Greiterhof
History & Farm
The history of Greiterhof, Bioland farming, fruit and wine growing and the development into modern living comfort.
Organic farm since 1995
At Greiterhof we mainly grow apples and grapes. The orchards have followed Bioland organic standards since 1995. We see soil, plants, animals and people as parts of the same cycle.
Guests may enjoy fruit from the farm when it is in season and available. Organic cultivation supports healthy soil and careful use of natural resources.
History
As early as 1239, a farm “gelegen zu aussersts zu Pradel genannt das Gereute” was mentioned. Since 1806, Greiterhof has been owned by the Margesin family and may therefore call itself an “Erbhof”, a hereditary farm.
Grapes have always been grown on the favorably situated land, pressed in the Torggl and stored in the deep medieval wine cellar. Wine has a long tradition at Greiterhof.
On the other fields, fodder for the cows was once brought in beneath the high-stem apple trees.
Fruit and wine growing
Until 1970, Greiterhof was still a mixed farm with livestock as well as fruit and wine growing. After that, senior farmer Karl specialized in apple and wine cultivation and intensified the crops.
After his training, his son Clemens began helping on the farm and converted it to organic farming according to Bioland guidelines in 1995.
Clemens married Johanna in 1999. Jakob and Katharina were born in 2000 and 2002. In 2003, Clemens took over the farm from his father and renewed the apple and wine varieties.
Produce and life on the farm
Our wine and organic apple juice are available from the farm shop . During your stay, you may pick herbs from our garden and, depending on the season and availability, organically grown apples and other fruit.
Guests who would like to learn more about the farm can talk with Clemens among the vines. He explains the vineyard year, from winter dormancy through blossom and ripening to harvest, and how the grapes become wine.
Hereditary farm since 1806
- 1793 - Haberle Johann and Alberin Maria
- 1806 - Haberle Magdalena, married Margesin
- 1846 - Margesin Josef
- 1900 - Margesin Josef
- 1925 - Margesin Matthias
- 1926 - 7 underage siblings and Mitterhofer Maria, widow Margesin
- 1927 - 7 underage Margesin siblings
- 1944 - Margesin Josef
- 1974 - Margesin Karl
- 2003 - Margesin Clemens
Traditional farm, contemporary comfort
In December 2014, Clemens and Johanna began renovating Greiterhof. Two new holiday apartments and two new private apartments for the younger and older family generations were created.
During the renovation, great care was taken to use natural and local materials. The old stone walls of the facade and foundations, some up to one metre thick, were preserved wherever possible. The roof and stacked timber ceiling were newly built from local wood from the Ulten Valley and the Laugenalm, felled at the right time.
The traditional farm character was preserved while modern living comfort was added.
Since the end of 2015, all generations have lived at Greiterhof: Clemens with his wife Johanna and their children Jakob and Katharina, as well as the parents and grandparents Karl and Maria.
In winter and spring 2018, three more new holiday apartments were built in the solid wood extension.
