Isolated farms – celki
The Koroška region is a special, original world with isolated farms scattered over the sunny high mountain range. The area stretching among Mt. Olševa, Dravsko Polje and the Austrian border is the largest area of isolated farms in Slovenia. The houses and their facilities on steep slopes are hurdled in crowds, which seem like small settlements under the tufted, shingle-covered roofs. Here, they are called celki.
Due to the isolation and stinginess of the mountain nature, many generations enriched them by their industriousness, resourcefulness and creative folk architecture. They preserved the archaic characteristics of the folk building traditions originating from the 17th century – mostly wooden granaries, functionally designed wooden buildings with exceptionally skilled decorative elements, which as a rule stood as independent facilities, intended for storing wheat, flour and meat; and also black kitchens, mills and sawmills and often small blacksmith workshops; and at the edge of the secluded proprietors' houses (preužitkarji), the humble homes of aged farmers and worn-out farmhands.
These farms still preserve the old farming traditions, such as steljaraja, jajčarija and gnojvoža, which are long forgotten elsewhere. In these houses, you can still hear about the adventures of perkmandelci, ajdi, škopnek, man of the forest, žal žene or divja jaga.
The farmers are also renowned for their excellent cuisine, first-grade cut must, the apple cider of the Koroška region, and the unique views stretching over the world below.