We, like everyone near-ish to the Atlantic it seems, got dumped on this weekend! And it’s gorgeous. We’ll let the pictures do the talking!
Next up, our team of winter volunteers gets introduced to the blog world. Exciting!
A presto…
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!
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!
On Saturday, September 8th Spannocchia hosted the third and final walk of the season with historian and naturalist Lorenzo Anselmi. By the 9am departure, we had 30 people ready to hike with us including all the fall interns and volunteers, most of the Portland State University Geography group and several Spannocchia staff members. We set out by first crossing the Spannocchia property, passing the vineyards, the sheep and exiting out the back road past Casetta al Leccio, where we looked back for an amazing view of Montarenti and the Merse valley below. The walk continued past Pentolina with a short stop as Lorenzo discussed the history of the town as well as cypress trees and wild vines. After another hour, we came to an abandoned farm building and took the opportunity to rest in the shade of the building and have a snack. We then crossed the Feccia stream and several farm fields, where just a few weeks ago there were thousands of sunflowers, and headed up the hill toward our destination. From the top of the hill we could see across to the beautiful, roofless Abbey of San Galgano and above us to the chapel of Montesiepi. After lunch, and a visit to the Abbey, we walked up the steep hill to the chapel. Once inside the chapel we viewed San Galgano’s sword in the stone and fresco’s by Ambrogio Lorenzetti. After the success of our 2007 hiking series we plan to host more walks at Spannocchia in 2008- we hope to see you there. 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!
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