SUSTAINABILITY RATE: 90,51%
At an elevation of 1,225 m the Stricker family runs a compact but close-knit mountain farm in the Martelltal/Val Martello Valley. At the Rainhof there are 4 heads of cattle and 10 goats, currently with 7 kids. This might seem like a scene straight out of a Brothers Grimm fairy tale, with chickens, a dog and a cat. A solitary pony grazing in the meadow enjoys the freedom of the Martelltal Valley against the spectacular backdrop of the Stelvio National Park, as mountains rise steeply to either side.
For the Strickers’, farming is a way of life. On the Rainhof farm, hands-on animal husbandry revolves around the daily care of the animals, regular maintenance of their stalls and making sure they get enough exercise. Their day begins well before sunrise when the cows and goats are let out to graze in the surrounding meadows. Weather permitting, the animals can roam freely even in the winter months, when they are fed hay and a digestible concentrate.
Fresh mountain cheeses
Since 2011, the Rainhof has focused on cheese production, as well as sales at their own farm store. All the milk from the cows and goats on the farm is processed into fresh Alpine cheeses. Production alternates on a daily basis, with cow's milk processed into round curds on one day, and goat’s cheese the following day. The only ingredients are raw milk, rennet, salt and milk cultures, without any additives. Flowers and herbs from the farm garden may be used as flavourings, as well as to embellish the curds. The cheese curds are placed into a salt bath where they are turned four times a day, and are left in the cellar to mature for about a month. The Rainhof farm also provides holiday accommodation, providing its house guests with fresh yogurt and cheeses – on request.
Contact:
Stricker Family
Ennewasser 168
I-Martell/Martello 39020 (BZ)
+39 333 361 0501
kaeserei.rainhof@rolmail.net