Lorenz Tschenett

It's summer. Lorenz Tschenett likes the warm season. He loves to hay and spend a lot of time on his Maiensäss above Müstair. All kinds of alpine flowers and vitamin-rich herbs grow up there at 2000 metres above sea level - the fodder for his cattle. Lorenz is an organic farmer, like almost all farmers in Val Müstair. He has 18 suckler cows and 18 calves, which he slaughters himself every year.

Lorenz is also a butcher. At Bacharia Val Müstair, he processes young cattle and calves, lambs and pigs from all over the valley. There are also numerous wild animals. He refines the meat and produces specialities such as salsiz and dried meat from it.

Thanks to the modern abattoir directly in the valley, the transport routes for the farmers are short. This is good for the animals, the environment and the quality of the meat. And last but not least, the economic attractiveness of the valley as a location is promoted, which is entirely in line with the Biosfera Val Müstair regional nature park.

Standing in the barn early in the morning with a feed fork and wellington boots and a little later in the butcher's shop with a butcher's knife and hygiene cap is quite normal for Lorenz - and quite exhausting. That's why he likes the summer months, when the cattle are on the alp and the butcher's shop is less busy. That's when he puts his heart and soul into farming and mows the steep organic meadows on his Maiensässen pastures near Terza. These may only be cut from mid-July; the flowers should bloom for a long time for the sake of insects and biodiversity.

Most of his farmland is located above 1,800 metres, where haymaking is time-consuming. But it is worth it. «The good hay comes from here, where we use very little manure,» says the organic farmer. Lorenz likes being a farmer because he has to work together with nature and never knows exactly what the day will bring. «A special moment is when the hay is inside and it starts to rain. I love that, then I sleep like a log.»

Lorenz enjoyed being both a farmer and a butcher. In any case, he likes to work a lot. He just doesn't like sitting in the office as much. He is glad that his wife Tatjana takes care of the bookkeeping and desk work – as best she can with three small daughters. «I really appreciate being able to work here in Val Müstair, in this magnificent landscape,» says the family man. «And I'm grateful that my children can also grow up here, close to nature and with animals.»

Lorenz himself grew up right on the border. His father was a border guard and was given a flat in the customs house in Müstair. However, little Lorenz was less interested in the import and export of goods than in the animals and machines on his two uncles' farm.

«I always wanted to be a farmer.» But Lorenz decided in favour of an apprenticeship as a butcher. «I was always told it was important to learn something proper,» he says with a laugh. What's more, his uncles were still young, so he had no prospect of taking over their farm in the foreseeable future. And he didn't want to simply be employed. Lorenz likes being his own boss.

He learnt the butcher's trade at Hatecke in Scuol, a butcher's shop that is known far beyond the canton's borders. It was important to him to do his apprenticeship outside the valley, but not too far from his beloved home. Scuol was perfect. The physically demanding butcher's trade appealed to him and the dream of owning his own farm seemed a long way off.

But life often has surprising twists and turns in store - as was the case for Lorenz. Unexpectedly, an uncle had to retire from the farm for health reasons. So he asked his nephew – who was a butcher but would have liked to be a farmer – if he would like to take over. Lorenz didn't have to think twice. His boyhood dream came true at the young age of 21.

Lorenz completed his second training as a farmer and has been living his dream job for 18 years now. He is an organic mountain farmer, has splendid suckler cows and also farms in the valley. He plants two hectares of spring wheat. «Harvesting the wheat with the combine harvester is a great feeling.» But he never completely let go of butchery, he continued to work at Hatecke and butchered game animals for hunters in a side business.

Lorenz understands the butcher's trade, but also knows the side of the farmer who lovingly rears calves. So it was clear that he was the only person to be considered as the operator of the new «Bacharia Val Müstair». The modern abattoir with meat processing has been in operation since 2021 and is a regional economic development project under the umbrella of «Agricultura Val Müstair». It is owned by a cooperative of farmers and hunters' associations, while Lorenz runs Bacharia Val Müstair as a tenant.

Agricultura Val Müstair consists of three areas: the cheese dairy (Chascharia), the butcher's (Bacharia) and the grain collection centre. The aim is to promote the southern Graubünden valley, maintain attractive jobs and create new ones. The businesses are housed in a modern commercial complex at the entrance to the village of Müstair. This is where the high-quality organic products are produced. The cheeses from Chascharia Val Müstair have already won several awards, including gold at the World Cheese Awards.

The meat specialities that Lorenz produces and refines together with an employee are also exquisite and of organic quality. He produces on behalf of the various farmers, who market and sell the sausages, sausages and fresh meat themselves, whether to local restaurants or in farm shops, online shops and to order. Lorenz also sells meat and sausages, but only in bulk, from 20 pieces upwards.

Around 700 animals are processed at Bacharia Val Müstair every year: Around 140 cattle and calves, a good 100 lambs and 50 pigs; plus 400 wild animals from the Grisons hunt and also from hunters who have hunting grounds. «It's important to me that the slaughtering runs smoothly,» says Lorenz. He takes great care to ensure that the animals are never alone for long, but always have a conspecific around them.

Anyone interested in the farms of Agricultura Val Müstair can register for a guided tour. Lorenz is also happy to provide information. An open and honest culture of dialogue on the subject of meat consumption or hunting is important to him. Even with his children. «My daughters know where the meat we eat at the family table comes from.»

Lorenz is very much a family man. He prefers to spend the little free time he has with his wife and children. «I always try to keep Sunday free,» he says. That's when the Tschenetts like to go hiking or on a mountain tour. «Piz Terza, Piz Daint, Piz Umbrail – my children have been everywhere. What we definitely do every year is a hike to the Lai da Rims – it's uniquely beautiful.»