Culinary experiences

The Bukovje tourist farm, which has a long tradition, is located beside  the regional road between Ljubno and Luče from where there is a  beautiful view of Mt. Raduha. Ten years ago, the 120-year old house,  which stays pleasantly cool during the summer, was enhanced by adding  guest accommodation. The farm offers lunches and dinners for special  occasions and meetings, with an emphasis on dishes typical of the Upper  Savinja region, whilst in the upper part of the house there are five  well-appointed rooms with 13 beds and a group area with kitchen.    Programme  Day One  Arrival at the farm in the afternoon where the  housewife, Alenka, will welcome you with homemade aronia brandy, apple  juice and apple wine.  You will stay in the farm's well-appointed rooms.  Take time to look around the farm before dinner. If you are interested  in animals and farm work, you can also help the owner, Marko, “drive”  the cows to the cowshed or gather clover for the pigs.  After dinner,  which is prepared using mainly ingredients produced on the farm, the  family will make a short presentation about the farm and the programme  for the coming two days.    Day Two  For breakfast you will be offered  aromatic white coffee, or tea made from herbs picked in the  surroundings. There is a selection of homemade jam, honey, grbčev   spread, mohot (a curd cheese spread) or cheese spread with chives, and  you can sample some of the cured meat prepared by the owner Marko, such  as traditional homemade pig’s stomach, sausages, salami, and pork neck.   After breakfast you will first join Marko to look around the farm, walk  through the orchard, see the cows in the pasture and the other animals  in the barns. The host will explain life on the farm to you. Later,  Alenka will show you how to prepare the typical local dessert ajdnek  from wheat and buckwheat flour. You will learn about its history, and  characteristics of other traditional dishes. You will learn the entire  process of baking ajdnek in the bread oven, from preparing the  ingredients and yeast mix, sifting the flour and mixing the dough. You  will prepare the firewood for using in the bread oven, which is an  interesting experience. However, if your visit to the farm takes place  during the summer when it is very hot, the bread oven won’t be lit.  Whilst the dough is rising, Alenka will divulge some of her other baking  secrets and serve you a tasty stew. After that, the preparation of  ajdnek will continue and it will finally be ready to bake.  If you have  children, they will also be able to participate by crushing and grinding  the walnuts, filling the dough, sprinkling it with the nuts and  dribbling over with warm honey. In addition to ajdnek, Alenka can teach  you to prepare other traditional dishes such as buckwheat štruklji  (dumplings) with milllet porridge, or bread.  In the afternoon you can  take a walk to the Savinja river which runs in close proximity, or just  enjoy the tranquillity. On hot summer days, swimming in the clean river  is pleasant and refreshing.  In the evening, Alenka will take care of  her hungry and tired guests with a dinner cooked using home-produced  seasonal ingredients. For dessert you will have the ajdnek which you  prepared in the morning.  In the late evening you can sit around a scout  campfire and bake new potatoes, chestnuts or, in the autumn, corn on  the cob.  Day Three  After breakfast, and prior to departure, you can  walk to St. Primož church from where there are views of the valley from  Ljubno towards Mozirje. From there the views open up across the  Kamnik-Savinja Alps, the Ter highland, and the Golte ski resort. It  takes approximately 45 minutes to reach the church. You could also walk  to the alpine dairy farm at the Robnik highland.  If you are keen on  religious tourism, you can visit the nearby church in Radmirje, which  has a treasury of religious garments, and the cathedral in Gornji grad.     Price of the three-day programme per person: 75 euros, tourist tax: 1  euro per person per day.  Programme includes: -  2 x half board  (accommodation in rooms of the four-apple category rating) -   presentation of the farm, activities on the farm Children up to the age  of 5 stay free, from age 5–12 half the usual price is charged. It is  also possible to visit the farm just to participate in the course to  prepare ajdnek. This costs 15 euros per person, for a minimum of 4  adults.    Information and reservation:  Tourist farm Bukovje   Alenka  Korpnik  Primož pri Ljubnem 79  3333 Ljubno  Tel.: +386 (0)3 838 14 16   kmetija.bukovje@siol.net  www.turisticnekmetije.si/bukovje