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XtraBlatt issue 02-2016

  • Text
  • Krone
  • Straw
  • Machinery
  • Agricultural
  • Forage
  • Harvest
  • Menschen
  • Alfons
  • Enterprise
  • Rotor

MENSCHEN PRAXIS

MENSCHEN PRAXIS INTERNATIONAL RUBRIK Cattle & Iron Artwork LIVING THE DRE The Kuncl family sought the ideal rural life – and found it around 70 km south of Prague where beef cattle are fed and direct marketed, rural tourists are looked after and there’s still time for flourishing artistic metalwork. 46

AM The “hobby den” of boss Peter Kuncl: metal artwork is one of his great enthusiasms. A 100 ha farm with beef cattle production, direct marketing of meat and holiday guests would be very hectic and business-like, I imagined. And first of all, as tourist or meat buyer, you’ve got to find the picturesque solitary steading, nestling in a very rural region around 70 km south of Prague. Once you’re there, though, you realise right away why the business model works and is successful. One reason is the situation and because the married couple Lucie and Peter Kuncl with children Walter and Agnes stand with obvious satisfaction behind their agricultural existence, completely complementing the way of life they’ve chosen. “Naturally, our website and social media presence also help customers and guests to find us,” adds Lucie. On reflection, we weren’t at all surprised that this family’s “Farma Kuncluv” was voted farm of the year by a Czech newspaper. RED ANGUS IN RESTAURANTS Farma Kuncluv comprises an old, but still functioning and electricity generating, watermill with other lovingly restored old buildings nestling on the edge of a limpid pool. At the other end of the steading, new timbered barns arise, signifying an actively farmed enterprise. Likewise the modern machinery parked, ready for action, before the barn: two tractors, a Steyr CNT and a Case as well as a Krone baler and a bale wrapper. To the side, a number of Red Angus beef cattle lounge on deep straw bedding in a wooden shed. “The rest of the 35 suckler cow herd, as well as our 22 Lipizzaner, are out on the pastures,” explains Peter Kuncl. Every year he sends 30 cattle for slaughter at around 800 kg. The meat is then direct marketed from the farm. His main customers for this – he emphasises – best beefsteak, are no less than three restaurants. The selling price is 220 to 600 koruna per kg (depending on cut) which is around 10 to 22 euro. Most months, around four animals go to slaughter, further dressing and jointing carried out by Peter Kuncl himself. That he sees a good future here is clear from the new cutting facilities and cool room he’s built. TOURISTS IN THE SADDLE The farm’s 100 ha are all organically managed, only 6 ha grow arable crops, in this case feed grain. The rest is pasture with around 15 ha broken up and reseeded each year. Fields are slightly sloping, soil tending to be of poorish quality, according to the farmer. To make a living from this land, the present mix of active idyll is perfect. Also in place is a clear business plan, commitment and marketing flair. “As early as in 1990 my father got the idea of complementing the agriculture by starting holidays on the farm,” recalls Peter Kuncl. Nowadays the facilities include two holiday apartments with a total of 10 beds. A special attraction for the holidaymakers is accompanied riding trecks into the nearby Moldau region on the Lipizzaner horses. For eight years now, Peter Kuncl has been boss of Farma Kuncluv. And when there’s time to spare between beef cattle breeding, rural tourism and family life, he hammers and forges metal artwork in his well-equipped blacksmith workshop. Every enterprise seems to complement each other in this family enterprise and works well, economically too: at least this is the impression we left with as we drove through the trees away from Farma Kuncluv. 47