Stories from the Farm
#HowWeEnjoy: What Grandma's Cheesecake Tells Us
Tastes may vary. At the Turnerhof in Millstatt, they all come together—in the form of homemade, authentic culinary delights that are a treat for both the eyes and the palate.
It’s early morning, and the Turnerhof is a hive of activity. The last wisps of fog in the Nockberge Mountains are lifting, revealing a view of Lake Millstatt glistening in the sunlight. The guests have already taken their seats at the breakfast tables and are being pampered by their hostess. Marion Haider serves specialties made right here on the farm: yogurt, butter, soft cheese, bread, Reindling, liver sausage, spruce-tip honey, jam, eggs, milk, bacon, salami, quark, osso collo, Polish sausage, Bündnerfleisch, cold roast pork, and Leberkäse. The only thing that doesn’t grow on the Millstätter Plateau is coffee…
Love at First Sight
The culinary delights are varied and lovingly prepared. Among them is Grandma’s cheesecake, which the farmer’s wife is serving fresh from the oven. A dessert that tells Marion’s very personal story and evokes special memories. At age 12, the girl from Augsburg spent her first vacation at the Turnerhof with her grandmother, from whom the recipe comes. It was, so to speak, love at first sight. Grandmother and granddaughter became regulars and returned time and again. Until, a few years later, sparks flew between the farm heir and the trained early childhood educator. Before long, the vacationer switched sides, transforming from guest to hostess. “I was a complete newcomer to farming, and that was a good thing,” she says today, looking back. “Because of that, I didn’t know what to expect,” Marion smiles.
“I was a complete newcomer to farming, and that was a good thing.”
Marion Haider
Goodness Is So Close
This led to many things. Above all, the major challenge of keeping the farm running while her husband Rudolf—a trained carpenter—continued to work for many years at a company in Innsbruck and only came home on weekends. For several years now, they’ve been working together, sharing responsibilities for the farm, agriculture, food production, and the farmstay business. They’re joined by Rudolf’s mother, who always looks forward to chatting with the guests. And their children, Ronja and Rudi, who also lend a hand with the various tasks.
Produced with passion, invested with foresight
The 30 dairy cows in the barn produce enough raw milk not only to supply guests with the farm’s own products, but also to have enough capacity left over for direct sales and deliveries to several hotels in the area. The next project on the horizon is to expand and modernize the barn.
The kids like it, too
More and more (regular) guests are spending their vacations at this 100-year-old, idyllically situated farm. They stay either in one of the five guest rooms or in the newly built vacation apartments, which are located in the addition to the stylishly renovated main house. The high season is no longer limited to summer but now extends into the winter months as well. Special attention is given to the youngest guests, who get to experience the hustle and bustle of the farm up close—and who are sure to ensure that the next family vacation is booked once again with the Haiders at the Turnerhof.
