Title – Name
Fattoria Barbialla Nuova
Scope / Sector / Industry
Agritourism unit
Country / Region
Italy, Tuscany
Why is it good practice?
Fattoria Barbialla Nuova is a large organic farm and forest estate in the Tuscany region. It offers accommodation and a set of experiences in nature with a focus on contact with nature, sustainable management and the preservation of tradition.
How is it applied?
Fattoria Barbialla Nuova was founded in 1965 and has been certified organic since 1992 for the way it manages its plant and animal stock. From then until today the farm does not use any chemicals and respects the well-being of both the animals and the land. This has resulted in the production of excellent quality products.
The farm, mainly hilly, has about 350 hectares of woodland. This area is covered by oak and poplar woodland, which provides a refuge for deer, wild boar and other animals, as well as species of native trees. The white truffle, ‘tartufo bianco’, a particular variety of truffle (Tuber Magnatum Pico), grows in these forests, so that the owners have taken care to monitor and protect this fruit.
A little less than half of the property consists of cultivated fields and fields for grazing. The farm raises a special kind of cow “the giant cow”, one of the tallest breeds in the world. The herd is fed on pasture, the calves are weaned at 5 months and then moved to large outdoor pens and fed hay and grain, which is grown and milled on the farm property. They are only given antibiotics if there is a risk of death, otherwise the owners use entirely homeopathic natural remedies.
There is also a pond on the farm land near the farm buildings, providing a useful water reservoir for the cows and other animals. Around the pond and throughout the property grow wild blackberries, mulberries and other plant species.
Because of all the aforementioned special natural landscape, the farm produces:
A) Organic oil: Three types of olives are grown which are pruned by hand in late winter using a traditional Tuscan method and the fruit is harvested by hand in late autumn. The plants are fertilized with organic cow manure from the property, harvested for processing and the final product is available for sale.
B) Organic honey: Barbialla Nuova is also home to the bees of a local beekeeper known for the quality of his organic products. In addition to the regular beehives, queen production procedures are followed on the property. It is important to mention that great importance is given to the continuation of the Ligustica Italiana breed, which is one of the oldest and most important bee breeds in the world.
C) White truffle: This particular truffle is collected from the farm’s forests. As the white truffles grow thanks to a symbiotic relationship with the white poplars of the area, the health of the forests is of great importance to the owners. Maintaining truffle forests is an ongoing process and involves selective killing of various trees. Towards this end, the owners, in collaboration with the University of Siena, have implemented innovative projects such as the installation of irrigation and the planting of small white poplar forests.
In the context of creating experiential experiences, the farm offers a set of activities based on the natural environment and the products it produces. In particular it offers:
Truffle hunting: The farm offers truffle hunting to groups of 2 to 8 people on its premises, specifically on two trails of different difficulty each. At the end of the activity there is a tasting of organic, local products on the farm, including the butter with the white truffle collected.
Hiking: the Barbialla Nuova farm has its own marked hiking network that extends over 20 km. A map provides information on the difficulty of each path and its suitability for children.
Fishing: Due to the presence of the lake on the farm, fishing is possible. However, fishing rules include fishing for only one species of fish each day and in large size to avoid catching small fish and overfishing, and for a particular species of fish that is deemed unpalatable, it is encouraged to throw it back into the lake.
Cycling: the farm is developed in a hilly area with three ridges, making it possible to cycle. To obtain a bicycle, it is recommended to rent one from a local partner in the area.
Activities for children: The farm is home to many animals (both domestic and wild), giving children the opportunity to relate to them such as giving fresh grass to the farm cows and chickens, bringing fruit and vegetables to the pigs and spending time experiencing the daily life of the farm. Also, each year a small art gallery is created in which young children are invited to bring in a drawing depicting the farm animals.
Help on the farm: The farm encourages visitors to participate in digging, planting and harvesting the farm’s produce in order to get closer to the farming processes.
To encourage the farmers to get to know the farm and to learn more about the farm’s activities: The business provides three farmhouses for rent, renovated with respect to local tradition and local materials.
The farm shop: A small shop with organic products operates near the farm reception. In addition to the products made at Barbialla Nuova (olive oil, honey, truffles, etc.), selected organic products from local producers are sold.
Cooking lessons and Italian coffee making instructions: the farm offers Italian cooking lessons in the guest’s accommodation, as well as step-by-step instructions for making the famous Italian espresso coffee as an Italian would do.
In addition to caring for the land, which is cultivated according to strict organic guidelines, the facility pays great attention to sustainability and environmentally friendly policies. In this regard, it has adopted various practices and technologies for a greener plant. In particular, it follows the following environmental practices:
- Use of solar panels for heating
- Use of solar thermal panels to heat the house using solar thermal systems; heating through high-efficiency wood-fired ovens (100% of the wood is collected from the farm’s wood preservation)
- High energy-efficient appliances are purchased
- Use of high quality LED lamps
- Recycling of waste
- Composting
- Maintenance of water supply system and wells
- Use of rainwater both for livestock and for watering the vegetable garden and plants on the farm
- Conscientious and responsible management of agricultural resources
- Use of ecological cleaning products
Where is it applied?
The Fattoria Barbialla Nuova agritourism farm is aimed at all those who wish to escape to the Tuscan countryside and live a sustainable and responsible experience close to nature.
When did it applied?
Fattoria Barbialla Nuova was founded in 1965.
Results
In 2019, the British newspaper The Guardians, included Fattoria Barbialla Nuova in the top 10 best accommodation proposals that include local cooking classes.
Other Information
Fattoria Barbialla Nuova official site: https://barbialla.com/
