by Ariane Lotti | Mar 27, 2019 | Featured, Italian Food, Italy, Organic Farming, Sustainable Farming, The Weekly Dirt, Tuscany
“Your grandparents used to host impressive cow herding events here forty years ago,” said Massimo, one of the cowboys in front of me, in Italian. Given the current circumstances, I heard his words as: things here used to work and they clearly don’t anymore. It was...
by Ariane Lotti | Feb 21, 2019 | Featured, Italian Food, Italy, Organic Farming, Sustainable Farming, The Weekly Dirt, Tuscany
Francesco looked up at me from a flooded ditch and said, “Mi sa che la pompa non funziona.” I guess the pump’s not going to work. Standing in the mid-December drizzle, with our rubber boots covered in mud, Francesco explained how the old pump did not have the power to...
by Ariane Lotti | Nov 26, 2017 | Featured, Italy, Organic Farming, Sustainable Farming, The Weekly Dirt, Tuscany
It was a big week for fall planting, with the majority of the fall-planted crops going into the ground. I’ve written before about the challenges around a successful planting season – from weather uncertainty, to seed issues, to tractor and equipment problems. It is a...
by Ariane Lotti | Nov 12, 2017 | Agricultural Policy, Italy, Organic Farming, Sustainable Farming, The Weekly Dirt, Tuscany
At Tenuta San Carlo, we’re constantly working to become a more sustainable farm. On a day-to-day basis, the decisions about how we grow our plants and raise our animals may seem small, but we’re taking action to build a better future. In October, we were recognized...
by Ariane Lotti | Nov 5, 2017 | Featured, History, Italy, Organic Farming, Sustainable Farming, The Weekly Dirt, Tuscany
A farmer’s day is filled with incredible stories – stories about life and death, success and failure, tradition and innovation, miracles and disasters that most people will never experience firsthand. At Tenuta San Carlo we’ve had our share of these...
by Ariane Lotti | Oct 27, 2017 | Featured, Italy, Organic Farming, Sustainable Farming, The Weekly Dirt, Tuscany
A farmer’s job is never done, but when one season ends and another begins, it’s time to celebrate! This past weekend, we did just that by throwing a Harvest Party at Tenuta San Carlo with fellow farmers and friends to celebrate the fact that we have finally finished...
