We are rebuidling a small house nearby.

Among the latest works that we are completing, is the small fram house or casetta down the hill. Among the leftover roof tiles from the main renovation, which are being used for the smll house, we found one with a date of "MCCCLXXXIIII " inscribed -- despite the small error, since IIII should be IV, 1384 is quite old for a roof tile, and long preceded the Olivetani monks, who only arrived at Hospitalis Sancti Benedicti in 1480.

We wonder what else we will find...

Podere Spedalone February 15, 2007

Passing of the Seasons

...But the farmers always complain about the seasons, I used to say before becoming a farmer (May 2005)

One Sunday, just after being certified a farmer )after 180 hours of evening classes), I was looking at my flowering olive trees, thinking, how spectacular! I wonder how many olives and how much oil they will give me this year... And just then, it began to hail!

Harvest 2006:  too dry, too few olives, cost of harvest was twice the norm, but the flavor of the oil is incredibly good...  It's OK, we'll make more oil in 2007!

The warm winter has caused the olives and the capers to sprout 3 months early.... Not to mention the wheat, which is already 10 cm too high!

And the cold will come, there's still time through May, and the farmers are complaining... When the cold comes, this year, goodbye to the harvest, there won't anything at all to pick...

Podere Spedalone February 22, 2007

We are also on..........

 the blog of our friends Kenny and Cassandra     www.miamitorome.blogspot.com