Your place of peace

Unterstein

Wonderful place

At an altitude of 1210 metres in a beautiful secluded location above Villabassa in Val Pusteria in South Tyrol

On the way to the farm you will see Unterstein, surrounded by meadows, woods, hedges and our vegetable field. Near the farm you can explore the medicinal plant trail. From the farm you can reach our pond, which is covered with a layer of ice in winter. In spring, the pond comes back to life. You can hear the frogs croaking and various aquatic plants sprout at the edge. In autumn, the pond and its flora and fauna slowly go into hibernation. In summer, the pond refreshes with its cool spring water and the water lilies open their flowers. The small Erlitzen fish frolic in the water and sometimes make little leaps into the air.

A country lane leads from the pond to the vegetable garden and the terrace with redcurrants and raspberries, which you can enjoy after refreshing yourself and sunbathing by the pond.

Everyday rural life

Cattle, pig and chicken farming | Vegetable growing

Our cattle graze on the alpine pasture in summer and on our meadows before and after. In winter they enjoy the cosy stable. Our pigs are in our barn and when the weather is nice they go out into their enclosure to have fun rooting around. The chickens are below our farm in their outdoor enclosure. As soon as dusk falls, they go into their wooden coop for their well-earned night’s sleep. Our cats are at home with our grandma and in the hay barn. Our dog Lori can usually be found in front of our two children’s dad’s carpentry workshop.

ECOLOGICAL GARDENING WITH ‘NATUR IM GARTEN’

Unterstein Organic Farm, Niederdorf

Today, on 19 August 2025, the Laimburg Research Centre (www.naturimgarten.laimburg.it – Ms Kathrin Plunger) presented us with the plaque and certificate for ecological gardening (‘Nature in the Garden’):

All core criteria are met on our farm, such as:

No synthetic chemical pesticides or fertilisers are used.
Natural garden elements such as wild plants, natural meadows, wetland biotopes, native plants, etc. are also present.
Ecological/organic farming practices are also in place, including the use of environmentally friendly materials, mulching, herb paths, berry bushes, etc.
And last but not least, additional bonus points such as no soil sealing, no light pollution, etc. are also fulfilled.

In summary, it can be said that we are counteracting climate change with our farm management at Unterstein.