Speck-Alm

FROM THE PORK HOTEL TO MOSTSCHENKE - TANJA AND MICHAEL GAßNER ON THE SPECKALM: LIVED VALUES FULL OF PASSION THAT YOU TASTE

The Speck-Alm - the name says it all. However, there is much more to Tanja and Michael Gaßner's farm than just a generational business focussing on pork. The smell of freshly baked wood-fired bread mingles with the clear Danube air every day, while the ringing of cowbells heralds the arrival of guests. It is living values, animal encounters and a daily endeavour to bring their guests closer to nature and the region that have characterised the Speck-Alm near the Wolfsschlucht gorge near Bad Kreuzen for 35 years.
 
There is only one accommodation on the Gaßner farm: the "Schweinehotel", where around 170 Swabian-Hallis and Edel-Land pigs are reared from fattening to slaughter. There are also cattle, Styrian pinto goats, wild fattened chickens, ducks and quails as well as domestic cats on the Speck-Alm. The farm clearly communicates what it is all about: regional enjoyment that makes the origin of its ingredients transparent. Pork, fresh meat, sausage and meat loaf are processed directly on the farm for the cider tavern, which has been in existence since 1989, and sold on site. Where does all the other food come from? Also from the immediate neighbourhood, of course! However, it is probably the vegetables and herbs that have travelled the shortest distance, as they are lovingly harvested by Tanja in her own vegetable patch and herb garden. In addition to potatoes and carrots, she now also grows cabbage sprouts, cabbage and sweetcorn. "The soil," say Tanja and Michael, "provides us all with a basis for life." They want to pass on their awareness of how food is produced to every guest who visits the farm. If you want to take home something more than just living values, you can visit the Speck-Alm's own farm shop and buy meat and sausage products or bacon and meat dumplings - which are made by hand on the farm.
 
As an example of sustainable agriculture and regional ties, the Gaßners and their team work every day to bring their guests closer to the diversity and quality of their products and to preserve the tradition of their farm. Everything that cannot be grown on the farm is sourced from small farms in the immediate vicinity.
 
However, the Speck-Alm not only offers culinary delights, but also plenty to experience! Visitors to the farm can experience farming up close, feed the animals and learn about the production processes and origins of our daily food. Excursions to the Speck-Alm are particularly popular with school classes. The Gaßner family tries to teach pupils about local agricultural products in a fun way. The farm is best reached via the Wolfsschlucht or the Kreuzner-Herzklopfen-Runde, which makes it a popular stopover for hikers in particular.