MARCH 2025 THEME: REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE & THE NOAH'S ARK PROJECT
Spannocchia recognizes and takes seriously the role we have in educating the next generations of farmers, and the impact that their experiences can have on their future—and the future of farming. Since 1994, Spannocchia has had organic certification: all vegetables, fruit, olive oil, wine, and meat are produced without the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and growth hormones, as well as other quality and humane husbandry standards. This has aligned with our mission of sustainability and caring for the environment, and is an important piece of our farming philosophy.
REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE has been gaining momentum in recent years, and we’ve been committed to learning more and embracing regenerative practices. We endeavor to be a leader in regenerative agriculture, caring for the land with respect and dignity. While sustainable agriculture aims to farm without depleting resources, regenerative agriculture seeks to enhance and restore the land’s natural ecosystems, improving the health of the soil, water, and air in the process. Core practices of regenerative agriculture include minimizing soil disturbance, diversifying crops and livestock, using cover crops and compost, and encouraging rotational grazing. While we have employed some of these all along, we have been implementing others more recently.
Healthy soil is the foundation of regenerative agriculture. By using minimal tillage, cover crops, and organic matter like compost, we strive to restore the soil’s structure, fertility, and biodiversity. In just the past two years, we’ve been transitioning our vegetable gardens to no-till methods based on the following goals:
- Improving soil health: Catch nutrients, improve microbiology, build topsoil.
- Fighting climate change: Sequester carbon in the soil (catch greenhouse gasses), increase organic matter and water retention (supports resiliency through floods/droughts), prevent erosion, increase biodiversity.
- Creating something authentic and beautiful: Farm in a way that is true to our values, that we can be proud of, that is efficient and repeatable.
In alignment with regenerative principles, we utilize many additional methods that make smart use of existing resources. Since the 1990s, we’ve incorporated cover crops and compost into our farming. After crops have been harvested, we use as much of the organic matter as possible to rebuild the soil, such as keeping roots in the ground and using above ground components to protect the soil and increase organic material. On-site ash is applied as a slug deterrent, and we make our own supplemental soil amendment that includes leaves, husks, sugar, and water. In general, we are practical in fixing any broken tools (such as repairing broken irrigation lines) to decrease the need for new inputs.
By diversifying crops—something we have done at Spannocchia for decades—regenerative agriculture fosters a more biodiverse ecosystem. Thoughtful crop rotation, polyculture, and agroforestry not only reduce the risk of pest outbreaks and diseases but also provide habitats for beneficial insects, birds, and wildlife. This diversity helps create a naturally balanced ecosystem, reducing the need for external inputs like pesticides.
Water quality and retention has been another major concern in recent years, as we have been experiencing more periods of both heavy rains and drought. Healthier soils with better structure are more resilient to these types of extreme weather events. By increasing soil organic matter, regenerative farming improves the soil’s ability to retain water, minimizing runoff, flooding, and soil erosion. Another way we’ve fought these climate challenges is by planting more native and drought-resistant varieties that don’t require as much irrigation.
If you’ve eaten a meal at Spannocchia, you hopefully agree that our farm-grown ingredients are high quality and delicious. Healthy, nutrient-dense soil supports robust plant growth, resulting in produce that is flavorful and aromatic. Some studies suggest that it is also more likely to contain higher levels of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Furthermore, the absence of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers in organic and regenerative farming means that the food is free from harmful chemicals, offering a cleaner and healthier product.
In all, regenerative agriculture is focused on leaving the soil (and hence the earth) in better condition than we found it. We’re committed to this at Spannocchia—working in harmony with nature, rather than against it—to create a more holistically sustainable and resilient food system and a more innovative educational experience for interns, volunteers, and guests.
ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AT SPANNOCCHIA AND THE NOAH’S ARK PROJECT (ARCA DI NOÈ)*
*Portions of this were excerpted from past Spannocchia newsletters
For centuries at Spannocchia, domestic animals were a fundamental part of life and residents depended heavily on them for food, warmth, and labor. Pigs, specifically of the Cinta Senese breed, were fattened by foraging for acorns and chestnuts in the forests and the many cured meats produced from these animals could feed a family for an entire year. Cows, horses, and donkeys were used for agricultural and transportation purposes, and sometimes as a food source; sheep were raised for meat, milk, and their grazing abilities to clear pastures and fields; and chickens for eggs, meat, and insect control. The particular breeds kept by families at Spannocchia were best adapted for exploiting wooded pastures and farm wastes, and withstanding adverse weather conditions and disease.
With the collapse of the Mezzadria (tenant farming) system in the mid-1900s, these breeds faced the brink of extinction after either being left behind as people moved to cities, or were replaced by animals which better fit the modern model of industrial agriculture. In 1992, the World Environmental Congress in Rio de Janeiro prompted a European community initiative for the conservation of endangered breeds of domestic farm animals. The appropriately-named "Noah's Ark" (Arca di Noè) project was born as a response, following the guidelines provided by the Region of Tuscany under that EU initiative. It aimed to bring heritage animal breeds in danger of extinction—and important to the agricultural and cultural history of the area—back to Spannocchia.
In 1994, Randall and Francesca reintroduced two Cinta Senese pigs, Orfeo and Orfea, to Spannocchia, and thus began the current lineage of the 150 Cinta Senese we have today. Currently, in addition to the pigs, we have 10 Calvana cows. In the past, Spannocchia also raised Monte Amiata donkeys, Pomarancina sheep, and Monterufolino horses, all heritage breeds important to the traditions and history of the property and the surrounding area.
PIGS (MAIALI)
Breed: Cinta Senese (Sienese Belted)
Representations of the Cinta Senese, looking just like Spannocchia’s pigs of today, can be seen in various medieval Italian works of art dating from the 14th century. As a breed, they tend to be full of energy, with a very lively temperament, good maternal behavior, very hardy and well adapted to foraging for their own food in the fields and the woods. They have long heads, well-developed snout-like noses, and a white stripe around their bodies including the front legs. Their tails are not too curly, and ears flop forward and cover the eyes. Our Cinta Senese meat is used primarily at Spannocchia’s own restaurant, but also sold directly from the farm and to nearby restaurants and markets. We produce fresh meat and a wide variety of traditional salt-cured meats called salumi.
COWS (CALVANE OR MUCCHE)
Breed: Calvana (Bovina Calvana)
The Calvana breed raised at Spannocchia are originally from the Calvana hills close to Prato. They are a sub-breed of Chianina cows—the largest cows, and distinctive to Italy, particularly in the region east of Siena in the Val di Chiana. They are tall, white cows with horns, and typically used for both meat and for work. In 1997 there were only nine(!) Calvana cows in Italy; by the early 2000s, there were 174 cows. Spannocchia acquired its first Calvane in 1999, and is proud to serve the delicious beef in the restaurant on-site.
