Old craft 

The roots of wood carving in the Ammertal lie in the 12th century. 400 years later, the wooden works, from figures of saints to children's toys and crucifixes, were already being sold throughout Europe. Guests can immerse themselves in the history of the ancient craft in the Oberammergau Museum. If you then walk through Oberammergau, you will also find local carvings in the workshops and shops - sometimes traditional, sometimes modern. The carving craft is also represented in the other places in the Ammertal. Many of the artisans were trained in the Oberammergau wood sculpture school.

Cutting peat is a tradition – our grandfathers already cut peat.

During the "exhibition peat cutting" interested guests learn how peat is mined and how it is created, that it is already 10.000 - 12.000 years old and that the peat layer grows around 1 mm per year. It is not uncommon for pieces of peat that visitors hold in their hands to be more than 8.000 years old.

Before digging can take place, a trench must be dug at the peat mining site days before digging, because the peat is so saturated with water that mining is not possible without this drainage measure. The upper turf is then removed to a depth of approx. 50 cm - it is too dry and crumbly to be used as burning peat.

Using an “L”-shaped knife, cut even pieces measuring approximately 10 cm x 10 cm x 30 cm and lay them out to dry. The drying process takes place in around four phases. First, blocks are stacked on top of each other in 5 rows of 2 pieces each and dried in the fresh air for about 4 weeks. Once the peat is dry, it no longer absorbs any liquid.

After basic drying, several rows can be stacked on top of each other approx. 1,5 meters high. To prevent the stacks from falling over, sticks serve as stabilizers. A total of 3 times after every 5 weeks - the dry pieces down, the others up. The peat pieces are then so dry that their weight is only about an eighth of their original weight. A piece that originally weighed 2,5 kg now weighs around 300 g.

What is or was made from peat?

• In the past, baby beds were lined with very fine, dry peat to bind the smell and moisture
• Bedding for livestock in the stable
• Horse blankets made from peat fiber wool
• Insulating material for building houses

The Fire and Flame faction has no doubts: charcoal belongs on the grill. But how does this actually come about?

Charcoal burning is an ancient craft that has been practiced in the Ammergau Alps since the Middle Ages. Not a particularly prestigious profession back then, as you can imagine given the dust, soot and heat (up to 400 degrees Celsius).

The oldest technology for producing charcoal is kilns. Logs are stacked into cone-shaped piles and covered on top. Heating in the absence of air causes the wood to char.

You can watch the annual charcoal burning days in Bad Kohlgrub – from lighting the kiln to “harvesting” the charcoal. There is also a hearty festival program in town and delicious products for home in the farm shop.