Our farm
Welcome to the Hirschenhof, a place that offers you plenty of space for rest and recreation. Our well-tended garden and the spacious lawn surrounded by flowers with heated outdoor pool invite you to completely forget everyday life.
The atmosphere here is characterized by cosiness and tranquillity. The rose-lined garden and the colorful flowerbeds are still a reminder of the times when rose cultivation was still part of the Hirschenhof business.
Enjoy a mixture of nature, hospitality and busy farm life. Our farm is a place where peace, relaxation and a pinch of history await you. Discover the perfect place for your time-out with us!
What you will find here
Equipment
Sunbathing lawn
with parasol, sun loungers for sunbathing and a hammok and swing for relaxing, or swimming in the heated outdoor pool.
Parking lot
Covered parking space for 5 cars, open parking space for another 4 cars and lockable garage for rental bikes or own bikes.
Barbecue corner
Use our stone barbecue and enjoy the cozy get-together under the covered arbor or in our aperitif corner.
Greenhouse
Here you can help yourself to your heart’s content – be it with fresh herbs or tasty tomatoes or vegetables.
Playground
Table tennis, table soccer, trampoline, garden shed, swings, slide and sandpit, pedal tractor and tricycle.
Animals
Our dog, the cats, Felix the rabbit and our headstrong chicken ladies often provide plenty of reasons to smile.
A look into the past
Our history
The origins of the Hirschenhof
Due to the constant changes in the riverbed, the history of many farms in the Adige Valley is often difficult to trace. The Hirschenhof is mentioned as early as 1700 and an auction in 1824 led to the complete division of the once huge farm.
The “upper Hirschenhof” was acquired by Anton Zelger Högger from Deutschnofen and taken over by his second younger son Peter in 1924. After his death in 1948, his wife Frieda Hilpold Zelger and their seven children took over the helm. Their eldest son, Peter Zelger, was only 20 years old when his stepfather also died and the estate was transferred to him. He ran it for almost 60 years, later together with his wife Hedi. His constant drive and inventiveness, his craftsmanship and his love of home can still be seen in every nook and cranny today. He gave the farm its current appearance.
Change over the course of time
In the 1920s, most of the field was planted with vines and the other part of the meadows was used for livestock farming. The building was divided into a living area to the east and a stable and barn to the west. In the 1940s, the vines were replaced by apples and pears and in 1968 animal husbandry was finally abandoned.
In the same year, the adjoining house was built, where Peter and Hedi Zelger initially lived with their two daughters Inge and Verena and now they live there alone.
A cut rose nursery was founded in 1972. Greenhouses were built to the south of the old house and 11,000 rose bushes were planted. The roses were cut in the months from May to October and sold to flower stores in Bolzano and the surrounding area.
After more than 20 years, the family decided to give up growing roses and switch to growing asparagus instead. Today, a small part of the original greenhouse houses our vegetable garden
In 2016, daughter Inge took over the farm, which she now runs together with her three children Alex, Andreas and Anne.
