Life on a Tuscan Farm

Summer interns kicked off their exploration of Tuscany with trips to two lovely little towns a hop skip and a jump away from Spannocchia. Interns hop in the big white van and head out on field trips about every other Friday in order to learn more about Tuscan history and tradition through various lenses. The first trip off the farm brought the group to Colle Val d’Elsa, a town, though most recently known for its stupendous crystal production, which played a significant role in the on-going Siena-Florence rivalry of the Mid-Ages. The town is divided into the industrial lower (read: newer) part and older ‘colle alta’ on top of a hill which boasts not only fantastic views of the Sienese countryside but quaint cobblestone streets, Dante references, Medici crests and Pinocchio lore. Interns were guided thru the twists and turns by an incredibly knowledgeable and sassy local, courtesy of a wonderful new restaurant in colle alta called L’Officina della Cucina Populare. The chefs and sommelier (who also happen to be the founders) took the time to explain to the group where each component of the meal came from, what their goals for the future are regarding organic and local sourcing and why the Vernaccia we were drinking was so special. The traditional Tuscan fare including faro salad and house made gnocchi was just about perfect.

A couple (incredibly fast!) weeks later, interns got a chance to compare Spannocchia’s farm operations to that of a very similar place called Poggio Alloro. Family run and organic, Poggio Alloro’s primary production is in wine and olive oil but, much like Spannocchia, in order to provide for their agriturismo, they produce most of their own diary, fruits, vegetables and meat. The always kind and energetic Sarah led the group around the farm and explained how her family had come to run it, their wine making process and much more. The tour was, again, capped off by a lunch of products from Poggio Alloro including a wonderful penne with Chianina ragu, various salumi and their own Chianti and Vernaccia. Thank you to the entire Fioroni family for always welcoming the Spannocchia team so warmly!

A presto!

And just like that, the new interns arrive! After a week sans interns, Spannocchia welcomed the new group of eight with open arms. There was much waiting to be done for Cashel, Kat, Karla, Annie, John, Pearce, Jess and Nick upon arrival. Not only is the Castello filled to the brim with program participants keeping Guest Services Intern Jess on her toes, but the first vitellone (2 year old cow) of the season arrived! This meant a big day in the transformation kitchen for Kat, John and volunteer Hannah butchering, grinding and packaging meat for the upcoming season. Our vines are also looking beautiful and lush which means that Cashel and Pearce have their work cut out for them in the vineyards tying, pruning and weeding. Annie and Karla spent their first full work day harvesting and shelling the first peas of the season which everyone thanks them for profusely! Nick jumped right into animal chores by participating in the annual shearing of the sheep; rumor has it he did not escape unscathed. Of course, all work and no play…you know the saying. The new team kicked off good times with a big Pizza Night (50 people) followed by a massive bread-baking effort in the still (too) hot pizza oven which, not surprisingly, ended in some rather charred loafs. Next time will be better. And a next time there certainly will be as the group has taken on weekly bread baking and yoghurt making responsibilities. It’s going to be a good summer…

A presto!

PS want to find out what we’re doing minute by minute (or perhas day by day)? Follow us on Twitter! www.twitter.com/Spannocchia

Spannocchia said goodbye to the Spring 2009 intern group last week, just as the weather starts to really heat up. The last few weeks were busier than ever and introduced plenty of new chores to the team. There was tons of weeding in the vineyards, watering in the gardens, pig wrangling and the first haying of the season. The Castello is alive with activity, including the first of 2009 programs and lots of wonderful guests. Luckily, there was time to relax by the newly opened pool and take a final field trip to the beach where interns swam, biked and savored the day.

While it was terribly sad to see them go, it was truly a pleasure to have had such a hard working, dedicated, fun group on the farm for the past three months. They, like all Spannocchia interns, will always be a part of the Spannocchia family. To Alexis, Alison, Kacey, Kate, Anne, Tyler, Greg and Max: thank you for making Spannocchia the very special place that it is and come back soon. And now, some highlights from spring 2009…

A presto!

As frequent visitors to this blog are well-aware, Primo Maggio (May Day) is a hotly anticipated event here at Spannocchia. The farm welcomes a group of wandering minstrals, as it were, who spend the day traveling from farm to farm bringing music and dance to those waiting. Dressed in straw hats, red bandanas and floral skirts, the musicians graced the community and friends with traditional Tuscan songs and lead everyone in a vigorous folk dance. In return, Spannocchia laid out a tasty buffet of salumi, crostini, dolci and wines from the property to be enjoyed by one and all before heading on to the next stop.

While the farm was sad to say goodbye to the musicians, the sprit of May Day remained and Spannocchia was a flutter with activity throughout the weekend. American tradition followed close on the heels of that of Tuscany in the form of ‘Derby Day’, a tribute to the Kentucky Derby complete with more straw hats, lawn games, burgu, cornbread and, of course, proscuitto from the farm’s Cinta Senese!

A presto!

What better place to spend a weekend immersed in fish culture than the Ligurian coast? This April, interns and volunteers had the opportunity to attend the 2009 edition of Slow Fish, an event dedicated to the study and consideration of the world of fishing. Slow Fish is put on every other year by Slow Food International, an Italy-based not for profit whose goal is to make our food good, clean and fair, and brings together a diverse group of people involved in the fishing sector. This ranges from professors and fisherman to students and consumers interested in sustainability issues surrounding fishing. With fish populations diminishing at alarming rates, the need to change the way we consume is pressing. Slow Fish hopes not only to open consumers’ eyes to other ways of eating seafood (more small fry!) but also to inspire serious dialog about what sorts of practices we can no longer sustain or accept and how to find out more about what one buys. Over the course of four days, visitors to Slow Fish are able to attend talks and discussion groups focusing on a range of topics such as Common Fishery Policy, Good Practices in Artisanal Fishing and Fish and Large Scale Retail.

In addition to providing space for conferences and lectures, the magnificent Fiera de Genova is filled with booths whose aim is to educate and feed visitors. Producers from Italy and beyond come to sell tiny Venetian clams with linguine, fried sardines, smoked trout and Tuscan bottarga on crostini, to name only a few of the many fish-based foods found at the exhibition. Over the course of a solid 12 hours, Spannocchia folk sampled these delicious treats with a little more thought than they would have a week earlier and rounded out the day with visits to the two enotecas at the fair, where a dizzying array of wines were awaiting. The incredibly cozy ride home along the Ligurian coast and through Cinque Terre provided time for everyone to reflect on what they learned and how much more work we must do to preserve our waters and aquatic life. Success.

A presto!