Photo: BMLFUW/Rita Newman
Retzer Land Kürbis
Record Number: 122
Disclosure Date
The district of Hollabrunn had already been settled by farmers 6000 years ago. They lived in wattle houses and practised agriculture and livestock farming.
They cultivated, amongst others, wheat, barley, millet, lentils, broad beans, peas and carrots.
Pumpkins and squash have been commercially used in the Retzer Land Region since around 1980.
Photo: BMLFUW/A...
Retzer Land Kürbis
(Retzer Land pumpkin)
Abstract or claim
Traditional cultivation of pumpkins, squash, oil squash and decorative gourds in the Retzer Land Region.
The crops grow slower than in other regions due to the particular climate. However, this not only allows them to be stored much longer, but it also gives them their intensive aroma.
Retzer Land Kürbis is sold as a fresh vegetable as well as processed in the form of pumpkin seeds, pumpkin seed oil, pumpkin coleslaw, and pumpkin compote, among others.
Name of product, Product class
Pumpkin, vegetables
Name of region
Retzer Land, Lower Austria, Austria
Field of search
Food and agriculture
Name of information provider
Retzer Land – Regionale Vermarktungs GmbH
Christine Raab
Name of applicant for title
---
Holder of knowledge or associated resources
---
Grantee(s), holder(s), assignee(s) or owner(s) of title, if any
---
Descriptors
- History:
Pumpkin cultivation in general:
Pumpkins are one of the oldest vegetables in the world. Pumpkins already grew in Central and South America 10,000 years ago. The oldest record of oil squash (Cucurbita pepo L.) comes from the south of Mexico and dates back to 10,700 to 9,200 BC.
After America was discovered at the end of the 15th century, pumpkin and squash came to Europe, where they quickly spread. The pumpkin was mainly used as fodder and was considered to be “poor man’s food”. Since the flesh of the wild pumpkin tasted bitter and was highly perishable, people mainly ate the seeds of the pumpkins, which were full of oil and protein and could be stored longer.
Pumpkin cultivation in Austria:
The first verified evidence of pumpkin cultivation in Austria dates back to 1735 (Styria). While the flesh was used as a vegetable (pumpkin coleslaw), the bulk of it was used as fodder. Pumpkins and squash were traditionally cultivated in mixed culture as a catch crop in the vineyards or together with potatoes, corn, turnips and beets in the fields. Pumpkin cultivation mainly played a role in Austria in the warmer areas of eastern Austria such as Lower Austria, Burgenland and Styria.
Vegetable cultivation in the district of Hollabrunn:
The district of Hollabrunn had already been settled by farmers 6000 years ago. They lived in wattle houses and practised agriculture and livestock farming.
They cultivated, amongst others, wheat, barley, millet, lentils, broad beans, peas and carrots.
Lentils, beans, peas, cabbage, poppy seed, flax and saffron were cultivated in the region during the Middle Ages. The extensive cultivation of sugar beet, rapeseed and Znaimer export cucumbers didn’t play a major role until much later.
Pumpkins and squash have been commercially used in the Retzer Land Region since around 1980.
The annual pumpkin festival has been held at the end of October in the Retzer Land Region since 1993.
In the past, pumpkin was considered to be “poor man’s food”. Today it has found its way into top restaurants as well as the everyday cooking of Austrians.
- Region:
The Weinviertel landscape is characterised by gently rolling hills and is located in the northeast corner of the province of Lower Austria.
The name “Weinviertel” has been in use for about a hundred years.
The Retzer Land Region is bounded to the north by the Laaer Ebene Plain and to the south by the Tullnerfeld Plain. The highest elevation is the Manhartsberg Mountain at 537 m above sea level, which forms the boundary of the Waldviertel (the quarter above Manhartsberg Mountain) and the Weinviertel (the quarter below Manhartsberg Mountain). It is the southern and eastern flank of the granite massif of the granite and gneiss plateau, which is the Austrian part of the Bohemian Mass, and extends from the river Thaya to the mighty Wagram plateau. Manhartsberg Mountain is partially covered with tertiary layers (sands) and continues into the Moravian Region up to the area around Znaim.
The rivers Pulkau, Thaya, Schmida and Göllerback run through the Retzer Land Region.
The landscape is characterised by gently rolling hills, idyllic vineyards, unique wine cellar lanes, castles and palaces and Austria’s youngest national park, Thayatal National Park.
Climate and soil conditions:
The soils of the Retzer Land Region consist of loess, clay, sand or primitive rock and provide ideal conditions for cultivating pumpkins.
The climate in the Weinviertel municipalities of the Retzer Land Region is characterised by hot summers and cold winters and very little precipitation.
The Retzer Land Region is one of the driest regions in Austria. The average yearly amount of precipitation is only 500-600 mm.
The region is characterised by its many hours of sunshine (1708 a year).
About 100 farmers produce pumpkins and squash on an area of 500 ha in the Retzer Land Region. A third of these farmers are organic farmers, who together farm about 32 % of the cropland. The cultivation areas are continuing to grow due to increased demand.
- Retzer Land Kürbis (Retzer Land pumpkin):
Pumpkins (Cucurbita) are a plant genus of the cucurbit family (Cucurbitaceae).
Colloquially, pumpkin is fondly referred to in German as “Bluza” (slangword for “head”).
Types of pumpkins:
Pumpkin, squash, oil squash and decorative gourds are cultivated in the Retzer Land Region, although oil squash make up the bulk of the pumpkins. A total of 600 different types are produced. Some of the most important are “Retzer Gold” and the Styrian type “Gleisdorfer Ölkürbis” (Gleisdorf Oil Squash).
Cultivation:
A difference is made between two methods of cultivating pumpkins in the field: no-till and the planting of young pumpkins. The no-till method is the predominant method of the region.
Retzer Land pumpkins are cultivated in open fields. Various types of grains (for example, rye and wheat) serve as the previous crops. The soil is prepared for cultivation before sowing at the end of April/beginning of May.
Crop rotation should be practised with non-cucurbits during cultivation. In the Retzer Land Region crops are rotated every four years. Amongst others, winter wheat, barley and rye are cultivated as previous crops.
Pumpkins can get by on little water, which is why the plants are not irrigated artificially.
The main sources of fertiliser are the farm’s own manure and compost.
Weeds are controlled mechanically and often by hand as well.
No pesticides are used.
The crops grow slower than in other regions due to the particular climate. However, this not only allows them to be stored much longer, but it also gives them their intensive aroma.
Harvest, storage and processing:
The pumpkins and squash are harvested from mid-September to October depending on the type. The pumpkins and squash are harvested mechanically.
The yearly harvest yields 3500-4000 pumpkins per ha or 400-700 kg of dried seeds per ha.
The main focus is on the seeds of the Retzer Land Kürbis. While still in the field, the pumpkins are cracked open by the harvester and the seeds are separated from their shells. The shells remain on the field and are ploughed back into the soil.
The seeds are cleaned and brushed by a machine and then they are dried at about 60 °C in community drying plants.
Afterwards, the seeds are stored at 12 °C on each farm for three to four months.
Whole pumpkins are washed after the harvest and go directly on sale.
Retzer Land pumpkins are mainly processed and packaged by Styrian oil mills and direct marketers.
Nutrition:
Pumpkins contain high amounts of beta-Carotene, a precursor to vitamin A, and are also rich in vitamin E, C and folic acid as well as potassium. The vegetable also has low amounts of iron, calcium and magnesium.
Another benefit of pumpkins is their low energy value. Therefore, about 100 grams of baked winter squash only has 32 calories.
Pumpkin seeds are marketed as a “wellness delight”.
- Marketing:
The pumpkin season begins around the end of May. The culinary “peak season” begins at the end of August, when Hokkaido pumpkins and nutmeg squash are ripe. Pumpkins are no longer just a part of people’s diets during pumpkin season and they can be found on restaurant menus year round.
The Retzer Land Kürbis is marketed directly by restaurants as well as by food retailers.
The annual pumpkin festival is held in the Retzer Land Region at the end of October on the weekend before All Saints’ Day. In the meantime, it has become one of Lower Austria’s most important big events in late autumn. Over the course of three days, everything in the region revolves around pumpkins. The offerings include regional culinary specialities and delicacies centring round pumpkins and squash. A thousand hollowed out, glowing pumpkins in windows, on fences and along streets and roads lend the perfect atmosphere to the festival. Around the time of the pumpkin festival, there are numerous original figures made of pumpkins throughout the region.
Quality control:
The farms operate according to the standards of integrated production (IP) as well as the organic standards of the respective inspection authorities.
The farms are inspected regularly by the Agrarmarkt Austria (AMA) as well as the respective organic inspection authorities.
Connection between the geographical area and traditional knowledge:
- Pannonian climate and soil, consisting of loess, clay, sand or prehistoric
rock, provide ideal conditions for the cultivation of pumpkins and squash.
- The intensive aroma and taste are the result of optimal soil, water and
climatic conditions in the Retzer Land Region.
- Traditional knowledge and experience of vegetable farmers (adapting to
the environmental conditions, selection of types, best harvest know-how
and the marketing).
- Utilisation:
The Retzer Land Kürbis is sold as a fresh vegetable (in whole or peeled and cut) as well as processed in the form of pumpkin seeds, pumpkin seed oil, pumpkin coleslaw, and pumpkin compote, among others.
Photo: BMLFUW/Rita Newman
- Protection:
-
Key Words
Food and agriculture, traditional knowledge, Austria, Lower Austria, region, Retzer Land, vegetable, pumpkin, squash, Retzer Land Kürbis, Retzer Land pumpkin
Bibliography / References
- Anbau-Tips zum Kürbis
http://www.kuerbis-company.de/Anbautips.pdf
- Bluza, Köch & Umurken
http://www.arche-noah.at/etomite/index.php?id=188#kuerbis
- Das Retzer Land lädt ein
http://www.sicherheitsmagazin.at/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=X02/Page/Index&n=X02_2.b.h.a&cid=1191422916748
- Feldkircher Weinfest von Donnerstag bis Samstag
http://www.vol.at/news/TP:meinegemeinde:Feldkirch/artikel/feldkircher-weinfest-von-donnerstag-bis-samstag/cn/news-20080702-06302356
- Genussregion Retzer Land Kürbis
http://www.retzer-land.at/default.asp?id=59634
- Klimainformation Retzer Land
http://www.tiscover.at/at/guide/5,de,SCH1/objectId,RGN217151at,curr,EUR,parentId,RGN217151at,season,at2,selBlk,CURRWEATHERBLOCK,selElem,2,selectedEntry,home/climate.html
- KOLLER, L. Heimatbuch des Bezirkes Hollabrunn 1.Teil, Selbstverlag
des Bezirksschulrates Hollabrunn, Hollabrunn, 1949, S. 15, 17, 42-48
- Kürbis (GASTRO Ausgabe 10/04)
http://www.gastroportal.at/artikel/kuerbis0410.html
- Kürbis ein Altbekannter aus der Neuen Welt
http://www.vkd.com/ftp/Oktober%202007/kuerbisseeug.pdf?PHPSESSID=2jbmlb3
- Kürbis-Feldanbau benötigt Platz
http://www.was-wir-essen.de/abisz/kuerbisse_erzeugung_feldanbau.php
- Kürbisfest im Retzer Land
http://www.genuss-region.at/article/articleview/61411/1/20970
- Kürbisfest im Retzer Land
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C3%BCrbisfest_im_Retzer_Land
- Kürbisse
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C3%BCrbisse
- Manhartsberg
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manhartsberg
- Manhartsberg
http://aeiou.iicm.tugraz.at/aeiou.encyclop.m/m092993.htm
- NICHTERL, T. Weinbauregion Westliches Weinviertel (unter besonderer
Berücksichtigung ihrer landschaftsökologischen Wertigkeit), Diplomarbeit,
Universität Wien, 2008, S. 21-23, 62-63
http://othes.univie.ac.at/2589/1/3008-11-04_9200185.pdf
- Retzer Land
http://www.tiscover.at/at/guide/54093at,de,SCH1/objectId,RGN217151at,curr,EUR,folder,CITY,season,at2,selectedEntry,city/city.html
- Retzer Land Kürbis
http://www.genuss-region.at/article/archive/14349
- SCHWARZ, S. Steirisches Kürbiskernöl: Beitrag der „geographisch
geschützten Angabe“ zur ländlichen Entwicklumg, Diplomarbeit, Universität
für Bodenkultur, Jänner 2008, S. 15-23
http://www.wiso.boku.ac.at/fileadmin/_/H73/H733/pub/DA_Diss/2008_Schwarz.pdf
- So schmeckt Österreich, Serie Ernährungstrends, Teil 3: Regionale
Lebensmittel. In: Gesund Leben, Heft Nr. 4/08, S. 17, 18, SPAR
Österreichische Warenhandels-AG, Salzburg, 2008
http://spar.at.spar.at/rsync_spar_at/ernaehrungswelt/gesund_leben/heft7/spar_gesund_leben_408.pdf
- Unsere Kompetenz in Sachen Kürbis
http://www.retzer.at/Aktuelles.22.0.html
- Volksbrauchtum und volkskundliche Kostbarkeiten
http://www.philaforum.com/forum/print.php?threadid=12513&page=1&sid=aae9dbab045ad91ed3189d514208e665
- Wein des Monats - Sommer 2007
http://www.hltretz.ac.at/wein_und_essen/wein_05-06_07.htm
- Weinviertel
http://www.regionalmanagement-noe.at/uploads/perspektiven_weinviertel.pdf
- Weinviertel
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weinviertel
- Weinviertel
http://www.genussanstalt.com/pageID_5679251.html
- Weinviertel / Viertel unter dem Manhartsberg
http://www.wko.at/wknoe/stat/bezirke/text/mbezwein.htm
- Winzerhof Holzschuh
http://www.winzerhofholzschuh.at/winzerhof/geo.shtml
- Wissenswertes über den Kürbis
http://www.geocities.com/kurtjost/Kuerbis.htm
- Zuflucht für Romantiker
http://www.retzer.at/uploads/media/Unterwegs.pdf
- Zwischen Gurke und Windmühle
http://www.weinstrasse.co.at/index.php?id=31
All internet references last accessed on 19 May 2009.
Language Code
German
Product of www.genuss-region.at
Yes
Regional contact
Retzer Land – Regionale Vermarktungs GmbH
Christine Raab
Althofgasse 14
2070 Retz
Phone: 02942/20010-14
E-mail: c.raab@retzer-land.at
Authors: Doris Reinthaler, Eva Sommer, Erhard Höbaus
02.12.2011, Lebensministerium III/4