In orchard meadows across the country, local, unsprayed fruit grows, but unfortunately it is often no longer used. For everyone looking for fruit or wanting to give some away, there is now a practical and free solution: kierfchen.lu.
Here you can find out where fruit can be picked for free or bought. In addition, users can place adverts – either to give away fruit or because they are looking for a specific quantity themselves. Anyone can take part in kierfchen.lu: whether they have a whole orchard meadow or just a few trees in their garden.
In contrast to the Ministry of Agriculture's “Gielt Band” initiative, where fruit can be picked without consulting the tree owner, kierfchen.lu offers the opportunity to get something for your fruit. Of course, you can also swap your fruit or give it away for free. For example, owners can offer their fruit already picked and do not have to allow access to their trees.
Producers and restaurants that process local fruit are also represented on the portal. In addition, you will find adverts for beehive sites or for the sale and lease of plots of land. At kierfchen.lu it's not just about the fruit itself; it also aims to show how many products come from the orchard meadow, both directly (e.g. juice, jam) and indirectly (e.g. sheep's wool, honey).
On Kierfchen.lu, there is a category dedicated specifically to events and activities related to orchards. Here you will find courses on pruning fruit trees, regional festivals celebrating apple juice and quetsche plums, as well as events such as ‘Month of the Orchards’. To mark this special month, the Natur- & Geopark Mëllerdall invites in October to take part in a whole range of activities offering a cultural and culinary insight into the orchards. Several restaurants in the region are offering special menus including regional fruit.
Anyone who wants to learn more about orchard meadows can find information on the kierfchen.lu website and sign up for the newsletter, which is sent out every three months. It provides information on current topics and seasonal work around the fruit trees.
Further interesting information about the orchard meadow habitat can be found in the video from the series “Fascinating Facts about the Natur- & Geopark Mëllerdall” and on kierfchen.lu.
Newsletter Kierfchen: https://kierfchen.lu/aktuelles/
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