Join our Workshops and Experiences
"Learn the art and put it aside ... and even in your stomach!"
We believe in passing on all we have learned about the art of farming and ancient cultivation techniques, so at our farm we offer informal chats, formal lessons, courses, tours and workshops suitable for all, ages 3 to 99. We cater for groups of friends and family, schools, buying groups, and simply those in search of "good food".
We generally request a minimum group size of 4 people, and classes are subject to our availaibility and the availability of our crops and gardens, though we do adapt most courses for the seasons.
BREad making & more
Bread, Pasta and Desserts Baking
We offer theoretical and practical courses on the production of grain derivatives: mother yeast, pasta, bread, and desserts with the use of whole grain flours with high nutritional content and preserved genetic heritage. Together we will gather around the large wood-fired oven on the farm (after collecting wood from the forest) to make bread or pizzas with yeast produced on the farm.
The Mother Paste: Sourdough Bread and Beer
Our yeast is fantastic ... for making beer! For non-beer drinkers, it also makes delicious sourdough.
We will learn about the biological and nutritional properties of the mother yeast, as well as baking sourdough with ancient grains. Suitable for both children and adults.
tuscan and vegetarian COOKING
Preparing Tuscan Meals
We get our hands dirty chatting and cooking together to rediscover the simple balance of the Tuscan diet. No stress, just lots of flavor! This is a class the whole family can enjoy.
Sample menu:
-Tuscan appetizers (homemade olives, cheese with jam and honey, Tuscan ham and salami, croutons with hummus, our special capers in olive oil, bruschetta with tomato, garlic and EVO oil).
-Homemade pasta with ancient grain flours, vegetarian sauce or wild boar sauce
-Eggplant pizzaiola (tomato, mozzarella, oregano and aromatic salt)
-Homemade tiramisu
-Coffee, vinsanto and homemade limoncello
WREATH and GARLAND making
Wreath and Garlands
Join us as we celebrate one of Barbara's favorite pastimes: making beautiful wreaths and garlands. Together we will go exploring in our woods, through our olive trees and ever-growing gardens to collect a range of raw materials from all over the farm. You will learn the art of hand-crafting your own wreaths and garlands from the diverse and colourful flowers available to you. These wreaths make beautiful gift to take home! A class all ages are sure to enjoy.
GUIDED HIKES AND TOURS
Hiking and Trekking Excursion
The 6 hectares of dense Tuscan forest behind our home are perfect for an afternoon hike and exploration of the terroir. They are protected land with designated hiking trails that tell the story of our land many years before cultivation. Join us on a hike while we share our knowledge of the wildlife, flora and fauna in these hills. We can break for a rustic picnic lunch before returning to the farm.
EDUCATIONAL courses
From Wheat to Bread
Our daily bread is a gift. But where does it come from?
The workshop includes some theory about the different phases and cultivation techniques of the grains, and practical exercises such as cleaning the grains, milling the flour with a stone-mill and making the bread with yeast in the large wood-fired oven on the farm. All simple enough for you to take home and do yourself!
Suitable for children and adults.
pantry preparations
Jams and Preserves
Together, we pick the fruits from the trees (quinces, mulberries, sorbs…) in our fields and return back to our kitchen. Here, we will use only organic ingredients to make the most scrumptious jam you’ve ever tasted. You get to take home whatever you make (if you don’t eat it all straight away!).
Herbal Teas
After a walk through our gardens to pick and look at the various herbs used in the class (sage, rosemary, wild fennel, lemon balm…), you will learn how best to prepare herbal teas and medicinal herbs for use in the kitchen. Suitable for all ages.