Randall Stratton Memorial Fund
2026 Project: AGROFORESTRY IN THE CAPANNONE GARDEN
This spring, we are proud to continue our effort of raising money for the Randall Stratton Memorial Fund (RMF) in order to support an environmental education project at Spannocchia. Now in its third cycle, the farm projects funded through the RMF change from year to year, but always reflect the shared goals of Randall and Friends of Spannocchia.
Our 2026 project will implement agroforestry practices in Spannocchia’s main vegetable garden, Capannone. Agroforestry integrates trees and shrubs among crops for a holistic system that aims to increase biodiversity, natural soil regeneration, and productivity; Yago, our vegetable farmer, has been studying this approach for years. With support from donations to the RMF, starting this fall we will introduce many trees, plants, and bushes into the garden, all serving different, specific functions: nitrogen fixers, soil cultivators, biomass plants, auxiliary plants for beneficial fauna, and more. Organized thoughtfully in varied rows among the vegetable crops, all of these plants will coexist and work together to create a more cooperative system.
Almost three years ago, the vision and hard work of Yago and the Spannocchia farm team—paired with funding from Friends of Spannocchia—enabled the transition to no-till regenerative agriculture in the garden. We’ve seen great results, but continue to fight deep soil compaction. With this project, many of the trees we plan to introduce have strong root systems to loosen the soil, restoring organic matter and life even to the deepest layers. And by planting at a very high density (up to 10 species per meter, including a mix of annuals, perennials, trees, and shrubs) we will maximize solar energy and transform it into organic carbon through all of the roots, increasing the fertility of the soil. Finally, systematic pruning of the larger plants will provide biomass to cover the soil, improving microbiology, helping to retain water, and keeping the system alive.
There are other, more straightforward benefits of a complex agroforestry system at Spannocchia as well. Choosing fruit trees for many of the trees in the garden will allow us to increase the amount and variety of foods grown for our community. In the long term we also expect vegetable production to increase thanks to a healthier and more fertile system. And, the trees will provide some shade for interns and farm staff during the hot summer months!
You may remember our letter last fall, which highlighted Spannocchia’s commitment to Tradition and Innovation, and introduced the concept of this new agroforestry plan. Our vision for Spannocchia is to be a leader of place-based education, specializing in sustainability, local food culture, and agricultural practices within natural landscapes. A unique project like this—through which we will serve as a model of agroforestry in Tuscany—provides ongoing educational opportunities for farm interns, program participants, fellow farmers, and Spannocchia guests alike. Please join us in honoring Randall’s memory by contributing to the Randall Stratton Memorial Fund for our 2026 farm project: Agroforestry in the Capannone garden. Thanks to your generosity, we look forward to bringing this project to life.
Note: To pay by check, please make checks payable to "Friends of Spannocchia" and add "Randall Memorial Fund" in the memo line. Mail to: PO Box 10531, Portland, ME 04104.
FALL 2026 UPDATE:
DID YOU KNOW...
Some of the new agroforestry plants make fertilizer out of thin air? Italian alder, Spanish broom, bladder senna, and Elaeagnus contain bacteria that capture nitrogen from the air and introduce it into the soil, where other plants can use it. Italian Alder alone is estimated to add about 50 kg of nitrogen per hectare per year!
DID YOU KNOW...
Spannocchia currently buys compost and woodchips, but the agroforestry rows are designed to make them for us? The trees and shrubs will be cut and will grow back quickly, with cuttings becoming mulch for the vegetable beds. Comfrey can be cut 3-5 times a season, and hazelnut branches can serve as natural bean poles instead of manufactured stakes. The goal is a garden that produces its own inputs.
DID YOU KNOW...
Deep tree roots can reach nutrients that vegetables never can? Vegetable roots stay near the surface, while tree roots go much deeper. The deeper roots pull minerals from below and return them to the surface through their fallen leaves, where vegetables can utilize them.
DID YOU KNOW...
Spannocchia has alkaline soil that locks up minerals like iron, zinc, and copper so plants can't use them? Instead of adding chemicals to address this, the agroforestry rows utilize other plants. Fallen leaves from alder and paulownia trees make the soil around the roots less alkaline, and fungi living on hazelnut roots break down limestone and release the minerals. Over 3-5 years we expect the pH around the plant roots to drop from 8.2 to around 7!
DID YOU KNOW...
Trees feed the insects that can protect our vegetables? The agroforestry rows flower in succession throughout the year, so pollinators will always have food nearby. The shrubs also shelter predator insects like lacewings and parasitic wasps, which eat aphids and other pests.
DID YOU KNOW...
Trees can make the garden cooler, calmer, and wetter? Wind and hot sun dry out the soil and stress the plants (and the humans!). Rows of trees and shrubs act as a windbreak against the colder north wind, while also offering temporary shade at different times of day. This reduces water evaporation and helps the plants to grow better during dry Tuscan summers.
2026 Project: AGROFORESTRY IN THE CAPANNONE GARDEN
This spring, we are proud to continue our effort of raising money for the Randall Stratton Memorial Fund (RMF) in order to support an environmental education project at Spannocchia. Now in its third cycle, the farm projects funded through the RMF change from year to year, but always reflect the shared goals of Randall and Friends of Spannocchia.
Our 2026 project will implement agroforestry practices in Spannocchia’s main vegetable garden, Capannone. Agroforestry integrates trees and shrubs among crops for a holistic system that aims to increase biodiversity, natural soil regeneration, and productivity; Yago, our vegetable farmer, has been studying this approach for years. With support from donations to the RMF, starting this fall we will introduce many trees, plants, and bushes into the garden, all serving different, specific functions: nitrogen fixers, soil cultivators, biomass plants, auxiliary plants for beneficial fauna, and more. Organized thoughtfully in varied rows among the vegetable crops, all of these plants will coexist and work together to create a more cooperative system.
Almost three years ago, the vision and hard work of Yago and the Spannocchia farm team—paired with funding from Friends of Spannocchia—enabled the transition to no-till regenerative agriculture in the garden. We’ve seen great results, but continue to fight deep soil compaction. With this project, many of the trees we plan to introduce have strong root systems to loosen the soil, restoring organic matter and life even to the deepest layers. And by planting at a very high density (up to 10 species per meter, including a mix of annuals, perennials, trees, and shrubs) we will maximize solar energy and transform it into organic carbon through all of the roots, increasing the fertility of the soil. Finally, systematic pruning of the larger plants will provide biomass to cover the soil, improving microbiology, helping to retain water, and keeping the system alive.
There are other, more straightforward benefits of a complex agroforestry system at Spannocchia as well. Choosing fruit trees for many of the trees in the garden will allow us to increase the amount and variety of foods grown for our community. In the long term we also expect vegetable production to increase thanks to a healthier and more fertile system. And, the trees will provide some shade for interns and farm staff during the hot summer months!
You may remember our letter last fall, which highlighted Spannocchia’s commitment to Tradition and Innovation, and introduced the concept of this new agroforestry plan. Our vision for Spannocchia is to be a leader of place-based education, specializing in sustainability, local food culture, and agricultural practices within natural landscapes. A unique project like this—through which we will serve as a model of agroforestry in Tuscany—provides ongoing educational opportunities for farm interns, program participants, fellow farmers, and Spannocchia guests alike. Please join us in honoring Randall’s memory by contributing to the Randall Stratton Memorial Fund for our 2026 farm project: Agroforestry in the Capannone garden. Thanks to your generosity, we look forward to bringing this project to life.
Note: To pay by check, please make checks payable to "Friends of Spannocchia" and add "Randall Memorial Fund" in the memo line. Mail to: PO Box 10531, Portland, ME 04104.
FALL 2026 UPDATE:
DID YOU KNOW...
Some of the new agroforestry plants make fertilizer out of thin air? Italian alder, Spanish broom, bladder senna, and Elaeagnus contain bacteria that capture nitrogen from the air and introduce it into the soil, where other plants can use it. Italian Alder alone is estimated to add about 50 kg of nitrogen per hectare per year!
DID YOU KNOW...
Spannocchia currently buys compost and woodchips, but the agroforestry rows are designed to make them for us? The trees and shrubs will be cut and will grow back quickly, with cuttings becoming mulch for the vegetable beds. Comfrey can be cut 3-5 times a season, and hazelnut branches can serve as natural bean poles instead of manufactured stakes. The goal is a garden that produces its own inputs.
DID YOU KNOW...
Deep tree roots can reach nutrients that vegetables never can? Vegetable roots stay near the surface, while tree roots go much deeper. The deeper roots pull minerals from below and return them to the surface through their fallen leaves, where vegetables can utilize them.
DID YOU KNOW...
Spannocchia has alkaline soil that locks up minerals like iron, zinc, and copper so plants can't use them? Instead of adding chemicals to address this, the agroforestry rows utilize other plants. Fallen leaves from alder and paulownia trees make the soil around the roots less alkaline, and fungi living on hazelnut roots break down limestone and release the minerals. Over 3-5 years we expect the pH around the plant roots to drop from 8.2 to around 7!
DID YOU KNOW...
Trees feed the insects that can protect our vegetables? The agroforestry rows flower in succession throughout the year, so pollinators will always have food nearby. The shrubs also shelter predator insects like lacewings and parasitic wasps, which eat aphids and other pests.
DID YOU KNOW...
Trees can make the garden cooler, calmer, and wetter? Wind and hot sun dry out the soil and stress the plants (and the humans!). Rows of trees and shrubs act as a windbreak against the colder north wind, while also offering temporary shade at different times of day. This reduces water evaporation and helps the plants to grow better during dry Tuscan summers.
