Page 39 - Guide_EN

Farm Garden The fenced in farm garden provided the farm with vegetables, salad, medicinal and cooking herbs as well as flowers. It offered a change to the somewhat repetitive diet. The flowers both in the garden and on the balcony were (and often still are) the pride and joy of the farmer’s wife. The herbs and the knowledge of their healing properties helped the suf- ferers of minor and major illnesses. Medicinal plants from the mountains were added to homebrewed alcohol, the result of which was various potions that were rubbed on to the skin of both people and animals to cure various ailments. Various herbal tea mixtures supplemented the range of medicine. On the 15th August, the Assumption of Mary, small bundles of herbs were, and still are taken to the church, where they are blessed. They are then fed to the animals along with cornflowers which it is believed pro- vides the animals with holy protection. This was also carried out to help heal people. The garden was an inviting place where one could have a chat with passing folk or neighbours. The local term “Hoangaschten“, meaning “to have a chinwag“ originates from “gossiping in the farm garden“ and it simply means people coming together. 37