Gartenbau Strillinger Kufstein - Kufstein

Urban Gardening in the Fortress City
As soon as the spring temperatures become friendlier and pedestrians start to emerge from their hats and scarves, the first lettuces can be seen sprouting on the outskirts of Kufstein. This is a sure sign that the vegetable stand at Gartenbau Strillinger will soon be open again.

It's a rarity to have a vegetable farmer in a city with 20,000 residents, a rarity that many Kufsteiners appreciate. And when cyclists are seen with baskets laden with flowers or carrot greens peeking out, regular customers know that the vegetable stand is open again. "But only in the mornings, otherwise the freshly cut lettuce wouldn't be fresh anymore," says Martin Strillinger. He runs the business with the support of his family, now in the third generation. As soon as the season begins, planting, watering, harvesting, and caring for the crops becomes a 60-hour-per-week task. But this is necessary, as Kufsteiners want to fill their brought boxes and baskets with fresh vitamins from nearby fields. Primarily, private customers buy from Gartenbau Strillinger, but a local grocery store, the Kufstein swimming pool, and numerous regional inns also get their vegetables directly from Kufstein. Any leftover vegetables at closing time are picked up by the "Sozialmarkt Kufstein" and "Die Tafel" from the Red Cross.

From mid-May to the end of October, 50 different types of vegetables, cut flowers, and herbs grow on the outskirts of Kufstein. However, only what's in season is available. Eggplants, melons, peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, and basil are grown by Martin Strillinger and his team in the greenhouses. Lettuce plants must be moved to the fields on the outskirts as soon as possible to make room for new seedlings. Each head of lettuce is grown from seeds planted in pressed soil cubes in the field or sold directly to customers.

Measuring Well-Being

Every two weeks, beneficial insects are delivered for the health of the plants – one of the practices Martin Strillinger has adopted from organic farming. "We don't have certification, but I grow everything in a way that my family and I can eat with a clear conscience. Because of our small-scale planting, I don't have major problems with pests." Carrots grow next to beans, and potatoes are nearby – pests don't like such a wide selection. "My main concern is to give our customers the freshest vegetables possible. For example, our lettuce is harvested daily at six in the morning and can be bought immediately afterward. That, for us, is freshness."

Martin Strillinger took over the business, and his wife Julia is currently focused on their children Viktoria and Alexander. "Luckily, my parents help me," Martin Strillinger is grateful. "My mother brought the flowers into the business; that's her area," says Martin Strillinger. In our greenhouses, we produce a wide range of balcony and bedding flowers every spring, from mid-March to July. During the interview, his father is planting pansies that will be sold in the spring.

Martin and his family are supported by seven employees to handle all the work. Because when the vegetable stand closes its windows for the winter break at the end of October, the work continues: machines need maintenance, fields need preparation, and new seeds need to be ordered so that the windows can open again for regional customers from mid-May.

If you want to treat yourself to Kufstein vegetables, lettuce, herbs, or flowers, you can visit the vegetable stand at Gartenbau Strillinger on Anton-Karg-Straße:

Vegetable, Herb, and Cut Flower Sales:
At the vegetable stand, between the fields at Anton-Karg-Straße 21
Mid-May to the end of October
Monday to Saturday from 8:15 AM to 12:00 PM

Flower Sales:
At the greenhouses on Oskar-Pirlo-Straße 30, 6330 Kufstein
End of March to the end of July
Monday to Friday 8:15 AM - 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Saturday from 8:15 AM to 12:00 PM