With the flow

The sun was shining brightly on this Wednesday morning in August. It bathes the mountains and meadows of the Salzkammergut district in its warm light, making the Wolfgangsee lake sparkle a Caribbean turquoise. On the south bank, in Farchen, there is a large farm that welcomes its visitors with a lime green sign: “Seegut EISL. Sheep’s cheese. Camping.”

Geraniums spill out of the flower boxes on the magnificent 500-year-old courtyard building. In front of the door, a small rooster with a loud voice is pecking away among the chickens. Nearby, a flock of sheep is grazing happily in the pasture. Towards the shore, there are a few caravans on a small campsite. The first early risers are greeting the morning. Almost unnoticed, a yellow wheel loader rolls along the gravel path with green cuttings in its shovel – with the whisper of an electric vehicle, as if it simply doesn’t want to disturb the lavish beauty of this idyllic nature and landscape.

The Eisl family is committed to ensuring that this picture perfect idyll can still be experienced tomorrow. For Sepp Eisl, sustainable agriculture, the strict use of renewable energies and the responsible use of natural resources are an essential part of generational responsibility. The family, now in its 22nd generation, has been farming here since 1490. And doing so in such a way that the farm will continue to feed the generations to come. “Our aim is to be grandchild-friendly. So my wife and I changed our farm from traditional dairy farming with cattle to sheep farming back in the 1980s,” explains Sepp Eisl. A bold step for a family with seven children.

“Dairy products from sheep were difficult to market at that time. We took the risk anyway, swam massively against the tide and were successful,” the farmer continues. At the same time, his eyes light up. Sepp Eisl likes to think about things in wider contexts and developed his “grandchildfriendly” concepts from this principle. Word soon spread. In 1997, Sepp Eisl received a call to the Salzburg provincial government, where he assumed responsibility as a provincial councillor – among other things for agriculture – for 16 years. “But there came a point when I just wanted to be a farmer again,” he says.

“Just a farmer” sounds very much like an understatement coming from Sepp Eisl, though. Because today, Seegut Eisl is a model company in terms of sustainability. Organic farming with more than 120 of its own sheep, its own renewable energy production with a photovoltaic installation of more than 1,000 square metres and a system for local heating with wood chips and solar thermal energy, which, in addition to the farm and the campsite, also supplies the whole neighbourhood with hot water and domestic heating. In the meantime, all family and company vehicles are powered by electric drive systems – against the tide no longer. “Under your own power” is the motto on the farm estate today.

In front of the yard building, where the Seegut’s vans and cars are charged with green electricity at the chargers, the bright yellow work unit that is causing quite a stir at the yard is also “filling up”: a battery-electric wheel loader from Liebherr’s compact wheel loader segment. For almost three years, Seegut Eisl has been regularly participating in stages of a long-term test operation with a new, emission-free wheel loader drive concept that Liebherr is developing at its Bischofshofen plant. “The electric wheel loader perfectly suits our way of sheep dairy farming and the sustainable running of the campsite. Being able to carry out the work in the stables and on the campsite quietly and without any exhaust fumes is a real milestone,” Sepp Eisl adds. “And with no loss of performance compared to a diesel vehicle. On the contrary. The electric wheel loader has surprisingly high pulling power and playfully light, extremely sensitive controls for outstanding versatility in terms of application. Everyone likes working with it. This machine will definitely be part of our company in the future,” says Eisl.

Everyday life on the farm, with all its farm and production buildings, requires a high level of agility and dynamism from the working machines. “For us, everything on the farm revolves around quality. That’s where the multifunctional all-rounder scores. The electric wheel loader doesn’t need to warm up. The full performance capacity is available immediately, as soon as it starts,” Eisl explains. The compact lithium-ion battery supplies power both to the drive and to the working and steering hydraulics. “We manage with just one battery pack because on the farm, unlike in continuous use on a construction site, we can always quickly recharge during work breakes.”

Sepp Eisl is happy to contribute such practical experience to the gradual further development of the system. “During the field test, we set up a hotline to the Liebherr developers and technicians in Bischofshofen. If there are any questions or problems, the experts are here immediately,” says Eisl. “We know and appreciate each other.” He particularly likes the fact that “his” electric wheel loader has been developed from practical knowledge for practical use and refined step by step in this relationship of mutual trust. “We definitely want to be among the first when the electric wheel loader goes into series production and sales are launched about a year after the first major public presentation at Bauma.”

The success of the battery-electric wheel loader is already certain for Sepp Eisl. This is guaranteed by the tried and tested features of Liebherr stereo loaders: the clear layout of the cab, the extremely manoeuvrable stereo steering with articulated pendulum joint and steered rear axle, as well as the the powerful lift mast, which can be used to move large loads and work with various attachments in the yard. Another factor is also of vital importance for Sepp Eisl: “For many children, including my grandchildren, our farm is like a big adventure playground. So I’m glad that Liebherr also attaches such great importance to safety. On the wheel loader we’re testing, this is evident, for example, in the good visibility from the operator’s cab and the reversing camera.”

The operator’s cab of the electric wheel loader offers a surprising degree of clarity, simple operation and comfort. The operator’s seat, accelerator and brake pedals, steering wheel, a few switches, a touch display and a joystick – that's all. “After a brief introduction, almost all of our 20 employees can operate the electric wheel loader,” says Sepp Eisl. “This is a real advantage for our jobs on the farm and campsite.” The key to the simple, intuitive control of the wheel loader also lies in the software. “The touchscreen gives operators all the information they need for the tasks at hand, and they can operate the mast and attachment with the joystick very quickly, easily, sensitively and precisely. You don’t have to be a digital expert to do that,” the 58-year-old adds with a grin. “I belong to a generation that is better with mechanics. I want to be able to use and apply digital support, but I don’t need to understand it down to the finest detail.”

But now he has to get going. In the parking bay in front of the new farm shop, he wants to process another shovel of fine gravel. The wooden pavilion is nearing completion. The farm shop is part of the latest expansion stage of the Seegut. The shop is completely self-service, offering classic Seegut products such as sheep’s cheese rolls, yoghurt, curd cheese and fruit whey, but also organic meat, oils and spices contributed by other farms in the area. And above all Eisl ice cream, with which the Seegut has been sweetening the summer for some time.

On a whim, Sepp Eisl reports, he added his own sheep’s milk ice cream to the cheese production in 2017. “My son took an immediate liking to our experiments, did the relevant training and put out an exciting range.” In addition to classics such as vanilla, strawberry and chocolate, the range includes artisan ice cream creations such as blueberry & rosemary, curd dumplings or coconut & physalis – and they have has been very well received. The Eisl ice cream business is flourishing. In Salzburg’s old town, the Eisls now run Austria’s first organic sheep’s milk ice cream parlour. Customers include top restaurants and, using a sophisticated delivery system, online customers from all over Austria.

The ice cream is also a big seller in the farm shop. Some of the customers come from far away, so the small parking bay in front of the entrance also needs to look inviting. Sepp Eisl carefully tips the gravel out of the shovel and spreads it on the parking strip. Again and again, cyclists cross his path. Many of them are amazed at the surprisingly quiet and emission-free working machine on the side of the road and give an appreciative thumbs up. In no time at all, the parking bay is completely covered with gravel. The customers are now welcome to come. Sepp Eisl quickly puts up a small flag and sets up the board with today’s specials. “Welcome to ’Cloud 9’”. How lovely, just like this sunny day in August, at this very special place full of energy at lake Wolfgangsee.