By observing what occurs spontaneously in nature, Japanese agronomist Masanobu Fukuoka, a century ago, developed an agricultural philosophy based on four principles he applied to a ‘natural farming’ approach that works in complete harmony with nature, without polluting it. No ploughing or tilling, because root penetration and the work of tiny organisms like insects, earthworms […]
Organic
GROWING BARLEY: 30 years later
The organic barley of Vignamaggio was sowed last October and harvested two weeks ago. The combine-harvester in the picture was used the last time in the early ’80s, before vineyards took over the Chianti landscape, to the detriment of the small scale cereal plantations; these plantations played an essential role for the daily […]
THE INSECT HOTEL
The Insect Hotel of Vignamaggio is created from an old oak barrel. It provides a home to pollinators and pest controllers, recreating a micro-habitat offering shelter or refuge for many types of insects during winter. What do we need? Oak, arbutus or juniper wood This beauty was made by Simone, our gardener. Simone & la […]
ORGANIC ORCHARD
This autumn saw the beginnings of an ambitious new project: on sunny uncultivated land on the edges of the vineyards between Vignamaggio and Vitigliano, Vignamaggio’s organic fruit orchard is slowly taking shape. The idea for an orchard originated as an aspiration to diversify cultivation and to move away from the “vineyard/olive grove” duo that has […]