Transnational Partner Meeting 5 – Italy

Report

 

Based in Fondazione Archeologia Arborea Centre, San Lorenzo farm, Città di Castello, Perugia, Italy

 

April  8 -10  2022

Travel days April 7, 11

 

Participants

Katalin, Eva, Tamas Peter and Ildiko from Hungary

Adam, Steve and Andy  from the UK

Ela, Artur, Ada and Jolanta from Poland

Elke and Martin from Germany

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April 7 Afternoon

Arrival in the San Lorenzo farm, Fondazione Archeologia Arborea. The Hungarian and German participants arrived at the Talacchio agriturismo near the San Lorenzo farm. In the evening they had dinner at the San Lorenzo farm. 

 

April 8 Morning

The group of English participants arrived at the San Lorenzo farm where they were guest. The group of Polish participants arrived soon afterwards. We were introduced to the San Lorenzo farm. Isabella’s father founded and managed a local folk museum. Many artifacts on the farm were collected from local peasant farmers over the last 50 or so years.

 

April  8  Afternoon

We visited the Talacchio farm where we viewed the young orchard with old varieties. We discussed together with the owner Marcello Caraffini about the best practices for pruning and cultivating. We considered some of the problems of local pruning practice, the need for better education, the difference between pruning olives and apples, and the use of loppers or secateurs.  

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We also visited the small cantina where the owner produces and conserves Vinsanto, a very traditional sweet wine typical of this area. Traditionally the grape is harvested and hung in the roof  where it is left to dry. Then it is pressed normally in January and put in the small barrels where it stays for several years.   

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In the evening we had dinner at the Talaccio farm with the traditional products of the farm and sampled the Vinsanto wine. We also sampled a new product from Germany, a kind of fermented balsamic vinegar produced from apples. We discussed the potential of agrotourism, the heritage and culture of land management in the local area - the border of Umbria and Tuscany on the Appenines, and the problem of protecting sheep from wolves.

                                        

April 9 Morning

The aim of the meeting was introduced. Isabella described the history of the San Lorenzo farm, the Fondazione Archeologia Arborea and the local area. All participants described their own experience of orchards and fruit trees and talked about any future projects.

 

New participants from each country partner presented different products and activities.

1. Isabella Dalla Ragione, Archeologia Arborea Italy, showed the research project of  Frutta d’arte , research about the antique fruit varieties on Renassaince paintings.

2. Andrew Howard, Susted England, demonstrated how he organises and presents pruning courses.  

3. Ada and Arthur Kurzeja, Agrinatura Poland, showed a design project of a urban orchard. 

4. Eva Pentek, Ecological Institute Hungary, showed how she designs and matches her fruit and herbal juices to the setting and design of restaurants. We also sampled the different products which she sells from her shop.

5. Elke Sprunkel and Martin Holtzportz, SONNE Germany, showed their newly invented apple product balsamic vinegar.

 

April 9 Afternoon

Isabella Dalla Ragione gave the participants a guided tour around the Archeologia Arborea orchard. This orchard, started by her father, has preserved traditional varieties of central Italy for 40 years. Discussion covered the old varieties and the problems of conservation and traditional cultivation. At the end of the visit Steve Oram, Susted UK, demonstrated his approach to teaching about the practice of traditional grafting.

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Dinner was in a very ancient hilltop village Monte Santa Maria Tiberina near the San Lorenzo farm. 

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April 10 Morning

The second part of the meeting reviewed progress and planned future action for the CORE project.

1. Update on translations of Guide and Case Studies - all partners had drafts of their translated text.

2. Update on dissemination plans for each country.

3. A simple survey to evaluate this TPM meeting.

 

We also considered other ideas for future collaboration in the same field.  We discussed potential new Erasmus projects and partners: 

1. Minor fruits - their culture, heritage, varieties, and processing of fig, quince, medlar, cornelian cherry, sour cherry, reine claude or greengage.

2. Ecosystem services of orchards - maybe an EC Horizon application.

 

Lastly we discussed the tree fruit industry in Italy and globally. Italy is biggest European producers of pears, and the third largest global producer after China. Poland is biggest European producer of apples.  Italy and Poland seemed to produce relatively larger sized fruit of specific varieties than the UK.

 

Isabella Dalla Ragione, Archeologia Arborea Italy, showed the longest keeping varieties of apples stored in the church. We had an interesting discussion about the different varieties of apples and their keeping quality.

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Peter Zaja, Ecological Institute Hungary, showed the varieties that are cultivated near his farm and are still firm and tasty.

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April 10 Afternoon

We reviewed the many pomological and other books by Isabella and other Italian researchers and writers.

 

The end of the day was to visit Città di Castello. This is a very important renaissance town with many beautiful monuments.

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