Empächli
The alp
The alp belongs to the commune of Glarus Süd. Empächli lies in the Kleintal valley, in the region of Elm. Alp Empächli is divided into two mountain pastures: Empächli Vorderstafel (front pasture and Empächli Hinterstafel (rear pasture). Jörg and Katharina Rhyner are the leaseholders for the Hinterstafel. Jörg Rhyner is already a sixth-generation leaseholder of this mountain pasture.
Empächli is an alp featuring two mountain pastures, a lower and an upper one, in addition to which there is a milking parlour in Pleus. Each pasture has an agricultural acreage of some 115 ha. The alp starts at 1390 m and culminates at an altitude of 2100 m. Our pastures provide grazing land for 40 dairy cows, some 40 cattle and 8 alpine pigs. There is also our dog Pala and the kittens Blüemli and Socke.
From left to right: Luis, Beni, Albert, Sandra, Pius, Klara, Katharina, Magdalena and Jörg
The team
The team consists of two families:
- Jörg and blogger Katharina Rhyner with the children Klara, Albert and Magdalena
- Beni Rhyner (Jörg’s brother) and girlfriend Sandra with the children Luis and Pius
The team is actively supported by Erika Rhyner, the mother of Jörg and Beni.
Our products
In the early summer, we produce 10 Glarner alp cheeses a day. We use the cream to make alp butter, as well as yoghurt for our own consumption. During the summer, we also manufacture raclette and Mutschli cheese. Although the bulk of our cheese production goes to the Glarona Cheese Cooperative, we market around one-fourth ourselves.
We sell our unpasteurised butter directly. And sometimes hikers buy a chunk of butter from the freezer.
Excursions
Whether you leisurely climb the hiking trail or take the cable car up, you are breathing in fresh mountain air. Enjoy the magnificent view from the Hausstock to the Fahnenstock mountains. You are standing at the starting point for some of the hikes in the region of Elm. Whether you opt for a short circular walk or an extended mountain hike, drop in to see us. In the early summer, from June to early July, you will find us in the Unterstafel (lower pasture), from July to end of August in the Oberstafel (upper pasture) and in September back in the Unterstafel.
You can contact us directly on my mobile phone number ++41 79 240 41 65 or by e-mail at k.richter@posteo.de.
Come by and watch cheese being made! You can watch us milk the cows in the parlour or feed the pigs. If you drop by the cheese storehouse, you can buy a piece of tasty alp cheese – the perfect end to an excursion!
