DECEMBER 2025 THEME: TRADITION & INNOVATIONIn addition to special events and improvements around the property, each month we will be highlighting a different theme that is central to Spannocchia’s values, history, or current mission. In December, as we engage in our annual membership appeal and prepare for the year ahead, we are highlighting the concepts of TRADITION & INNOVATION. Despite …
2025 Anniversary: November
2025 Anniversary CELEBRATIONS: CASETTA DEL BOSCO PROJECTGrazie mille to our friends Paul Avis, Liora K, and others for the generous use of their beautiful photography.Between 2003-2007, groups of hardworking volunteers came together annually to clean up the Giardino Segreto, the Secret Garden, and make it a truly special part of Spannocchia. Over the years, more than 50 people participated in …
2025 Anniversary: November
NOVEMBER 2025 THEME: ENVIRONMENTALISM & CONSERVATIONIn addition to special events and improvements around the property, each month we will be highlighting a different theme that is central to Spannocchia’s values, history, or current mission. In November, we are highlighting what ENVIRONMENTALISM & CONSERVATION mean to Spannocchia. Photo credit: Maine the Way.Photo credit: Maine the Way.As we prepared to write about …
2025 Anniversary: October
2025 Anniversary CELEBRATIONS: FALL ALUMNI REUNION!At the end of October, we welcomed a group of past interns, apprentices, and volunteers for our second Alumni Reunion of this special year. We united over shared stories, cozy evenings by the fireplace, the excitement and tradition of the olive harvest and olio nuovo, and our love for Spannocchia. 30 people joined us for …
2025 Anniversary: October
OCTOBER 2025 THEME: LEGENDS & GHOST STORIES OF SPANNOCCHIAIn addition to special events and improvements around the property, each month we will be highlighting a different theme that is central to Spannocchia’s values, history, or current mission. In October, we are focused on the LEGENDS & GHOST STORIES OF SPANNOCCHIA. There are many legends and ghost stories linked to Spannocchia—not …
2025 Anniversary: September
2025 Anniversary CELEBRATIONS: VENDEMMIA (GRAPE HARVEST)In September, we harvest grapes and the annual wine making process begins. This year the harvest ran from September 16-19th—the window of time nature gave us between two rainstorms. The timing of the grape harvest is crucial to get the best out of all the hard work that has gone into a year of maintaining …
2025 Anniversary: September
SEPTEMBER 2025 THEME: ETRUSCAN HISTORYIn addition to special events and improvements around the property, each month we will be highlighting a different theme that is central to Spannocchia’s values, history, or current mission. In September, we are focused on Spannocchia’s connection to ETRUSCAN HISTORY. We may be celebrating 100 and 800 years of Spannocchia history, but the history of the …
2025 Anniversary: August
2025 Anniversary CELEBRATIONS: CHAMBER MUSIC CONCERT!On Sunday, August 10, as part of our anniversary events series, we held a very special concert in the Giardino Segreto (Secret Garden) performed by talented students from Music Adventure, an impressive high school chamber music program that studies at Spannocchia every summer. The new yoga platform was transformed into a lovely outdoor stage for …
2025 Anniversary: August
AUGUST 2025 THEME: BIODIVERSITY & THE ALTO MERSE NATURE RESERVEIn addition to special events and improvements around the property, each month we will be highlighting a different theme that is central to Spannocchia’s values, history, or current mission. In August, we are focused on the signficance of being uniquely situated within the THE ALTO MERSE NATURE RESERVE. One of the …
2025 Anniversary: July
2025 Anniversary CELEBRATIONS: SUMMER ALUMNI REUNION!In mid-July, we welcomed a group of past interns, apprentices, and volunteers for our first ever Alumni Reunion. We united over shared stories, dreamy dinners al fresco, and the exciting energy of this busy time of year. 36 people joined us for the reunion, consisting of 18 alumni spanning 50(!) years of programming (Summer 1973 …
Alumni Feature | Jorge GaviriaAs we wrote this feature, Jorge wanted to specifically share his gratitude and appreciation for Randall Stratton, and warmly remembers him as a vessel of love and community. Photos, from left to right: Jorge as a butcher apprentice in 2012; Jorge enjoying a pizza night at home now; Jorge with his family.Photos, from top to bottom: Jorge as a …
Vendemmia 2022!
SOME PHOTOS AND VIDEOS OF OUR ANNUAL FALL GRAPE HARVEST! This year’s Vendemmia kicked off on September 19th, picking the red grapes to be used for rosato (rosé) to start. We do this with a direct press, meaning the juice does not have contact with the skins (referred to as maceration)—this is the difference between producing rosato versus rosso (red). …
Ricette: Winter 2024
Pesto di Cavolo Nero | Tuscan Kale Pesto We all love bright basil pesto when it’s the season, but in these colder months—when we can’t snip fresh herbs from our garden—we look to hardier greens for our pesto fix. Cavolo Nero has been part of Tuscan cuisine for centuries, and it’s now fairly common at grocery stores and farmer’s markets …
Ricette: Summer Harvest Meal
FIORI DI ZUCCHINI RIPIENI AL FORNO | BAKED STUFFED SQUASH BLOSSOMS During the height of the growing season, there is nothing quite like a meal highlighting ingredients from your own garden, local farmers market, or favorite farm stand. In the summer of 2023, we compiled four of our favorite simple summer dishes so you can enjoy them at your own …
Ricette: Summer Harvest Meal
Zucchini al parmigiano | Baked ZUCCHINI PARMESAN During the height of the growing season, there is nothing quite like a meal highlighting ingredients from your own garden, local farmers market, or favorite farm stand. In the summer of 2023, we compiled four of our favorite simple summer dishes so you can enjoy them at your own table, either individually—offered as …
Ricette: Summer Harvest Meal
INSALATA DI PATATE ESTIVA | SUMMER POTATO SALAD WITH FRIED CAPERS During the height of the growing season, there is nothing quite like a meal highlighting ingredients from your own garden, local farmers market, or favorite farm stand. In the summer of 2023, we compiled four of our favorite simple summer dishes so you can enjoy them at your own …
Ricette: Summer Harvest Meal
INSALATA DI FARRO AL PESTO DI BASILICO | FARRO SALAD WITH BASIL PESTO During the height of the growing season, there is nothing quite like a meal highlighting ingredients from your own garden, local farmers market, or favorite farm stand. In the summer of 2023, we compiled four of our favorite simple summer dishes so you can enjoy them at …
Ricette: Spring 2023
DOLCE DI RISO | SWEET RICE CAKE Ingredients: Serves 8 1 quart (4 cups) whole milk 300 grams (1 2/3 cups) uncooked short-grain white rice 150 grams (3/4 cup) sugar, plus more for sprinkling 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 100 grams (7 tablespoons) of butter, plus more for the pan 2 eggs, lightly beaten Freshly grated zest of 1 lemon 100 …
Ricette: February 2023
SALSA AL POMODORO | SIMPLE TOMATO SAUCE Sometimes there is nothing better than a big bowl of pasta with tomato sauce. And when you can have delicious, authentic, and easy homemade sauce in under an hour, there’s no reason to resort to store-bought. About the tomatoes: For this sauce, we use jarred tomatoes, from our own garden and processed during …
Ricette: Summer 2022
CROSTONE AL POMODORO + SPRITZ | “Tomato Toasts” + Spritz Cocktail Ingredients – CROSTONE: 12 slices Italian white bread 4 ripe tomatoes 1 small bunch of fresh basil 1 clove garlic 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil Salt & pepper 6 servings Instructions – CROSTONE: Mince the garlic. Chop the fresh tomatoes and basil and combine with the minced garlic in …
Staff Feature | Yago Clavo RomanMeet Yago, our longtime “Orto” (vegetable garden) farmer, as he reflects on his farming philosophy, the 2024 growing season, his garden goals, and more. If you’ve taken an Orto tour with Yago while visiting Spannocchia, or been lucky enough to intern with him, you know he is a wise and passionate steward of the earth, …
Spannocchia Reception Staff
Introducing Spannocchia’s Reception team for the 2024 season: Benedetta, Nancy, and Sofia. Read on for some fun Q&A from each wonderful member of the Reception team.