Courage award

Farm heroines 2024: Two female fruit farmers win the prize

Farm heroine Karin Absenger (primary production, 2nd from left) and her colleague Michaela Stangl (diversification/innovation, 2nd from right)(Bild: LK Steiermark/Foto Fischer)

The Styrian Chamber of Agriculture has honored the "Farm Women Entrepreneurs 2024" as "Courage Makers". Two female fruit farmers from Heiligenkreuz am Waasen and Paurach won in the categories of primary production and diversification/innovation.

Karin Absenger was once Apple Queen and worked as a florist for ten years. After passing her evening school-leaving certificate, she decided eight years ago to take over the fruit-growing business in Heiligenkreuz am Waasen as her main occupation. Her motivation? "I recognized the value of this resource and didn't want to let the farm go to waste." She has now been awarded the prize in the primary production category, ahead of dairy farmer Margret Karelly from Aflenz and career changer Roswitha Marold from Aigen.

East Styrian scores with several mainstays
Michaela Stangl from Paurach convinced the jury in terms of diversification/innovation. The mother of two - who is also a former apple queen - returned to full-time farming six years ago. Her mainstays: fruit production with 100 percent direct marketing and processing as well as the distillery. Daniela Eberl from Albersdorf-Prebuch and Claudia Kerschbaumer from Wenigzell came second and third.

All Hofheldinnen 2024, flanked by Oliver Kröpfl (Steiermärkische Sparkasse, left) and Maria Pein and Franz Titschenbacher (Chamber of Agriculture, right)(Bild: LK Steiermark/Foto Fischer)

Social prize awarded for the first time
The special prize "The Social" was awarded for the first time this year as part of the "Hofheldinnen" gala. Chamber Vice President Maria Pein explains the reasoning behind this: "Women farmers are not only heroines when it comes to the economic management of the farm, they are also true heroines when it comes to the family. They are educators, nurses, social connectors and caregivers." The award went "on behalf of all female farmers" to Maria Fink from Neustift near Sebersdorf for her decades of caring for her parents-in-law and her daughter, who is now an adult.