The Bacherhof farm, Austria

Ms. Anita Unterwalcher from the Bacherhof farm in Austria successfully combines cheesemaking and offering many delicious homemade food products with tourism on the farm. For cheesemaking, they have the amazing help of Plevnik Pasteurizer P 100 EL Professional equiped with elevating device and Controller MC 500R. Ms. Unterwalcher is very pleased with it: “The pasteurizer makes our work a lot easier because everything is controlled automatically. We don’t want to work without the lifting device anymore. Physical work and heavy lifting are now eliminated. ” They use also Plevnik Cheese table SM 147, which is specialy adjustet to the use in the dairy. Mainly they produce soft and fresh cheese. Additionaly, milk is processed into semi-hard cheese, plain and fruit yogurt, cottage cheese spreads and butter.

About the farm

The Bacherhof farm is one of the oldest farms in the Milstatt region and was first mentioned in 1477. It is located on the northern slope of Lake Millstatt on a high plateau at 1000 m above sea level and is only surrounded by the farm’s own meadows and forests. It has belonged to the Unterwalcher family, since 1842. They manage this legacy with great dedication and love. Grandpa Adolf and Grandma Inge welcomed the first “summer visitors” and looked forward to visitors from all over the world.

The Bacherhof generate the electricity by themselves – using photovoltaics, solar systems, and their own electrical power station. A wood chip heating system provides cosy warmth, and the water comes from its own source. They grind grain in their own mill and they use it to make delicious wholemeal bread with natural sourdough.

Innovative work

Their farm offers a romantic togetherness and a vacation like in the old days. Where they offer “a look behind the farm scenes” at the Bacherhof organic and vitality farm in Millstatt am See. “We make rural food handicrafts experienceable with all the senses. From milk to cheese, from grain to bread – we take our guests on a journey of discovery,” says the farmer’s wife Ms. Anita Unterwalcher. 

During the daily visit to the dairy cows on the Bacheralm, guests can try their hand at milking and earn the “milker’s diploma”. Then they can “butter mold” themselves, skim off cheese, grind grain, or bake rolls. During a guided tour of the farm, the circular economy, the organic farming method, and their background are explained. For two years now, the hosts at the Bacherhof have been offering an organic Slow Food breakfast table followed by a farm tour for local day guests four times a year. The aim is for locals to also get to know the farm and be actively encouraged to consciously “taste”, “smell” and “enjoy”. For their innovative work, they won second place in the innovation contest Innovationswettbewerbes.