An organic greeting from the Val Venosta apple orchard

摘要

"Climatically, Val Venosta is one of the areas most suitable for ecologically sound apple production", says Gerhard Eberhofer, sales manager for organic products of the producers' association Verband der Val Venostaer Produzenten von Obst und Gemüse(VI.P) in Laces. He also says why: "First there's the altitude of our apple production -between 500 and 1,100 m. The apple ripens more slowly and the temperature differences between day and night are larger. The fruit is crunchier and more compact, and red or two-tone varieties have the best possible colouring throughout. This is especially true for our Val Venosta apples. The very dry climate with annual rainfall of less than 500 mm, a lot of wind and a great deal of sunshine (ap-prox. 300 sunny days per year) has an especially favourable effect on organic production." One of the positive side-effects of these unique climatic conditions is the "low pressure" of illnesses and fungi in the apple plantations. Pest control is much less of a challenge forthe farmer.