Your holidays in Tuscany: visit a splendid organic farm in the Chianti area
Hello Dear Explorers!
As many of you already know, few years ago I left Florence historic center and moved in a small town in Tuscany countryside, in the Chianti area.
I love the city and I am very often in Florence thanks to my job as a tour guide, but living in the countryside is everything I have always wanted, both for the beautiful landscape that surrounds me and for the peaceful atmosphere.
What I really love most is going around the many little shops in the villages near my house in search of typical local products, made by small producers and therefore much more authentic and healthy than those we can find at the supermarket.
During my days of exploration, thanks to the advice of a neighbor, I discovered that just 10 minutes from my home there is a splendid farm managed by a group of local young boys and girls where some of the best Tuscan wines and local foods are produced.
It is called Fattoria la Ginestra and is located in San Casciano in Val di Pesa.
As soon as I arrived, I was immediately greeted by Matteo and Marco, who told me about them and their business and accompanied me on a guided tour of the farm.
Biodynamic agriculture in the Chianti area
Think that it is one of the first farms to have obtained the organic certification and for some time it has also been involved in biodynamic agriculture, which is based on the principle that if the soil is well cared for, alive and dynamic, consequently the plant will also be healthier and more productive.
Here are produced very high quality and organic Tuscan wines, including the traditional Chianti Docg and Chianti Riserva, but also other types of white and red wines left to age for a few months in typical Tuscan terracotta amphorae.
This type of aging process allows to fully enhance the natural characteristics of the grape without adding external aromas, as happens with aging in wood: the result is a completely natural, and pure, true essence of the land it comes from.
2 Hectares of olive groves for the production of Tuscan extra virgin olive oil
In addition to the work in the vineyard, they also own about 2 hectares of olive groves, completely cared for by hand starting from the pruning of the plants to the harvest of the olives, from which they obtain a delicious organic extra virgin olive oil, a fundamental ingredient in our kitchen. (Discover extra virgin tuscan oil in this post)
Organic cultivation of legumes, breeding and honey production
But it’s not over yet! 50 hectares of fields are used for the cultivation of legumes and ancient grains and a large part of the farm is dedicated to cows and pigs breeding.
From these activities and in collaboration with other small producers of the area, they can obtain stone-ground pasta and flours and genuine and tasty traditional cured meats, such as Finocchiona or Tuscan salami.
Last but not least is the production of organic honey of various types, from wildflower honey to acacia, chestnut and French honeysuckle honey.
Martina and Marco accompanied me to see the hives, they explained to me the importance of bees for the defense of the environment and biodiversity and they also told me how difficult it is for the queen bee to be able to return to its hive to lay the eggs, due to the countless dangers it can encounter during its flight.
Food and wine tasting at the farm restaurant
The farm also has a small restaurant where you can taste their products and other typical Tuscan dishes, cooked in a simple but authentic way. Here, besides arranging lunches and dinners, it is also possible to organize wine tastings and extra virgin olive oil tastings accompanied by a nice plate of cured meats of their production and local cheeses.
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If you want to spend your holiday in Chianti, you can also decide to stay in one of their apartments and above all take advantage of the splendid panoramic swimming pool, perfect for enjoying some peace and refreshment during the hot Tuscan summers. I was enchanted when I saw it!
After the guided tour on the farm, I really understood that for these guys organic and sustainable agriculture is not a choice of circumstance or to follow current trends, but it is a real philosophy of life and all their work is based on respecting the environment and their animals.
Their products are also so delicious that in addition to stocking them up for me I decided to select my favorite ones and also offer them on my ecommerce so that if you want you can buy them too and organize an authentic Tuscan lunch at your house.
What do you think about it? Have I convinced you to spend a few days of your holiday in the Chianti area or to participate in a guided tour of a Tuscany farm and in a local food and wine tasting?
Contact me for more infos!