Obergaile(r) Hemp cuisine at the Hepi Lodge
How do Helene and Pepi Klingesberger describe themselves? As a studied free spirit with irrepressible outdoor enthusiasm. In their actual CVs, however, there are skills such as hiking, mountain and ski guides – and in a total of six languages. The couple wanted to share their passions and open worldview with like-minded guests and without further ado renovated an old mountain farmhouse in a panoramic location at the foot of the Carnic Alps. The Hepi Lodge apartment house was lovingly handcrafted, with a lot of heart and soul, and energy, a place that creates an emotional connection to nature and the mountains. But there is also a lot to discover in culinary terms: Helene and Pepi cultivate hemp here in Obergail, among other things, introduce Slow Food Travel guests to the many advantages of this weather-resistant plant and give samples of the nutty-spicy range of hemp products. So: Be Hepi!
The taste of organic hay milk
Blades of grass tickle between the toes, the scent of herbs is in the air. After the barefoot hike, let homemade specialties made from organic hay meadow milk melt in your mouth and at the same time wave to your ten producers who are grazing comfortably next door. An experience with depth that will be remembered. Elisabeth Guist is happy to introduce her guests to the art of making these nutrient-rich specialties, from the first hay mowing in June to grazing in autumn. As an organic farmer by conviction and natural cosmetics expert, she runs the over 270-year-old organic mountain farm “Ederhias” in Obergail. This is a holiday home and a place of further education in one. Because Elisabeth knows the secret recipe for the best products: species-appropriate husbandry, diverse mountain meadow feed and plenty of fresh air, instead of industrial factory farming. No wonder that traditional hay milk farming in the Alpine arc was the first system in the German-speaking world to be recognised as an agricultural cultural heritage of global importance. When picking your own “mountain meadow feed bouquet” from all the colourful flowers that Elisabeth’s dairy cows get to eat, you feel very close to this heritage again.
The power of wild mountain herbs
Growing up in a large mountain farming family in Lesachtal, Klara Obernosterer has always been interested in the stories of the plants around her. She wants to pass on the mindful approach to nature, which she learned as a child, to visitors: “By collecting and processing the meadow herbs and medicinal plants, we learned the importance of natural foods for health. Sustainability was already important to my ancestors.” With endless expertise and typical Carinthian humour, the qualified herb and forest educator guides you through her remote homeland, to where the valuable mountain herbs and roots thrive. Back in Klara’s Kräuterhäusl, the participants of the popular Slow Food Workshop then sit together over coffee or self-picked tea and learn a lot about the production of natural remedies, which have been used for centuries in the medicine cabinets of the Lesachtal Valley. When cooking together, for example, sushi à la Lesachtal is prepared. With wild herbs and chanterelles, vegetables from the garden. Instead of wasabi, there is fresh horseradish.
Old fruit tree varieties, newly cultivated
Have you ever heard of pomology? It is the study of the different types and varieties of fruit as well as their purpose. Two experts in this almost forgotten field are Philipp Bodner and Eva Hinterbichler. The agricultural scientist with East Tyrolean roots and the graduate agricultural biologist and tree keeper from Upper Austria run the Fruchttrieb tree nursery in the Gailtal Valley together. At almost 1,000 m above sea level, fruit trees and shrubs have been thriving here since 2021, currently even over 200 different varieties. Cultivation is done by hand and organically. For the two millennials, this is almost meditative work that grounds them and clears the eye for the important things. Namely, to preserve the biodiverse orchards, protect old varieties and propagate sustainable agriculture. If you want to test yourself through the wide variety of tastes and possible uses of some almost extinct varieties, this is the right place for you: During the tour, the two explain the ecological value of orchards – fruity tastings of apples, pears, apricots and peaches as well as advice for your own garden included.
More information at www.slowfood.travel
Editor’s Choice
If you want to shift down a gear and concentrate on yourself, you should take a break at the
Original FX Mayr
– in the middle of Carinthia, on a slight hill on the southern shore of Lake Wörthersee.
