Mela Val Venosta: l’origine e i valori, dalla voce dei coltivatori

Fruitbook Magazine visited Val Venosta in April 2023 to learn directly from the growers about the characteristics of the region and the values behind Val Venosta Apples. The video opens with Martin Pinzger, the General Director of VIP, the Association of Fruit Cooperatives of Val Venosta, stating, "Our main task is to market the apples cultivated by our 1,600 producers in the best possible way. Thanks to their professional and passionate work, VIP is able to offer high-quality apples to the market throughout the year." The interview then continues directly from the blossoming orchards with Hansjörg Mantinger, a grower from Laces, a municipality at an altitude of 640 meters. Mantinger talks about plant protection systems, particularly during the delicate flowering period, the varietal renewal in which VIP plays an important guiding role, and the respect for the environment and the preservation of biodiversity, starting with bees, the true guardians of the health of the territories they inhabit. "The ecological measures we are adopting," Mantinger emphasizes, "allow us, among other things, to naturally repel pests." The video concludes with an interview with Franziska Andres, who cultivates apples with her father on their family farm in Cengles, a hamlet of Lana, situated at an elevation of 950 meters above sea level. In this case, due to the higher altitude, it can be observed that the blossoming has not yet reached its peak. Franziska speaks about the dedication and passion that lead to producing healthy and high-quality fruits, which are an expression of a unique territory and climate. For example, it allows the Golden Delicious, "the queen of Val Venosta apples," to develop the typical red blush shortly before harvest. Links: https://www.fruitbookmagazine.it https://www.vip.coop