High above the valley basin of Bolzano/Bozen lies Afing/Avigna, a drowsy hamlet with farms surrounded by expansive, steep meadows. Until recently, nobody would believe that farming apples at this altitude made any sense. But Thomas Widmann rose to the challenge. Actually, the sunny slopes combined with the cool nights soon turned out to provide optimum conditions for aromatic and nutrient-rich fruit to grow.

Thomas Widmann processes the apples while observing strict guidelines for organic farming, without using any additives, to make high-quality cloudy apple juice bearing the South Tyrolean seal of quality. But no juice is exactly like another, as people at the Widum Baumann farm are very well aware. “Each apple develops its own distinguished flavour. The Pinova variety tastes completely different compared to the Topaz or Jonagold variety. And the same is true for the juice”, says Thomas Widmann. That is why he meticulously separates or combines the individual varieties – for the most palate-pleasing result. “Here, anyone can find their favourite apple juice”, says Thomas Widmann.

He runs his farm in a holistic manner these days, offering not just apple juice but also a wide range of cattle, fruit, and wine. This agricultural approach also becomes evident in his self-set goal of achieving self-sufficiency. And he adds: “We focus on sustainability and self-sufficiency in terms of energy, heat, and water.”

Granted: it used to work like that in earlier times, too. But now, that tradition will be honoured once again but married to the new.