The applicant worked for 25 years in the IT industry and did not have any education or experience in the agricultural or fisheries sectors. She moved to the countryside and started a project with her daughter.  The aim of the “Trout Ojcowski” fish farm is to restore brown trout breeding, promote conscious and ethical breeding, educate the community about the history of the region and culinary traditions. In 2014, the unused naturalisation ponds were leased to Magdalena Wegiel and her daughter. In fact, during the implementation of one of the project in cooperation with the Ojcowski Park Ms. Magdalena Wegiel leaned about ponds to be naturalised and decided to take the risk and to take part in a tender where the main requirements were to run the holding in accordance with the environment: the applicant started a farm complying with environmental requirements. The fish pods located in the national park owe their unique features to the picturesque scenery, natural microclimate and to Mlynowka, a stream providing well oxygenated and crystal clear water: this allows favourable conditions for breeding maintaining genetic purity. The wild salmon trout fry is less prone to diseases, adapts well to natural foodstuff which results in high survivability.  No industrial techniques are used in order to enhance weight growth. In the fish farm the applicant uses traditional tools: seines, wooden pliers, landing nets, boat-hooks.

Brown trout constitutes only 2% of all trout farms in Poland and is one of the few in Europe. It is a very difficult and demanding fish, bred mainly by the Polish Fishing Associations for restocking rivers. The innovativeness of the project lies primarily in breeding, a unique species, in a natural and original way, combined with modern methods of sale and communication. In addition to breeding there is also catering activity, which is based on the sale of trout served in wo types of modern food trucks. Trout Ojcowski is now a well-known brand and is appreciated by culinary animators, propagators of healthy food and the most of talented chefs.

The applicant won national awards with the project and has been taking part in educational activities in the field of environment protection and culinary heritage, cooperating with local authorities.

+ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puWEOobopI0

The Bramlgut in Göriach was acquired by Christina and Johann in 2010. The economic basis of the farm is dairy production with its own breeding program. 14 dairy cows and 25 young cattle are housed in the new loose-house stable. Forestry is the third leg of the operation.

An important source of income is the rental of three high-quality furnished apartments. The quiet location on the outskirts in the Lungau Valley with hiking opportunities lends itself to this activity. In 2015, Christina Bauer began to share her passion for baking. Christina created a Facebook page “Easy baking and cooking with Christina” and supplied the reader with tried and tested, everyday recipes and images. In May, she completed her training to become a seminar farmer women (“Seminarbäuerin”) and started offering baking courses for consumers of all ages. Supporting her consumers over the Internet and holding courses at the farm can be very easily combines with the work on the farm and raising children at home. Mrs Bauer offers baking courses in her own kitchen on the farm. The application for participation in courses is done via Facebook and online. Each course participant shapes their own pastry to get a better feel for the dough. The baking is done with regional cereals and simple ingredients that are widely available. All the rolls specified in the recipe brochure are easy to make, clearly described and all important preparation stages are shown with step-by step instructions. The baking is done with common household appliances, so that everyone can replicate the baking at home.

The food blog “Baking with Christina” (http://backenmitchristina.at) serves as preparation and follow-up for the courses. By using regional cereals in the courses, the course participants are invited to purchase food products from the region. Thus, awareness of agricultural products is raised to influence buying and eating habits.

www.backenmitchristina.at

The applicant and her husband bought a farm in 2005. Her husband started his agriculture business with 30 cows and she joined him in 2008. They have now more than 100 cows and produce 900,000 liters of milk per year all to the local dairy. In their 95 hectares they produce corn Lucerne and grass for the cattle. Since 2011 she started a new branch of business: dairy ice cream. 5.000 liters in 2011 to 20,000 last year.  The applicant sells the ice creams with Margar’Ice brand. She started with a small laboratory and a small delivery truck. Now she has a new and bigger laboratory where she has more storage an production space. She has 26 flavors with only natural ingredients. That’s to say that she adds sugar, cream, milk  powder at their milk.  She sells her production in supermarkets and dairy shops in the region. She also makes caramel and yoghurt; for the sorbets she buys real fruit. Since the beginning of the project, the farm has already been able to contract one person to help with the tasks. Selling the ice cream allows the family farm to increase the average milk price and to become less dependent of the milk price (and it’s variations).

www.glace-marguerice.com