Life on a Tuscan Farm

What do we do here all winter? Get things DONE! Spannocchia has long been home to an impressive collection of Etruscan artifacts, as the Etruscan Foundation called the farm home for many years. The Museo, just over the limonaia, has housed a good deal of these archeological finds for some time now, both on display and in storage. This winter, we’ve finally found time to organize the space a bit, moving artifacts to a secure and permanent home, and freeing up the space for use as an event and meeting area for programs, guests and interns. A special Thank You to volunteer Petra for all her hard work in helping get this project done!

A presto…

There’s a new addition to the Spannocchia family! Erin, Ben and all of us here at the farm are pleased to welcome Charlotte Cinelli Slayton, born January 15, 2010 at 7:49am to the world! Mom, Dad and baby are all doing fantastic in Maine and can’t wait to introduce young Charlotte to the Spannocchia crew as soon as possible.

Enjoy the photos and a presto…

On Saturday, May 3rd Erin Cinelli and Ben Slayton were married at Spannocchia in a beautiful ceremony in the villa garden. Around 100 guests were present to witness the exchanging of vows and then to enjoy antipasti and drinks on the villa lawn followed by the wedding dinner. The party lasted late into the night with traditional Tuscan music and dancing enjoyed by all. Congratulations to the happy couple! A presto!

The February 2008 issue of Bon Appetit contains a wonderful article on Spannocchia! This special “green” issue of the famous culinary magazine includes all kinds of interesting articles on green living and eating. The 10-page article (you read correctly, we got 10 full pages!!) on Spannocchia is cleverly written by Ann Hood and beautifully photographed by Cedric Angeles. It delves into many aspects of what we do here; from our tasty prosciutto and organic farming, to our thriving community, to our growing green tourism operation. We hope you enjoy the read and beautiful spread of photographs. A presto!

May Day is the annual workers holiday in Italy celebrated on the 1st of May (Primo Maggio). In America, the same holiday is called Labour Day and celebrated in September. Spannocchia celebrates this holiday, which grew from the struggles for workers rights including an 8-hour work day, by having a joyous celebration in the main courtyard.Just like every year, around 11am Gruppo della Montagnola, a traditional Tuscan folk band of which Spannocchia Farm Manager Riccio is a member, arrived in the late morning and played many folk songs. Most of the songs focus on the hardships of workers, the difficulties of being a farmer, and the joys and sorrows of country life. After 30 minutes of playing, the band invited community members, guests and day visitors to join in the traditional group folk dancing, similar to square dancing. The festa finished off with a free buffet offered by Spannocchia including fresh baked breads, olives, Cinta Senese salumi (salt-cured meats), fava beans, pecorino cheese, wine, water and juice as well as crostini for dessert. A presto!