Dancing to the Anderlehof | Farm Holidays in Austria

At the age of 21, the young woman, who never actually wanted to become a farmer, moved to the Anderlehof farm with all her belongings. The farm is located high above the village of Deutsch Griffen, in the so-called Rauscheggen and not far from the picturesque alpine pastures of the Hochrindl. Far away from tourist hotspots, but in the middle of an unspoiled natural and cultural landscape. When they started renting out rooms in the 1990s, they were full of hope on the one hand, but on the other they were on uncertain ground: would guests who appreciated the peace and quiet up here at 1,200 meters above sea level come at all? They did come. "We started with 100 overnight stays a year and kept increasing. Initially, demand was sluggish, people couldn't do much with the peace and quiet. That has changed completely in recent years," says Vroni.

The magnificent panorama with the mighty peaks of the Karawanken on the horizon, the tranquillity of nature, the healthy alpine air, the carefree laughter of the youngest children, which reminds you of your own childhood - you can reflect on all of this at the Anderlehof. Arrive, take a deep breath, revive, introduce your children to country life, convey values, explain natural connections, learn how to interact with the animals in a playful way and finally say "Auf Bald" again in a mature way.

Guests, young and old, forget about the television or smartphone

Too many other possibilities arouse curiosity. Whether at the farm or at the Hochrindl alpine paradise, whether summer or winter, whether skiing or hiking, horse riding or go-karting, feeding rabbits or playing with "Tschurtschen" (note: tree cones) - where the world is still in order, the children can move freely and carefree, which the parents enjoy just as much. 90 percent of the guests are regulars and have become dear friends, Vroni is proud to say: "Hubert and I have a godchild from a guest family, we were invited to three weddings and maintain cordial, regular contact with many other guests."

Four generations at Anderlehof

To ensure that the business runs smoothly, everyone at the Anderlehof helps together - four generations live here. "In the beginning, we offered breakfast and half-board, but now we concentrate purely on vacation apartments and the alpine hut on the Hochrindl, which makes the work much easier. Everyone has their own area: I'm responsible for letting and cleaning, my husband Hubert does a lot with the guest families, son Markus works in agriculture and forestry, daughter-in-law Marlene looks after the animals and our grandma lends a hand wherever there's a need," explains Vroni.

When a new calf is born, guests are allowed to enter the barn quietly

As far as raw materials are concerned, we rely on what grows on our doorstep. The wood for our alpine and romantic hut was felled on the farm, with larch, spruce and stone pine cut, planed and stored. Purely a man's job. Vroni's passion, on the other hand, is herbs. She became interested in them after a serious illness: "Natural medicine has helped me a lot. It's fascinating how many little ailments can be treated with one or two medicinal herbs. Of course, I'm happy to pass on my knowledge to guests so that they can better understand the natural cycle." This also applies to the work in the barn: "We used to produce organic milk, but due to the remote location of our farm, transportation soon became unprofitable. Today we are a pure suckler cow farm. When we visit our animals on the mountain pasture, we take our guests with us and even when a new calf is born, guests can quietly come into the barn and watch this special experience with their own eyes."

One-way ticket from Holland to the Anderlehof

This closeness to the animals fascinated daughter-in-law Marlene from the very beginning. The Dutchwoman was working as a seasonal employee on the Hochrindl when one day Markus stood at the bar and took an instant liking to her. The decision was made quickly and six weeks later Marlene bought a one-way ticket from Holland to the Anderlehof. She would never have dreamed that she would end up on a farm in Austria, and yet she soon found her own field of activity: "As a horse lover, I was excited by the idea of teaching younger guests how to handle horses." FEBS® is the name of the equestrian education program and is aimed specifically at children between the ages of 3 and 9. Through play, children discover the world of horses and practise social skills in a group.

And so this, like everything else, fits harmoniously into the natural orbit of the Anderlehof. Where everyone finds their place and where guests become friends.