Sibratsgfäll Earth Market

The market originates in Sibratsgfäll, an Austrian municipality of almost 400 inhabitants in the district of Bregenz, Vorarlberg, on the German border. With an area of 29.25 km², it is one of the largest municipalities in the Bregenzerwald.

Sibratsgfäll is nestled in a wide, sunny basin between towering mountains, at an altitude of 929 m above sea level. Extensive land management has always characterised the local agriculture and animal husbandry. 15 farms cultivate about one third of the vast community area of almost 30 km². Together with the alpine pastures, they ensure the preservation of the meadows, pastures and forests of the alpine areas.The municipality strives for sustainability in many areas, such as cheese making: there is a cheese dairy to which around 1.2 million litres of milk are delivered each year for the manufactoring of cheese.

The Earth Market was created on the Dorner Hof organic farm, owned by Markus and Tanja Dorner, who are also producers of the market. They founded the Slow Food Community with a group of 14 producers and launched the market, which was held once a month from July to October 2021. Given the success of the initiative, the Community is ready to repeat the programme for 2022 from May to October, every first Saturday of the month.

The group of organic producers that has been set up intends to preserve local biodiversity and provide a stage for environmentally friendly regional production, bringing consumers closer to products from diversified, organic and sustainable agriculture. The market days are not just an opportunity to shop but a unique experience of meeting and exchanging knowledge. The market team has devised and implemented a programme of workshops, with tastings and product presentations for young and old. In addition, children can spend time playing outdoors in the well-equipped park right in front of the farm.

What makes the Sibratsgfäll Earth Market special is that the production facilities are freely accessible. Consumers can see for themselves how the animals are reared, the vegetables, fruit and herbs are grown and how the pasta is made. A glimpse that clearly shows the consumer the quality and philosophy of the Slow Food market. The farm’s energy supply is almost autonomous, thanks to a biomass heating system and a photovoltaic system.

There are around 13 exhibitors at the market, all organic, and they cover the whole range of products needed for a complete shopping tour: they produce fresh meat and sausages (including goat), sourdough bread and cereals, fruit and vegetables, eggs, goat and cow cheeses, honey, cold-pressed oil (including pumpkin seed oil), beer, river trout, natural wines and natural cosmetics.

Visitors are invited to reach the market by public transport (buses). Thanks to cooperation with the Regional Planning Community (REGIO) Bregenzerwald and the Vorarlberg GmbH Transport Association, there will be a bus connection to Sibratsgfäll on the days of the event.

For further information:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Dornerhofsibra
Website: www.dornerhof-sibra.at
Slow Food Austria website: https://www.slow-food.at