Freshly baked bread, every Saturday in Drachselsried

Every Saturday, summer and winter, bread is baked using the traditional Bavarian method in Drachselsried.  Bread has been baked like this for more than hundred years. The photos show a mobile and a standard baking oven.

A wood fire is the first step, to heat the oven to the correct baking temperature, the remaining wood and ash are removed, the hot stones are cleaned ready for baking. Baking the bread takes about one hour fifteen, to an hour thirty minutes.

Clearing the burnt wood from the oven

Ready prepared bread mixture

Marking the bread with a cross

The Bread is ready for baking

The freshly baked bread is ready.

Waiting for the customers.

A son of the baking couple built this traditional "Backofen" Backing Oven. For German viewers the link is www.ofenbau-zelzer.de 

Drachselsried Maypole

On May 1st Drachselsried used the traditional method to raise the village Maypole or Maibaum. A team of horses, brought the fresh tree, already prepared the Bavarian way to the village centre. A team of volunteers, including members of the local Fire Station, used a techniques which has been used for many years. The tractor you see in one photo is only there for safety, with a cable to the Maypole, just in case.

As is normal, Drachselsried celebrated the New Year with fireworks

As the local church bells strike midnight, the fireworks started. It is traditional in most of Europe, especially in Germany. Bavaria always does a good job. It's great being part of the village life and seeing in the New Year with friends.

I will be creating a short video for YouTube, details here shortly.

Pete

Energy is expensive and not good for the environment

Living in a small village you become aware of small changes. Recently I have noticed the number of properties that are installing solar photovoltaic panels.

Done all the normal things, low energy lighting, use the car less, insulating, and now we are adding 12.5Kw of solar energy. What we do not use is sold to the local energy company at a profit. Seems like I can help reduce climate change and save money.

Pete

The new village park has been completed

The diggers and workers have left, now the new park in Drachselsried needs time to settle down. Water is now flowing into the two small lakes and grass seed has be spread, now it is just a matter of time. I guess in the autumn trees will be planted and some seats installed.

Not bad at all for visitors and locals.

Pete

Drachselsried Village Fish Festival

This is the first time the Drachselsried and Arnbruck fishing club has organised a fish festival in Drachselsried. The weather was kind until later in the evening when there was a thunder storm. One of two  Drachselsried breweries provide the beer.


The highlight for many visitors was the "Steckerlfisch" which means a fish cooked on a stick over a charcoal fire. My mackerel tasted wonderful, the beer was great.

You can also visit the English version of my Drachselsried website 

Drachsi

Fine weather for the second round of best village visitors

Thursday July 7th, new members of the committee visited Drachselsried. The weather was fine, and the visitors spent two hours on a guided tour, followed by speeches and light refreshments. A lot has already changed since the first visit. The Falter Brewery is undergoing a major refurbishment with a new roof and much more. The Drachselsried Park is being developed and will be of benefit to villagers and visitors when completed.