La Dolce Organic Vita: A tale of two agriturismo

In this issue's Green Travel Special, Jim Slama introduces you to "agritourism," a way to experience life on organic farms, while enjoying your vacation. For Ode, he also wrote his personal account of touring "agri-style" in Italy from a 17th century fortified farmhouse to a "coporate-turned-farmer" Bed and Breakfast.

Jim Slama | March 2008 issue

We all know Italy is a great place to visit for sunshine, romance and wine. But who could have guessed you can learn sustainable farming, and dine on great organic food, while indulging in many other pleasures?

Well it’s true, thanks to the burgeoning agriturismo movement. Small farmers have established charming bed-and-breakfast inns that let you soak in the beauty of the Italian countryside at the same time as you experience an authentic taste of farm life. For our group, the adventure began near the walled city of Ostuni in the Puglia region of Italy. We stayed La Masseria Il Frantoio, a fortified farmhouse built in the 17th century to protect residents from pirates who sailed in the nearby Adriatic Sea. A husband and wife team, Armando Balestrazzi and Rosalba Ciannamea, have transformed the farm into a stunning B&B with eight guest rooms.

Many of the rooms and common areas have high-vaulted ceilings and are furnished with local antiques. Our room looks down upon a lovely garden and patio. The grounds include fruit trees, organic vegetable gardens and vineyards, plus 150 acres of stately olive trees, some of which are 500 years old. The inn is named after its underground olive mill and cave system, which includes a press and cisterns to store the oil.

Il Frantoio offers many cozy spots under olive trees to take an afternoon siesta, do yoga or read a novel. You can also hike to the ancient chapel of Saint Biagio, patron saint and protector of Italy’s Puglia region. The B&B also has a riding school on the premises. And be sure not to miss one of Rosalba’s 10-course feasts featuring local foods.

Puglia itself is an undiscovered gem. On a driving tour, we were fascinated by the trulli that dot the countryside. These beehive-shaped structures with conical stone roofs are a reminder of the region’s rich history. The town of Alberobello is the trulli capitol of Italy, with 1500 of the magical structures.

We then headed to Tuscany for a stay at Fattoria San Martino, centrally located near Florence, Siena, Assisi and of course some of Italy’s finest vineyards. We were also excited to learn about owners Antonio Giorgini and Karin Lijftogt’s use of natural building materials and biodynamic farming methods.

The traditional-farmhouse-turned-B&B includes four large rooms with private bathrooms. Our room had a spectacular view of the city of Montepulciano and its 14th-century walls. The colours and furnishings of the inn reflect the refined design sensibility of Lijftogt, who spent 10 years as a fashion designer in Milan. The farm reflects a radical change in the couple’s lives. “We chose quality of life over the fast-paced fashion world,” says Lijftogt, who is originally from the Netherlands. “We chose to live in Tuscany, raise our family, run a farm and learn about growing food, making wine, biodynamics and architecture. It completely shifted our life.”

The farm serves vegetarian breakfasts and, as requested, dinners. Its 10 acres include olive trees, grapes, vegetables and grains, plus fall-blooming crocuses that yield succulent saffron. My favorite day included an afternoon swimming and lazing around the pond, which is surrounded by olive trees and has a natural filtration system that keeps the water pristine.

These are two of many agriturismo operations across Italy. A number of online services offer tourists the ability to review and book inns in every region of the country.

RESOURCES
www.montepulciano.com/fattoriasanmartino
www.trecolline.it/
www.agritourismitaly.com/
www.agriturismo.it