The Seefeld Tuesday Market: Where Regionality Meets International Flair

First, we have the organizer Ferdinand Schot from "Ferdi's Beekeeping": The passionate beekeeper has been selling his valuable bee products at the Tuesday market for years. This year, he took on the organization of the market with great enthusiasm: "The market is important for us local entrepreneurs and has been successfully built up over the years – that’s why I am happy to take care of the organization." When the Tuesday market doesn’t occupy him, Ferdi, as everyone calls him, enthusiastically pursues his main activity – running his own beekeeping business in Mösern. Here, he owns around 500 bee colonies and impresses locals as well as guests with his carefully crafted products. The local product range, focused on sustainability, includes honey and small sweet treats, honey schnapps and wine, as well as cosmetics and health products with honey and propolis. "It is important to me that through my work I can give back to nature more than I take."

Local delicacies for takeaway can also be found at Alois Haslwanter – "Rasler": For 150 years, regional products from their own agriculture have been the focus at Rasler. This is also evident every week at the Tuesday market. Alois enthusiastically sells what he and his family have previously made themselves on their farm: bacon, sausages, liqueurs, herbal mixes, and juices, to name just a few things. "We make most of it ourselves, starting with smoking to distilling spirits. Even the apricots come from the old tree on our farm in Reith." Only the cheese is bought in. "But that has been from the same farmer in the region for 40 years." So no matter what you take away from Rasler, you always hold a genuine piece of Tyrol in your hands.

You can take a real piece of Tyrol with you from the Tuesday market not only for eating, but also as decoration or a little gift. For example, at Monika Praxmarer – "Pure Nature – Wooden Souvenirs and Wood Engravings": Monika comes every week from Roppen, which is 40 kilometers away, to Seefeld, because the Tuesday market has become like a second home to her. "I love the sense of community and the family atmosphere here, as well as the small, round marketplace with its uniform design." Since her childhood on her parents' farm, Monika has enjoyed crafting with wood. The tree slices she usually decorates with engravings come from the maple trees in her own garden. "The branches can grow back, and this way, we don’t cause any waste." That's true sustainability. She also delights every time a customer – whether from the region or far away – leaves her stand with one of her handmade natural products in hand.

Handmade and steeped in tradition and love are also the pieces from Praxmarer's neighbor at the market Leni Prast – "Farm Flowers": The woman from Telfs can rightfully be called the cornerstone of the Tuesday market. "I've even received an award for 10 years at the market," she says modestly with a smile. And not only that, she can also look back on over 20 years of craft festivals, many years of market days, and Christkindl markets, as well as countless other markets in Seefeld. And yet, she is still very happy when she can sell her homemade farm flowers and other treasures at her stand. "I work on it every day, so that I can keep going for a while longer," says the over 80-year-old, her blue eyes sparkling happily from beneath her black hat. Special hats and always very neat clothing are Leni's trademarks and probably make her the most photographed market vendor.

A special connection to his customers and the market itself is held by Pastor Bernd Fetzer, who completes the row of stands from Praxmarer and Prast with "Bread and Sausages". But how does a pastor actually end up at the market? In Bernd Fetzer's case, it's a long story that the eloquent Protestant theologian enjoys telling. It all began at his last parish in the Odenwald when he was searching for a new menu for the meal after the Hubertus service. Together with two friendly chefs, he developed sausages filled with innovative ingredients that were practically snatched from their hands. "At the same time, there was a high demand for child care in the community, the establishment of which we eventually financed through the further production and sale of our new sausages."

Sales took place at the surrounding markets, and the pastor took that on. "I love the market; you are never closer to the people and life."

Being in the midst of everything often opens up exciting conversations, even on religious topics. So it's no wonder that Fetzer, when love drew him to Tyrol, came to the Tuesday market. He nearly even wrote his dissertation in Innsbruck on the controversial relationship between the market and the church but remained true to his original topic. Nevertheless, he collects his observations and stories that he experiences week after week in Seefeld, writing about them, skillfully conversing in German, English, French, and Italian, and enthusiastically selling bread and sausages. The latter are still largely produced by himself in the small Odenwald sausage factory from the beginning of his market career. Humorous sayings, such as that one might grow wings temporarily while enjoying Hildegard von Bingen's bread, are included for free. And you can feel that it’s true when Fetzer says, “I just love being here.”
Fetzer's love for the Tuesday market is surely shared by all the vendors and many visitors alike. It is no wonder that vendors and buyers return year after year or even week after week. However, even a one-time visit is worthwhile! But don’t be surprised if you quickly become a regular customer.