Come along on a culinary cycle tour. At the foot of the Karwendel in Tyrol

A cycling experience in a class of its own is the new "culinary cycle tour" through the region. This delightful tour combines the pleasures of the great outdoors with the chance to buy authentic, sustainably produced food, whilst offering a unique insight into Tyrolean agriculture.

At the various stops and farm shops, you can enjoy fresh, seasonal produce such as handmade cheese, savoury bacon, fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as regional specialities. The route winds through idyllic villages and picturesque countryside at the foot of the Karwendel Mountains. At every stop, there’s an opportunity to learn more about local farming and buy produce directly from the producers.

You can either set off on the cycle tour on your own or sign up for one of the three summer dates and join the group tour. A cargo bike will accompany the group, and we’ll enjoy a light lunch together at the Lumperer Hof in Fritzens. At the next stop at the Weberhof, we’ll enjoy cake and coffee before, at the end of the tour, delving not only into the history of the schnapps distillery but also into the region’s proud history of salt mining.

To gain a closer insight into the work of these businesses, their philosophy and passion, we’ve collected their stories and are delighted to present them to you in this blog post:

Top-quality bacon, sausages and meat

Great importance is placed on tradition at the Plank family’s ancestral farm in Thaur is highly valued, without sacrificing innovation. It has been in the family’s possession since 1736. Through ingenuity, courage and hard work, a small farm has developed into a full-time family-run agricultural business.

Yet the outlook in the early 1990s was anything but promising, as dairy farming had to be abandoned for economic reasons. It would have been natural, like many in Thaur, to turn to vegetable growing – but the Plank family decided to take a different path. Romed Plank, a qualified butcher, took over the Bartlhof, and so the farm focused on the production of pork, beef and chicken for direct sale. Thanks to hard work and business acumen, further investment was soon possible, leading to the construction of a modern abattoir complete with a cutting room, cold store and drying room. To expand their product range, the Planks also invested in Fleckvieh cattle in the years that followed. In 2009, the cattle shed was moved out of the village centre and a modern open-air free-range barn was built. “In recent years, we have converted this into a proper organic, animal-friendly barn, where our animals have 24-hour access to the outdoors, seven days a week, all year round,” reports Romed Plank, highlighting the positive consequences: “This benefits both people and animals, because if our pigs, cattle and chickens feel comfortable from birth right through to slaughter, then the quality of the meat is also right.”

It is important to the family that all animals can be fed entirely on feed they produce themselves. “We’re self-sufficient, so to speak – almost like with our electricity. Here too, we’re becoming increasingly independent thanks to our solar panels,” emphasises Romed Plank, referring to the motto they live by: “Standing still is a step backwards”. Thus, the groundwork is already being laid for the future, ensuring that the next generation at the Bartlhof can also make a full-time living from the farm. Their son, Romed Plank, has been working on the farm for fifteen years and has been a master butcher since 2015. The succession and the future of the Bartlhof are therefore secure. Slaughtering and processing are carried out very conscientiously by father and son together in the farm’s own, certified slaughterhouse and sausage-making facility:

When it comes to marketing, too, the family has always been very active; the Planks are founding members of the Tiroler Bauernkiste. “We had the opportunity to sell our produce at the Haller farmers’ market as early as 1990, but didn’t dare to go ahead with it. Fortunately, it all worked out in 2014,” recalls Romed Plank, describing the current marketing strategy: “We sell our meat, bacon and sausage products in our own farm butcher’s shop. As well as at the Haller farmers’ market, our products can be found at the markets on Sparkassenplatz in Innsbruck and at Wiltener Platzl, as well as in the farm shop in Thaur and at the ‘Bauernkiste’.”
“For the Haller farmers’ market, we’ve developed our own refrigerated market stalls with a matching design. The cold chain, as well as hygiene at the stall, is important, even though it naturally involves quite a bit of effort. But customers appreciate this and also value the professional presentation of the products.”

A place of balance and inspiration for new, delicious products is the Lüsner Kuhalm in the Sellraintal valley, leased by the Plank family. With a view of the Lüsener Fernerkogel, pigs and cattle feel at home there during the summer months and thrive magnificently. A place of balance for both people and animals.

We drive past the Thaurer Bauernladen, which is open every Friday and Saturday. The shop brings together produce from many local producers, which strengthens regional economic growth and tradition. The farm shop stands for the preservation of farming culture in Thaur, which has evolved over generations. It is a central meeting place and a testament to the village’s living history, which is also documented by organisations such as “Chronos – Association for Village History”.

This unspoilt and unique fish farm in Thaur is run with great passion by Nikolaus Medgyesy.

The fish farm was first mentioned as early as 1504 in Emperor Maximilian’s fisheries register. At that time, fish for consumption were produced for the nobility. After a succession of owners, the Alpenzoo finally leased the Thaur fish farm in 1980. The aim was, on the one hand, to breed feed fish for the Alpenzoo, and on the other, to promote the breeding of fish for restocking, with a view to subsequently releasing them into local waters.
In 2010, the lease was transferred to the Tyrolean Fishing Association, which, however, withdrew from the lease in 2016 due to excessive costs. As Dr Nikolaus Medgyesy had already rediscovered the Danube-originating native trout years earlier and had been working closely with the fish farm, it was only natural that he and his son, Nikolaus Medgyesy Jr, took over the fish farm.

Thus, the fascination with the Tyrolean cultural heritage of the native brown trout lives on. Whilst only a small number of Danube brown trout could be bred initially, by 2016 between 160,000 and 190,000 young grayling had already left the facility in Thaur and been released into Tyrolean waters.

The Franzelerhof in Absam is run by Hannes Zanon together with his family. It has evolved from a conventional farm into a showcase for organic direct marketing, placing great emphasis on regional produce and quality. Direct contact with customers and transparent farming practices are at the heart of the farm’s philosophy.

A wide range of organic vegetables, potatoes and cereals is produced, which is sold on Fridays directly at the farm with staff on hand to assist. A self-service shop with a limited range is open all week. On Saturdays, the Franzelerhof can be found selling its produce at the Schwaz farmers’ market.

In 2016, Hannes Zanon began the transition to vegetable growing and gradually switched to organic farming, a process that has been fully implemented since 2021. The farm was previously run conventionally by his parents, mainly growing potatoes and rearing cattle.

At this stop, we’ll take a quick look at the beautiful Krippach Farm, which looks back on a history stretching back over 500 years. The farm belongs to Krippach Castle, situated opposite, which lies within a park featuring a garden wall and a Baroque garden pavilion, though it is not open to the public.
We browse through the delightful farm shop run by Fabian and Sophia, who have been managing the farm biodynamically for some time now, thereby making a valuable contribution to sustainable agriculture.

Since 2024, they have been running this established organic vegetable farm with a great deal of manual labour, passion and a commitment to sustainable and diverse farming.

The aim: healthy soils, fairly produced food and a vibrant habitat – for people, plants and animals. Direct from the farm – honest, regional, regenerative and, of course, organic.

Fair, socially responsible, super-local
Farming at the Krippachhof stands for fair pay and social responsibility – surplus produce is donated rather than wasted. Short transport routes mean crops can be harvested whilst fresh and ripe. Seeds and young plants also come from the region wherever possible – ensuring transparency and sustainability right from the start.

Regenerative agriculture – for healthy soils and vibrant biodiversity
Regenerative agriculture aims not just to use the soil, but to actively build it up. Through gentle farming practices – mostly by hand, with minimal use of machinery and without chemical pesticides – soil fertility is improved in the long term. Building up humus stores CO₂, promotes soil life and makes the land more resilient to drought. Small, diversely planted areas provide habitats for insects, birds and small animals – an important contribution to combating species extinction. This results in a form of agriculture that is ecological, climate-friendly and sustainable.

At the Albert Unterkirche’s Beekeeping Workshop, delicious products from the beehive are produced, including fine honey, valuable propolis and fragrant beeswax. Albert has been passionately running his hobby business since 1987, providing a home for around 30 bee colonies.

The delicious honey is not only sold in its pure form, but is also processed into fine mead and refreshing oxymel. The honey is carefully extracted separately according to its origin and, in some cases, refined into creamy stirred honey before being bottled in attractive jars. This allows connoisseurs to choose from a wide variety of honey types, which vary depending on the nectar flow – be it the delicate spring or the aromatic summer nectar – and the location of the hives. Each variety boasts its own unique colour and distinctive flavour, which can be discovered during a tasting.
The bees are kept in smaller units of 8 to 16 colonies at various locations: in Absam (within the built-up area), in Tulfes on an organic farm surrounded by meadows and woodland at an altitude of around 850 metres, at the Rechenhof in Arzl near Innsbruck on an organic farm with approximately 14 hectares of meadow, surrounded by woodland, and in summer in the area of raspberry, blueberry and alpine rose foraging areas in Gschnitz at an altitude of around 1,500 metres and on the Kolsassberg at 1,700 metres.
As part of our commitment to species-appropriate beekeeping, nature-friendly farming practices and the production of food in the gentlest way possible, we converted to organic farming in 2018. What distinguishes organic honey from conventionally produced honey? Why choose organic when the bees fly everywhere anyway?

Organic beekeeping: Organic honey comes from bees that live in an organic environment where pesticides and chemical fertilisers are not used. Only natural-based medicines approved by the organic association (for necessary varroa treatment) are used, resulting in a purer and more authentic product.
Health benefits: Organic honey is unadulterated and contains no detectable residues of chemical substances used in conventional agriculture.

Bee welfare: Organic beekeepers prioritise the welfare of the bees and promote species-appropriate husbandry conditions. Only home-produced honey or organic sugar is used to feed the bees.
Sustainability: The production of organic honey is sustainable and environmentally friendly, making it a more responsible choice for consumers who care about the environment and animal welfare. Stainless steel is used for processing and storing honey, whilst plastic is avoided, for example for beehives and honey storage.

Biodiversity: Organic beekeepers promote the diversity of plants and flora that provide a natural food source for bees, which contributes to the conservation of biodiversity.
In the interests of sustainability, the jars and bottles can be returned to the Absam Bee Workshop.

Organic delights for a healthier and more sustainable life

Farming in harmony with nature’s cycle is practised with great passion at the Lumpererhof in Fritzens is pursued with great passion. In a modern, constantly evolving agricultural sector, the Lutz family has been committed to fresh, organic and certified produce since the early 1990s. A range of products for nutrition-conscious and environmentally-minded connoisseurs, available all year round.

Through measures such as varied crop rotation, low-impact tillage and organic fertilisation, the aim is to preserve and enhance natural soil fertility – with great success. Health issues prompted Margret Lutz to change the family’s diet 35 years ago now. Her son Clemens, who took over the Lumperer organic farm around ten years ago, continues to run it with great dedication: “My parents started this out of conviction, and I see myself as an ‘organic child’. I’m carrying on this work with heart and soul. This enables us to guarantee the high quality of our food whilst at the same time protecting our environment. After all, we’re responsible for what we put into our soil.”

The Lumpererhof is one of the few organic farms in Tyrol offering such a wide variety of produce. “We now offer over forty different vegetable products. Added to these are bacon and ‘Boxerlen’, our home-baked bread – naturally made from our own grain – as well as processed products such as pickled garlic, tomato purée, chilli powder and garlic powder. The cultivation of ginger – and in organic quality at that – is something quite special for Austria, which we’re very pleased about. During the summer months, we also stock raspberries, and twice a year it’s possible to order organic pork,” lists Clemens Lutz, pointing out another new offering, very much in the spirit of the organic pioneers: “Producing your own compost isn’t a requirement under any organic guidelines. However, it’s important to us, and we want to share this with our customers; that’s why we also offer 10-litre buckets of our own organic compost.”

Retail and the catering trade are key customers for the Lumpererhof. The Haller farmers’ market, the farm’s self-service shop, the Jenbach Bio Austria farm shops and Lumpi’s Bio Kistl’ln are further ways of bringing organic delights to nutrition-conscious customers. Furthermore, the Lumpererhof has been closely associated with the Bio vom Berg brand for many years. Innovations – whether in trying to grow new or even old varieties, in distribution or in marketing – are driven by Clemens, his wife, his siblings and, of course, his parents, who still lend a hand. A young team and harvest workers support them in this. The youngest member of the farm is the first Tyrolean apprentice in vegetable growing with a background in inclusive education. The family is happy to pass on their expertise, whether through lessons in nursery or primary school, guided tours of the farm or at events.

Take a seat
Since 2019, another project has taken shape at the Lumpererhof. Clemens’ sister Johanna, together with her partner Christoph, is realising the dream of enjoying food right where it grows. The connection between agriculture and gastronomy is embodied in the ‘Nimm Platz’ project: dinner in the greenhouse, everyone gathered around one large, shared table. A special place with a unique atmosphere, where new acquaintances are made. And not just with people, but perhaps also with regional culinary delights that had previously remained hidden.

The Weberhof in Mils was relocated and rebuilt 35 years ago! Its origins lie in the heart of the village, where the old Weber house still stands! Our farm has grown steadily over the last few years and is run as a family business!

Three generations live and work on the farm. Our farm is very diverse: we have a Holstein herd, milk production, direct sales, laying hens, a farm bakery and our farm shop offering retail, catering and a party service.
Every Friday, our farmers’ market takes place on the farm, where we sell our own farm produce and regional specialities. At the same time, visitors can sample the products in our café and enjoy them right there on the spot.

Direct sales have been a long-standing feature at the Weberhof. When milk prices began to fall steadily around 20 years ago, Monika & Walter decided to take matters into their own hands and started marketing their milk themselves! The effort has paid off, as all the milk from our roughly 70 cows is now processed into pasteurised drinking milk, yoghurt, sour milk and cream cheese. We supply over 50 major customers in the area from Innsbruck to Schwaz. In addition, we have three vending machines in Hall where our products can be purchased 24/7.

Another mainstay of our business is our own bakery, right on the farm. Initially, we only baked bread occasionally using the farm’s own grain. But before long, the venture developed into a commercial farm bakery. Every Friday, we offer 20 different varieties of bread and pastries. We are renowned far and wide for our homemade cakes. All our farm animals are slaughtered in the neighbouring village by our trusted butcher and sold through the farm shop.

The Biohof Meisl has a long history – the first documented references to the farm date back to 1583.

Matthias & Andrea have been running the Meisl Organic Farm as a sideline since 2016, with the active support of Reinhold & Ingrid. The land comprises mainly grassland, which is used to produce hay. Feed and food grains are also grown on a small scale. The ewes of the ‘Shropshire’ breed (also known as ‘Christmas tree sheep’) provide excellent lamb (available direct from the farm in autumn). In summer, the sheep are taken to the Mauritzalm on Lake Achensee for their summer pastures, thus making room in June for the grazing geese, which are available direct from the farm on St Martin’s Day in November.

Why ‘Christmas tree sheep’? Reinhold (Matthias’s father) is an ambitious schnapps distiller and fine spirits sommelier. The idyllic orchard (mainly apple trees, but also pears, cherries and plums) surrounding the Meisl organic farm must be managed with care and consideration for the fruit trees. As the Shropshire breed does not gnaw on the trees and, moreover, produces very flavourful lamb, it is a ‘perfect match’. The fruit is harvested at the optimum stage of ripeness with a great deal of manual labour, then crushed and distilled directly on the farm using the historic still (a double-walled copper still made by the Haller coppersmith Walter Schöpf, which is wood-fired). Around 20 different single-varietal fine spirits are available to taste and purchase
In addition to farming, the Meisl organic farm also serves as a meeting place. Alongside art and music events, yoga sessions are held on the farm in summer.