Agriturismi can be found all throughout Italy. They are small working farms, usually family-run, that have been restored to offer services similar to a B&B. To be recognized as an agriturismo, the majority of the farm’s income must come from agriculture and the food served must either from the farm, or grown locally. We visited one such agriturismo after school on Wednesday: La Massaria di Sarchiappone.
Upon arrival we were met by Nico who gave us a tour of the property. He explained how his family has been operating the farm for generations. We could tell that he is very proud of the land and the business.
We came to a crest were Nico pointed to a road marking the WWII Gustav Line. The north side of the line, where the farm is located, was heavily defended by the Germans during the war and Nico’s grandparents hid the family in a nearby cave as the area was bombarded.
The property has a cactus garden with plants from all over the world. Nico pointed out a fruit tree that he is growing of which he is particularly proud: a Nepalese lemon tree. The shape of the lemon is like nothing we had seen before.
We then sat for a tasting. We were served delicious fresh bread with olive oil, cured meats, and percorino cheese.
