With dedication and effort, Alexandra has been able to transform her life, devoting herself to caring for animals, producing high-quality milk and hosting guests on the farm she created on the family farm at 1100 meters.
All photos are from the Marsonerhof Farm website
The story
Alexandra Schwarz, 49, left the hustle and bustle of the city to embrace a more genuine and grounded destiny. Twenty years ago, the former hairdresser decided to take over the family farm, a 250-year-old dairy farm located in Val d'Ultimo in Santa Valburga, 1,100 meters above sea level in the province of Bolzano. This choice represents a virtuous example of the South Tyrolean dairy model, where each dairy operates as a 100 percent cooperative, in a year that celebrates cooperatives internationally.
For Alexandra, the transition from caring for clients' foliage to herding livestock was not just a change of life and profession, but a true calling of the land. With determination and commitment, she was able to transform her daily existence, devoting herself to scrupulously managing animals, producing high-quality milk, and hosting guests at the farm she created. A path made up of daily challenges, in which every drop of milk tells a story of hard work, passion and respect for the land.
In 1982, the farm was awarded “maso avito” status, a prestigious attribution reserved for families that have carried on farming uninterruptedly for at least two centuries on the highlands, amidst bad weather and numerous logistical difficulties related to artisanal activity. For Alexandra, being part of this system means supporting a model that ensures fairness for producers, quality for consumers and protection for the environment. With the milk produced, she contributes to the local cooperative, a mechanism that allows everyone to thrive together.
It is not easy to give up that weekly contact with the city, but over time she has come to appreciate the freedom that life on the farm offers. “I really appreciate being my own employer and being able to organize my own business. Living with the animals gives me great satisfaction and I don't necessarily see it as employment, but rather as a mutual exchange between man and animal, “ she proudly tells ANSA's testimony.
For her, as with any profession, daily commitment must be approached with momentum regardless of obstacles: “As with any other job, I am convinced that one must do everything with passion; otherwise, it would be difficult to live happily, working 365 days a year non-stop.” Alexandra's words are an invitation to rediscover the pleasure of authentic work, where every gesture is an act of love for one's land and history.
