The farm
Back to the future
The history of the idyllic farm begins with Ulrich Lafogl zu Lafogl in the 14th century. He built it and gave our farm his name. Since 1917 the Lafogl farm in Sankt Oswald/Sant'Osvaldo near Kastelruth/Castelrotto has been owned by the Rier family.
The foundations of the buildings are still those from 700 years ago. In general tradition is what is most valued at the Lafogl farm. Of course, the management of the farm has changed over time, as nature does, and today the fourth generation of the Rier family lives and works on the farm.
Philipp Rier oversees the farm together with his partner Tabea, his son Ilay and his mother Regina. All the knowledge that he needs on the farm daily has been passed down to him by his father, Karl. He had in turn learned it from his own father and, because the survival of agriculture is subject to constant change, the farm has evolved over decades from dairy farming to apple growing to a place of biodiversity.
Today at the Lafogl farm they cultivate vineyards, a colorful vegetable garden and various crops are grown in the fields such as wheat, oats, and buckwheat.
Life on the farm
The Lafogl farm is a member of the Red Rooster farms. We offer our guests an authentic farm experience from South Tyrol. If you decide to spend your holidays at our farm, the Rier family will show you what their day-to-day life on the farm is all about. Of course, this also includes tasting all the products that come from the land.
High wine culture
The vineyard plays a special role on the farm and Philipp takes care of it daily. The vineyard is at 700 meters above sea level and here Philipp and his father planted Pinot Blanc, Müller Thurgau und Pinot Noir grapes. The vines are in an ideal location receiving lots of sunlight, facing south, and overlooking the rocky Eisack/Isarco Valley.
The soil is very peculiar and is made up of large stones and gravel. This produces wines rich in minerals which our winemaker captures and bottles up. Thanks to the kinship and friendship with the cellar master of the Girlan Winery, the refinement of the grapes also remains in the family.
Closing the circle
Living and surviving in harmony with nature is the base of the Lafogl farm’s business. This approach can also be seen in the way the family deals with their resources. Thanks to their own solar panels and photovoltaic system, the Rier family can not only cover all their needs (such as warm water and electricity), but they can also guarantee their guests a sustainable vacation. The hosts also encourage their guests to leave their car at home to further reduce their CO2 footprint.
The farm can be conveniently reached with public transportation. The local bus stops right in front of the farm, and it is very well connected to the rest of the public transportation network.
Closed circles, shorter distances and a better future are all made possible by the hosts and the guests of the Lafogl farm.