Organic farm Achleitner

ANDREAS ACHLEITNER: ORGANIC CULINARY, ORGANIC FRESH MARKET AND ORGANIC CHICKS - ENJOYMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY IN THE HEART OF THE EFERDINGER BECK

It is the smell of fresh vegetables that greets you as soon as you enter the Biohof Achleitner. The creaking wooden door to the farm opens and the view sweeps over extensive fields where the produce is harvested with love and care. People return after a long day's work with full baskets - exhausted, but with a smile on their faces. Every move, every vegetable that goes into the organic box tells the story of Ilse and Günter Achleitner, who started out on the path to organic farming over 30 years ago.

For Ilse and Günter Achleitner, switching to organic in the 1990s and opening a small organic shop was the beginning of their green journey. Today, the small, family-run business in the Eferding Basin has grown into a multifaceted company. From the organic box - where the weekly groceries are delivered to your home - to the organic fresh market, whose carefully selected range includes over 6,000 items, to the Bio-Kulinarium - the in-house restaurant with daily changing dishes - the family lives by the principle of "organic beyond the edge of the field". Every wish is fulfilled here, from homemade cakes to meat specialities. Their love of regionality is not only reflected in their products, but has also been passed on to their son Andreas, with whom they now run the organic farm together. "My parents always said that organic doesn't just start in the soil, but also in the heart," recalls Andreas as he holds fresh herbs in his hands. This philosophy characterises the entire farm.

Sustainability is a top priority at every stage of the value chain at Biohof Achleitner. The farm is located in the Eferding Basin, a region known for its fertile soils - quality you can taste. Food waste is almost a foreign concept for the family. Everything that can be utilised is used - be it through processing or composting. Circular thinking plays a central role here: nutrients are fed back into the soil to maintain its fertility and protect the environment. This sustainable practice is also evident in the day-to-day running of the farm. Not only are guests welcomed with a smile, there is also respectful interaction between employees and suppliers. For the Achleitner family, fairness, understanding and humour are paramount. "We've had groups of friends turn up several times and my father has greeted them with a bottle of sparkling wine," says Andreas with a smile.

The organic farm's fields are just a short detour from the cycle paths, which makes a visit to the Bio-Kulinarium particularly attractive for cycle tourists. Saturdays between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. are particularly worth a visit, as this is when it's time to say "Good morning!" with a colourful and varied organic breakfast buffet. A visit to the organic farm is also worthwhile during the week: various guided tours offer a look behind the scenes and show how the Achleitner family lovingly puts their philosophy into practice.