Stekovics

Stekovics: in the paradise of tomatoes, chilies, and peppers

Stekovics' tomatoes, chilies, and peppers are the best preserved vegetables in jars. In Frauenkirchen, not far from Gols in Burgenland, Erich Stekovics, together with his wife Prisca, cultivates almost forgotten, old varieties, including tomatoes, peppers, chilies, cucumbers, garlic, onions, but also fruits such as apricots and Mieze Schindler strawberries. All these varieties were displaced by conventional agriculture – at Erich Stekovics', they have found a new home.

Stekovics – a life for good taste

The awareness for good food and good taste was instilled in the charismatic farmer from an early age, as his parents already grew vegetables and fruits in open fields. The transformation from seed to ripe fruit fascinated and captivated him early on. Even though his theology studies and work as a religion teacher may initially seem like a detour, it is a straight, coherent path that Erich Stekovics has followed. With his large collection of seeds of old varieties, he knows, like Noah with his ark, about the diversity of creation that must be preserved. Over the years, he has built the largest collection of tomato seeds worldwide with well over 3000 tomato varieties. 600 chili varieties, as well as countless rare peppers, onions, and basil varieties, and many other field crops are part of his collection. A few of these are hand-cleaned, cut, and cooked down or pickled in vinegar in his manufactory and brought into jars, so that you too can enjoy the wonderful taste of these old varieties at home.