Delicious vacation job

Cheesemaker Kathi spends the summer on the mountain pasture

Katharina Hirnböck comes from a farm in Henndorf and is embarking on an alpine adventure this summer.(Bild: Andreas Tröster)

Katharina Hirnböck, a young woman from Henndorf, comes from a farm. Milking cows, making yoghurt and butter, entertaining guests - these are all familiar tasks for the cheesemaker. This summer, she is taking a break from her job as a dairy technologist to gain experience at the Aueralm in Maria Alm. For her job and for life.

The days on the mountain pasture start early. For Katharina Hirnböck, however, it's almost like sleeping in. In her job as a dairy technologist at the Woerle cheese dairy in Henndorf, she usually starts work at four o'clock in the morning. She is now taking a break from this job for a few months: Katharina is spending her summer on the mountain pasture.

Alpine adventure as an opportunity for life
"I knew I couldn't pass up this opportunity," says Kathi to "Krone" in an interview on the Aueralm in Maria Alm-Hinterthal. Up here, at 1130 meters, the young cheesemaker started her alpine adventure with the Rainer family. Milking cows, making butter, yoghurt and cream cheese, serving hikers and excursionists - these are Katharina's new tasks from Whitsun to October.

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Supported by the boss, learn about the job online
The young woman, who comes from a farm herself, has not given up her job at the cheese dairy. "I'm going back in November," says the smart 21-year-old. "My boss was very supportive of me and my desire to go to the Alpine pastures." A pure Alpine pasture for cheese-making, for example in the high mountains in Vorarlberg or Switzerland, would not be for the young woman. She deliberately chose the Aueralm because she is also responsible for the bar there.

"My line manager was very supportive of me and my desire to go to the alpine pasture," says Kathi in an interview with the "Krone".(Bild: Andreas Tröster)

She found the job on a platform on the internet. Maria Rainer, who runs the farm and Aueralm with her husband, is extremely happy with her alpine helper. "Kathi gets stuck in. So far there have been no complaints," laughs the farmer's wife. Until recently, student Hanna from Lower Austria helped the couple. However, the young woman ended her alpine adventure early.

Even though the Aueralm has only existed in this form since 2013, it is popular. This is particularly evident at the weekends. The crowds are sometimes huge and the ladies have their hands full. And when it's not so busy, the work up here doesn't stop.