THE BIG INSPIRATION
BY MARKUS GMEINER AND KARIN FALTEJSEK
„WEGWARTE“ IS A SMALL FAMILY BUSINESS, FOUNDED BY PETER GRABHER IN THE 70‘ OUT OF CONVICTION THAT PURE ORGANIC VEGETABLES ARE OF BETTER QUALITY AND TO COUNTER THE UPCOMING VEGETABLE INDUSTRY WITH IT‘S MASS-PRODUCTION. THE CULTIVATION OF PLANTS WITHOUT ANY NON-NATURAL INGREDIENT IS THE HIGHEST STANDARD FOR THE GRABHERS AND THEY BELIEVE IN THEIR WORK.
OVER THE YEARS THE GRABHER´S DEVELOPED THE PERFECT BASIS FOR THEIR PLANTS. WORKING TOGETHER WITH SHEEP FARMERS, THEY PRODUCE A COMPOST, WHICH PROVIDES THE PLANTS WITH THE RIGHT NUTRIENTS TO GROW STRONG AND HEALTHY.
THEY ALSO BELIEVE IN A MORE GENTLE APPROACH AND REFRAIN FROM WORKING WITH BIG MACHINERIES. IT STARTS WITH PLANTING THE SEEDS, PICKING THE WEEDS TO HARVESTING THE GROWN VEGETABLES, EVERYTHING IS DONE BY HAND.
PETER IS RETIRED, BUT HE STILL WORKS IN HIS GARDENS EVERYDAY, TO PASS ON HIS KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE PLANTS TO THE NEXT GENERATIONS – HIS DAUGHTER BARBARA AND HIS SON IN LAW STEFAN.
THEY SELL THEIR VEGETABLES IN A SMALL SHOP RIGHT BY THE FIELDS. THEY ALSO SUPPLY REGIONAL RESTAURANTS, WHICH APPRECIATE THEIR HARD WORK AND THE QUALITY OF THEIR PRODUCTS.
WHAT IS GREAT FOR THE PLANT IS ALSO GREAT FOR THE CONSUMERS, WHO ARE LEFT WITH PRODUCTS SO RICH IN TASTE, THEY WILL NEVER WANT MASS PRODUCED VEGETABLES AND FRUITS AGAIN.
NOT JUST THE QUALITY OF THE VEGETABLES IS PROOF THAT THE „WEGWARTE“-WAY IS THE RIGHT PATH FOR OUR FUTURE-FOOD. THEIR NONE HARM-FULL APPROACH TAKE STRAIN OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND NATURE. SELLING LOCALLY ENCOURAGES REGIONAL CONSUMPTION, WHICH DECREASES THE ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT CREATED BY SHIPPING VEGETABLES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
