The organic Farm Fattoria dell’Orto degli Ulivi invites you to join in a unique tour in the beautiful Florentine countryside a few kilometers from Florence.

Fattoria dell’orto degli Ulivi dates back to the year 1200 and is nestled in the beautiful rolling hills of the Tuscan countryside. In the Farm you will find vineyards, olive groves, farm animals grazing, extensive forests and a lovely refreshing pool. The farm is run by a loving and welcoming family: Antonio, Lara, Rocco, Sofia and Matilde. Their goal is to make their guests feel as if they were at home.

CASTLE VOLOGNANO 

Castle Volognano dates back to the eleventh century. It was built in the age of Lombard for the purposes of defence. High on a hill with a vast panorama it was an advantageous position for observation of the surrounding territories.

Since the times of Dante and Petrarch, Castle Volognano has welcomed many illustrious characters, including more recent visits by Gioacchino Rossini, Carducci, and Enrico Fermi.

The Castle is located in the heart of Chianti Colli Fiorentini just two steps from Florence and sits at an altitude of about 400 meters.  The property consists of about 200 acres, mostly vineyards and olive groves, which completely surround the castle. In order to preserve the local heritage, cultivation of vineyards is encouraged with a particular focus on “native” grapes that enhance the wines, such as Sangiovese, Colorino, Canaiolo, Malvasia and Trebbiano Toscano. These native vineyards have their own signature aromas and flavors and enhance the wine of a territory already characterized by a great history in wine cultivation. Their wines are the result of a careful quality management at every stage of the production process.

The cellar of the Castle is open for tastings, direct wine sales, food and wine workshops, as well as lunches and dinners for small groups. Guests are also welcome to visit the agricultural museum where you can see the tools used in times past for working the land and vineyards. The Castle, thanks to it’s careful renovation, also has rooms and suites available for rent. Castle Volognano is a charming place with splendid rooms and gardens and makes a perfect location for weddings and exclusive events.

WINE TASTING WITH GOURMET BITES

In the cellar of the Castle, you will be able to taste the wines of Castle Volognano paired with Tuscan snacks such as salamis, prosciutto and other cold cuts of meat, delicious cheeses from the local region, bruschetta topped with extra virgin olive oil produced on the castle.
The food and wine tastings are preceded by a visit to the vineyards and the agricultural museum.

6.30 pm: departure from the Castle and return to the Farm.

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Last Sunday I went to visit a friend whom I had not seen for a few years. The last time we saw each other was at the wedding of a common friend but since that time, many things have changed.  When I last saw Lara, she was a beautiful young veterinarian (and still is of course) happily single and working as a researcher in Amsterdam. Without giving away too many details of her private life (but her love story is wonderful) at our friend’s marriage she met Antonio, who is now her current husband and the father of their child.  Antonio is also the owner of the land that hosts the farm Fattoria dell’Orto degli Ulivi. Today, Lara manages this farm with great determination, courage and strength! She’s a woman who seems to have an infinite supply of energy and patience!

I brought part of my family and a couple of friends with me to visit Lara at the farm. The welcome was warm, it was a real pleasure to find her. As she and her husband Antonio prepared lunch, we went for a walk around the farm and saw a multitude of flowers and animals, all the while enjoying a magnificent view. Native Tuscan species of plants and animals are bred and cultivated on the farm, such as a sheep called Pomarancina, olives, vineyards, Rosano and Londa peach, Pistoia cherries, red beans from Lucca, Regnano and Molino del Piano potatoes, walnuts, almonds, figs, lavender and honey.

When lunch hour arrived, we returned from our walk to sit at the table in the living room adjacent to the large kitchen of the farm’s villa. The central structure of the villa dates back to 1400, and the villa’s tower was built in 1220. The living room has the original stone floor and fireplace. In addition to offering lunches and dinners the farm can accommodate 10 overnight guests in rooms on the first and second floor furnished in a classic Tuscan style. Lara is not only a chef for us, she cooks for many of the farm guests who visit and her dishes are all homemade using organic ingredients grown on the farm, such as: pasta, spreads, tapenades, jams both sweet and savory, vegetables marinated in oil and vinegar, raveggiolo and ricotta made from sheep’s milk. Lara’s meals are all healthy and prepared with quality raw ingredients.

After a delicious lunch accompanied by good red wine, Antonio and Lara served us coffee and brandy in a characteristic corner of the farm.  We had the opportunity to play a nice game of volleyball with our kids in front of the house, and of course always in the company of hens and the rest of the farm animals. My friend and I also did some shopping as we browsed Lara’s vast collection of soaps and jams produced by the farm.”

Taken from the blog by Enrica Palandri

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At the Olive Garden Farm you will find a welcoming environment where you will not only learn how to make a cake with organic and biodynamic ingredients from the farm (milk, eggs, stone ground flour, fruit jams, etc …) but you will also have a lot of fun because Lara’s joy is contagious!

Try our cooking classes on the farm !!!

You will experience not only cooking classes on how to make cakes, but also jams, organic cheeses from goat’s milk produced by goats on the farm, whole wheat bread with organic stone-ground flour and other types of baked goods and homemade pasta. We welcome you for organized food tours, cooking classes and lunch for our students!

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