Swap office for nature | Farm Holidays in Austria

Arno Kronhofer is an obsessive. And the man has a plan, that's for sure.

I could start right now with Monsanto, Bayer & Co., the evil chemical companies that cover European agriculture with their products like a protective shield for the benefit of people and nature - exactly! But there's no need for any more talking dynamite, because the pharmaceutical industry hasn't made any money from beekeeping yet and never will, an energetic Kronhofer assures me, while we enjoy homemade Reindling and coffee on his bench. Then he adds: "Beekeeping is the only branch of agriculture in which there is no approved medication. Pure nature! The argument is convincing and encouraging.

"Here I am, I am a farmer. And if you want, you can take a vacation with me"

It all began at the age of 2 when young Arno discovered his love of hymenoptera and allowed it to flourish. Untypically for a beekeeper, he says, it was the bumblebees that initially appealed to him and made his heart race. As a 3-year-old, he dug out one of these nests and brought it to his grandfather. From then on, the Kronhofers had up to 20 bumblebee nests around the house, the first proof that someone here was about to find his calling. At the age of 7, the neighbor (finally) gave him his own swarm of bees, marking the beginning of a love story. When Arno thinks back to his childhood on the farm, the smell of a freshly opened beehive (a colony that has been richly endowed with nectar by nature) immediately comes to mind. "And then take a hearty bite of the honeycomb," he laughs. Apparently a highly epicurean event, which unfortunately I can't judge for myself. However, when I think back to my childhood and the bees of the 1980s, I see my grandma's neighbor, a grim old man who, like Neil Armstrong, always put on a white protective suit before letting his bee colonies fly. A bizarre and (seemingly) dangerous moment that always made us neighborhood kids run for the hills.

Of course, this is not the case with Arno Kronhofer, who runs a show apiary and sometimes assigns his guests to do voluntary and not at all dangerous work on the bee area. After all, the 80,000 insects are the gentle Carnica bees, which are the talk of the town all over Europe anyway because they are so dear. As a destination manager for many years, Kronhofer is of course well aware that specialization does not hurt in a rather saturated market and so he also sees his offer as a "beekeeper's vacation" well differentiated from the farming competition. You won't find any original agriculture here, which many city dwellers long for and which is a cliché from advertising. A rather modern, no-frills extension with spacious apartments also attracts many (international) guests in winter, who appreciate the nearby Nassfeld, Carinthia's largest ski area. And not only that, a look at Booking.com reveals a remarkable 9.7 (average of all Booking.com guest ratings on a scale that ends at 10). Chapeau!

"3x happiness: My family. The bees. And the landlord business"

In his time as a tourism manager, Arno Kronhofer was known as a "hectic person", which is probably a description of his busy, industrious way of getting things done today rather than tomorrow. With the bees, however, he is a different person, the industrious flying insects his haven of peace. Alongside his family, mind you, who give him strength and energy every day. Being self-employed, for which he voluntarily gave up a very good job as a manager, means he can finally devote more time to his passion. But also his two-year-old daughter and his guests. In the style of his mother, who was a good hostess, always took good care of strangers and also provided company in the evenings, he does not take on the role of landlord. Because, without wanting to be an anonymous landlord, it is important to him to maintain a clear line of demarcation from his private life. But I'll say it again: 9.7. The air up there is pretty thin. He seems to have a concept.

"Bees on the balcony. Future scenario of urban beekeeping"

With the trifecta of beekeeping (honey production and training), forestry and the rental of vacation apartments, the Kronhofers' future seems to be on a solid footing. And the longing for nature and honest products without additives or preservatives will not leave beekeeping unscathed. He is already noticing an increase in people living in urban areas who want to learn the beekeeping trade. Yes, our cities are becoming green, urban gardening is already leading the way. "Here in the countryside, on the other hand, there must also be options for young people, because otherwise the old people will soon be sitting in dilapidated houses when the young people all flock to the cities," he says thoughtfully. His statement, which gets to the heart of the problem of emigration, is probably also intended as motivation. An appeal for his young rural fellow citizens to do the same, as vegetable growers or milk-refining cheese producers. He is convinced that there is a future in the countryside and as a farmer. In a niche that everyone has to find for themselves.