Herbert's wish was to teach his children the values of country life. At the Madritschof in the Carinthian Gurktal, this wish came true. It is above all the warmth of Resi and Hansi that keeps the Munich family, now complete with grandchildren, coming back from all directions.
Herbert is a trained butcher. He grew up in the countryside and moved to Munich as an adult. Life in the countryside, a feeling for nature and the right way to treat animals were all values that he wanted to pass on to his children. For some unknown reason, his first son was terrified of animals. A novelty for Herbert, which he could not understand. A solution had to be found. Farm holidays came to mind. But which farm was the right one? The magazines all promised idyllic country life and advertised beautiful photos. As is so often the case, word of mouth was ultimately the deciding factor: "A good friend recommended the Madritschhof in the Carinthian Gurktal valley near Strasbourg." It was in 1992 when Herbert wrote a letter to Hans and Resi Madritsch asking if they could spend the Whitsun vacations at the farm and whether there was an option to leave early if the children's fear of the animals did not subside.
The joy of reunion
However, the fear receded and today, almost 30 years later, Herbert and his family are not only regulars, but have become friends. "I have a very stressful job and often work from early in the morning until late in the evening. When I go on vacation, I usually need several days to wind down. Once I've done that, it's usually time to drive home. It's different in the Gurktal Alps. Here, the vacation starts as soon as I get out of the car after the four-hour drive from Munich to Carinthia." It is the warmth of the family and the joy of seeing each other again that immediately makes Herbert forget the stress of everyday life. "The first time we spent our vacation here, the day we left was terrible. The children were crying and we had to promise them that we would come back next year. So we booked our next vacation on the spot and five other families did the same. This resulted in long-lasting friendships."
Cordiality and time
It is above all the warmth of Resi and Hansi that keeps the Munich family, now complete with grandchildren, coming back from all directions. "Of course we also book other vacations, enjoy the sea and large hotel complexes, but there's one thing you only get here: Personal contact. Of course, at the end of the day we pay for it, but it's something else when, after ten days, you get the feeling that you were a welcome guest and everyone is looking forward to seeing you again when we say goodbye. We love and enjoy that." And the children do the same. "You almost have to drag them out of their stables and wellies in the evening so that they can wash up quickly before dinner. And as soon as the last bite has been eaten, they're gone again," smiles Herbert.
You almost have to drag them out of their stalls and rubber boots in the evening so that they can wash themselves quickly before dinner. And as soon as the last bite has been eaten, they are gone again.
Herbert Pelz
Respectful handling of food
So far, he has not observed any disputes between the guest children. The older children help the younger ones, the girls learn to ride, the boys help in the stables. They learn how to treat the cattle and pigs with respect, develop self-confidence and gain a lasting understanding of good and fair food. "Today's society often seems to have forgotten where food comes from. Many supermarket chains do not necessarily deliver poor quality, but when a slaughterhouse slaughters and cuts up 30,000 pigs a day, I as a consumer have to think: Where do they all live? And how? It has to be clear that these animals can't have a run under the sun and that their meat is processed with chemicals to make it more durable." That's why it's important to Herbert that his children see how animals can develop healthily on a farm like the Madritschhof, without medication, but with a huge portion of grassy green meadows and healthy feed.
The feeling of belonging
Ultimately, it's this very special mixture of everything, says Herbert: "At home, everyday life is inevitably tightly scheduled so that you can juggle everything. At the farm, on the other hand, the children learn in a completely informal way. When our youngest hears the milking machine being switched on in the barn early in the morning, he jumps out of bed in seconds, slips into his wellies and rushes blindly into the barn half asleep so as not to miss anything. There's no substitute for the relationship that develops, and you can't get that anywhere else." This sense of belonging is a matter of course at the Madritschof.
