by Adolfo Rosati
Located in the Umbria region, the green heart of Italy, the farm produces the Umbrian’s most typical products: Chianina (the famous ancient giant white cow) meat, black truffles and extravirgin olive oil.
The cows graze in the forest (during the summer), feeding on natural vegetation, including the acorns produced by the abundant oaks. The meat is sold directly to the consumers at the farm butcher shop. Olive orchards and the farm mill allow the production of extravirgin olive oil.
The olive cake obtained after processing the olives is first de-pitted and then fed to the cows. The pits separated from the cake make an excellent fuel, used on site and sold (100-120 € per ton).
Recently, taking advantage of local funding from the Region of Umbria (RDP, measure 1.2.4.) the farm has started raising poultry under the olive tree, where wild asparagus (Asparagus acutifolius), a local highly-estimated vegetable, is also grown. The poultry graze and weed the olive orchards and the asparagus (which they do not damage due the prickly vegetation of adult plants), while fertilizing the whole system. They also contribute to killing olive suckers and control asparagus parasites, such as the common asparagus beetle, Crioceris asparagi , and the spotted asparagus beetle, Crioceris duodecimpunctata. The poultry meat can be sold at the farm butchery. With this design, the farm does an excellent job at making the best synergy among crops, turning residues into resources and providing local (zero miles) high quality products.
