Austrian garlic harvest 2016

Garlic belongs in every kitchen; its taste goes with nearly everything from soups to pasta dishes. And garlic has been attributed healing characteristics since the Middle Ages. That this miracle plant has only been cultivated for four years, on a large scale, in Tirol is due to the fact that garlic is not native to the Alpine region. “The plants like dry surroundings and are sensitive to rain,” states Georg Pfurtscheller. “However we cultivate them in the open field and take the risk of rain for granted. The only thing that can happen is that the garlic’s skin isn’t bright white any more, but slightly brownish. But that doesn’t influence the taste.”

Everyone who has ever tried it is thrilled by the taste of Tirol garlic. Maria Pfurtscheller suggests not peeling the fresh, not dried, garlic but use and eat the whole garlic. “It can easily be cut and tastes excellent on bread or in a salad. The fresh garlic has a mild taste and is and is very juicy.” And the Austrian garlic has a lower carbon footprint than the garlic imported from China or Argentina. Furthermore the Austrian garlic, that doesn’t have to travel long distances, is fresher.

For Dr. Christof Rissbacher, CEO of SPAR Tirol and Salzburg, the cultivation of garlic is a real flagship project: “We are proud to offer our consumers garlic grown in Terfens. The success of Georg Pfurtscheller shows that innovation pays off; he cultivates garlic on approximately 10,000 square meters and he has even developed his own drying installation. The cooperation between the farmer and SPAR already existed. For many years, Georg Pfurtscheller supplied us with strawberries and organic pumpkins. As you can see our cooperation is fruitful.

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