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The Azienda Agraria Del Quondam farm, located at the feet of the Northern slope of the Martani Mountains, in the heart of Umbria, immersed in the green landscape surrounding Montecchio, antique and characteristic community part of the Giano dell’Umbria municipality.

THE FARM

The farm is dedicated to the production of cereals, oil, wine and livestock breeding, and its work is carried out respecting the centuries old Umbrian farming traditions.

THE BREEDING FARM

Livestock breeding represents the main company activity and is divided into three sectors: Pig, Sheep and Cattle. The last one is the most important: We exclusively raise cattle of the most precious Italian breeds such as Chianina and all of the brood cows the calves growing inside our farm are born from are equipped with genealogical certificate.

THE FARM AND LIVESTOCK

Animals

Our farm, established early twentieth century, handles various sectors of agriculture: from the production of cereals to that of oil and wine, but the dominant sector, and the most ancient one that has now been passed down for generations, cattle breeding. At the start of the century, breeding carried out a simple livelihood function for the patriarchal family, therefore guaranteeing sufficient food for local farmers and area families. Today, unlike then, the purpose of cattle breeding is for selling in the family butcher’s shop, always located on the farm, where everyone can experience the taste of this meat, raised according to the standards passed down from father to son, from generation to generation.

The cattle raised are: the pezzata rossa supplying both meat and milk calves, with the latter used for cheese production, the Chianina, precious beef meat recognised by the IGP mark and protected by the Consorzio di Tutela del Vitellone Bianco dell’Appennino Centrale. The Chianina race derives from Bos Primigenius of which it still has traces of the “antique rump”; it was very much appreciated by the Etruscans and the Romans who, thanks to its white fur, would use them during triumphal marches and for sacrifices to divinities. The Chianina has a porcelain white fur, with a black pigmentation of the muzzle and the tongue, the light head with short horns, long and cylindrical trunk with wide back and loins. Thanks to its characteristic somatic gigantism it is considered the largest bovine in the world; it is defined by all the “giant breed of its species”.

All livestock is regularly registered at the time of birth in the Registro Genealogico del Giovane Bestiame (Young livestock register) and has the identification marks foreseen according to current regulations for Genealogical Books.

The calves are naturally suckled by their mothers until they are weaned. Subsequently, their feeding, strict and controlled, only includes products that are our production: forage, barley, corn and fava beans. From the moment of their birth up to six/eight months, the calves are kept in box, after which they are placed alongside adult cattle in the stable, the facilities were renovated a few years ago and equipped with mechanical processes and conveyor belts that guarantee an environment to our animals that is always clean.

The horses live in the wild: throughout the summer they are left to graze in the pastures of the Martani Mountains, while for the winter season they are brought to the farm corral, where our guests can see them by taking a path developing between trees and fields until it reaches a pasture flanked by a pond.

Poultry

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Every guest who stays at the Agriturismo is surprised by out trained roosters!!! They are not only spectacular because the stand in the trees, but they also liven up the long winter nights and the warm summer nights with the very “pleasant” music sung at all hours of the day!!!! Do not despair, you will quickly get used to it!

However, something that is even more wonderful, and not to be missed, is the friendship with our three cats and Maremma sheepdogs Stella, Nebbia and Adriano!!

Do not forget all of the other animals: chickens, turkeys, geese and rabbits that roam freely in farm pastures and can be seen especially at night or early in the morning, when they come out to eat.

Natural Feed

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Barley, corn and fava beans, grown and harvested during the summer months, are ground and transformed into flour to be used exclusively to feed the animals in the stables; however, the hay remains the main food source.

The Mill

On the farm there is also a small wood mill with a millstone used to obtain both durum wheat and common wheat flour, using our wheat. Using this flour, very different from the commercial ones, because it is not refined and is whole wheat, we prepare many dishes such as pasta, focaccia, cookies and cakes for breakfast!

MOMENTS TO REMEMBER

Harvest

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Already at the beginning of the month of September the farm prepares for the grape harvest: the vats, the press for the grapes, the wood barrels and the destemming machine are prepared.

The true grape harvest, however, start halfway through September when it is organised with friends and family, just like it was done a long time ago, and the ripe grapes are harvested from the vineyard.

The grape harvest usually lasts two weeks, but to achieve a good wine it is usually necessary to wait at least a few months.

Good thing that we have San Martino to taste the new wine!!!

The 11th of November is always a party: we all get together for supper: pizza cooked under the ashes, roasted sausages, cooked greens, spit-roasted chicken and obviously the new wine! Finally, to finish of the evening and digest, roasted chestnuts and “tozzetti” biscotti with sagrantino wine!

Typical seasonal specialties: maritozzi with must, tozzetti cookies with raisins, cheese pizza with raisins.”

Olive Harvest

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At the farm there is never any time to rest, once the grape harvest is finished, it is time to pick up the rakes, ladders and sheets and start harvesting the olives!

With more than 1300 olive trees of different types (San Felice, Leccino, Frantoiano, Muraiolo) we obtain our extra virgin olive oil using a cold pressing carried out in local mills. The new oil is of an intense green colour, just like its fragrance, and the best way to enjoy its strong and intense flavour is on bread cooked in a wood stove!

Typical seasonal specialties: bruschetta

Preparation of Cheese

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During the winter months, we make cheese and ricotta cheese using the milk that was just milked from our cow Carolina.

Our hot crostini toasts with melted cheese or ricotta are a delicacy that must be tried. The ricotta is also a great ingredient for our pies and Easter dove shaped cakes.

Often, instead of preparing cheese, we make butter, ideal with orange marmalade for breakfast!!!

Sheep Shearing

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During the month of June there is a very fun event that is not to be missed, shearing of sheep. Besides the official shearer Bruno, this also involves Vanessa and Giulio, my smallest children!

The job requires a lot of hard work because the sheep run away because they don’t want us to catch them, but do not worry!! We have Vanessa who will block them with the determination of a lion!!!

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