BergFattoria - A project close to the heart of nature, animals and cuisine

In the Moosalp region, many small farms keep livestock that contribute to the maintenance of the landscape. For local hobby breeders, for example, keeping Valais Blacknose sheep or Hérens cows is a passion to which they devote themselves with great dedication and passion, especially in their free time. Since September 2021, South American alpacas can also be found on the pastures in Bürchen. We visited Caroline and Ludovico Ieria's small herd of alpacas in their winter quarters in the hamlet of Obscha.

Close to nature and committed

Ludovico Ieria and his wife Caroline have shared a love of nature and animals from an early age. The idea of realizing their own agricultural projects with animals had been in their heads for a long time. "One evening I saw a report about alpacas on TV and thought: that could be something for us," says Ludovico. Caroline was also enthusiastic and so the idea for her passion project BergFattoria was born, which not only includes animal husbandry, but also the production of their own food and wine.

Caroline and Ludovico quickly acquired the necessary knowledge about keeping alpacas in courses and organized papers and permits. In fall 2021, they were able to take delivery of their first stallion named "Napoleon", a wedding gift from Ludovico's grandparents. The trained chef and qualified social pedagogue now own a small herd of alpacas with five mares and stallions each, as well as a few rabbits and quails. In their gardens in Bürchen and "z Chummu" near Raron, they grow vegetables and cultivate vines and fruit trees.

Curious animals with a calm character

The original home of the curious but cautious alpacas is in the South American Andes. Their wool fibers are considered to be some of the finest and softest natural fibers of all. Alpacas are very social animals that thrive in groups, herds or family groups. They are known for their calm and friendly nature and leave a small ecological footprint as they require less food and water compared to other farm animals. "We can learn something from our alpacas every day. They have a very special feeling for people," emphasize Caroline and Ludovico. As the Moosalp region is ideal for walks with the animals, the couple also offer alpaca treks around Bürchen.

Team Bergfattoria

Caroline and Ludovico sell various culinary delicacies and alpaca products from their own production on their own website. They are able to benefit from each other's skills from their day-to-day work and complement each other perfectly. In addition to their job, they invest a lot of time and effort in their hobby. There is a lot of daily work to be done in the stable, on the pasture and in the garden. Caroline and Ludovico receive a lot of support from their families. Parents and siblings always lend a hand when there is something to do. The name BergFattoria is made up of "Berg" (mountain), appropriate for the location of Bürchen and Caroline's origins, and "Fattoria", Italian for farm or small estate, representing Ludovico's Italian roots. The young couple still see a lot of potential in their project and are not running out of ideas. Ludovico is currently studying at an agricultural college to become a part-time farmer. In any case, their goal is to one day be able to earn their own living with the BergFattoria. We wish him continued success and all the best!