Alex Filz, Ganesh Neumair p. 2–3 IDM Alto Adige/Frieder Blickle, Ganesh Neumair, Claudio Gretter, Cantina Merano Burggräfler/Renè Riller p. 4–5 Ganesh Neumair, IDM Alto Adige/Frieder Blickle p. 6–7 IDM Alto Adige/Marion Lafogler, Ganesh Neumair, IDM Alto Adige/Damian Pertoll, IDM Alto Adige/Jessica Preuhs, Associazione Turistica Val Senales/Helmuth Rier p. 10–13 Anna Gruber p. 14–15 Lanafruit p. 16–17 Hans Laimer, Ganesh Neumair p. 18–19 Sandwiesnhof, Ganesh Neumair, IDM Alto Adige/Frieder Blickle p. 20–21 Ganesh Neumair, IDM Alto Adige/Clemens Zahn, Schloss Lebenberg p. 22–23 Elisa Nicoli p. 24–25 Andreas Marini, Patrick Schwienbacher p. 26–27 Ganesh Neumair p. 28–29 Andreas Marini, IDM Alto Adige/Frieder Blickle, Ganesh Neumair p. 30–31 Ganesh Neumair, Paul Peter Gasser, Stefan Moses, IDM Alto Adige/Jessica Preuhs p. 32–33 Anna Gruber, IDM Alto Adige/Alex Filz p. 34–35 IDM Alto Adige/Alex Filz, IDM Alto Adige/Marion Lafolger p. 36–37 Pastalpina p. 38–39 IDM Alto Adige/Alex Filz, Dietmar Denger, Günter Standl, Veronika Felder, Associazione Turistica Val Senales/Helmuth Rier p. 40–41 vigilius mounatin resort p. 42–43 Orchideenwelt/Helmuth Rier, Ganesh Neumair p. 44–45 Ganesh Neumair p. 46–47 Georg Mayr, IDM Alto Adige/Alessandro Trovati, IDM Alto Adige/Frieder Blickle, Laurin Moser, Golfclub Lana p. 48–49 Ortler Skiarena/Alex Filz, Associazione Turistica Val d’Ultimo/Alex Filz p. 50–51 Ortler Skiarena Vigiljoch/Alex Filz, Florian Andergassen, Terme Merano Print LanaRepro

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