On the edge of Zenger Moos, at Zengerstraße 16, stands the Fischbeck farm in a secluded rural location. The farm has been in the Fischbeck family for five generations since 1889 and looks back on a long tradition: from livestock to greengrocer, the farm has set itself the goal of connecting people from rural and urban areas.
Under the management of Josef and Rosmarie Fischbeck, three generations currently live and work under one roof. Their two sons, Thomas and Christian, help with the running of the farm. This is important, as the farm store is almost constantly busy from Monday to Saturday. Five days a week, the family offers a wide variety of regional products – almost all of which they grow themselves.
In addition to various types of cabbage and lettuce, these include potatoes, celery, cabbage, broccoli, leek, beet, vegetable onions, carrots, radishes and the Bavarian specialty radish. “But in addition to our vegetables, we also offer eggs, honey, pasta, spreads and jams from regional farmers,” emphasizes trained gardener Thomas Fischbeck.
Accordingly, the Fischbecks have a lot going on in the store. But the real attraction here is the farm cat Lilli. She seduces every customer with her charm and steals the show from the vegetables. “Lilli lets almost every customer stroke her. She simply enjoys it. Customers who enter the store go to Lilli’s cat basket first. Only then do they make a purchase,” says cat lover and boss Rosmarie Fischbeck. The family raised the cat with a bottle. And she repays them with affection and lots of love.
Although Lilli can only be found in the store, the Fischbecks can also be found at weekly markets in the surrounding area. Their two sons, who are qualified gardeners with a certificate in vegetable growing, make sure of that. They set up a market stall in Munich every Tuesday. On Saturdays, however, they are in Garching. “We have many regular customers at both locations who appreciate what we offer,” explain Christian and Thomas Fischbeck. And the Fischbecks have a solution for customers who have special requests: they can pre-order their vegetables by e-mail on market days.
There is not only a lot to do at the market, but also on the farm: from Monday to Saturday, the family cultivates around 80 hectares of land. Sowing, tending and harvesting. These are the tasks. In addition, there is the daily sale in the farm store, which only closes its doors on Wednesdays. The family’s working day starts at 4 am and often doesn’t end until 9 pm. Free time and vacations are a rarity. Only in the winter months do the Fischbecks treat themselves to a short, week-long vacation.
The work on the Fischbeck farm is not only strenuous, but also steeped in tradition: great-great-grandfather Jakob Flierl built the farm in 1889 in Zenger Moos. His son Josef Flierl continued to run it – with a focus on livestock farming. Potatoes, carrots and various types of cabbage were grown in the farm’s own fields. Vegetables that are typical of the boggy mossy soil.
In 1960, daughter Esther-Maria marries farmer Josef Fischbeck (senior). The couple took over the farm, henceforth known as Fischbeck-Hof, going door-to-door in the center of Munich and offering all the vegetables they could bring into the city with their tractor. The marriage produced two sons, Josef (Junior) and Bruno. While Bruno Fischbeck set up his own business as a bricklayer, Josef has remained true to tradition and still runs the farm today.
First, Josef expands the buildings. Then he expands the variety of vegetables in the fields. And then he had the idea for a farm store. “Back then, we mainly sold and delivered our vegetables to regional retailers or large companies like Pfanni. But people here also wanted to buy from us. That’s why we decided to set up the farm store,” recalls Josef Fischbeck.
Today, as in the past, there is a lot of activity in the fields and on the Fischbeck farm. The high workload leaves little time for hobbies. But even their free time is spent on traditional activities: folk festivals, the Goldacher Burschenverein, May festivals, band dances and the old Munich taverns are on the family’s agenda when they have free time. That’s what sets them apart! A family-run, traditional farm in Goldach that places great value on controlled cultivation.
Opening hours of the farm store at Zenger Str. 16, 85399 Hallbergmoos-Goldach:
Mon, Tue: 08:00 – 12:00 and 13:30 – 18:00
Wed: Day off
Thu: 08:00 – 12:00 and 13:30 – 18:00
Fri: 08:00 – 18:00
Sat: 08:00 – 13:00
Image material © Munich Airport Business Park, photo Eva Oestereich
Poster © Munich Airport Business Park, picture&more Iris Besemer
