Ok finally another update!

Well, life here has been going great first and foremost. A bunch of work, a ton of information equals tiring yet fulfilling days. Most of my days have been lifting wood, wood and more wood, trimming hedges (i have learned to despise blackberry bushes), pruning olive trees and bottling/labeling wine. All of these have been, like i said, tiring at times but in the end the monotony has almost slowed me down made me realize that farm work at its core is a bunch of small (at time boring and hard) tasks that lead to a very beautiful goal. You can take that and make a schmaltzy life application, but I will let it be. Working on a farm is not some idealized, perfect endeavor...it is difficult and i have a chance to get a taste (for sure, only a taste) of what is like.

My side trips have been fun for sure! Last weekend we headed to Panzano in Chianti. Backup...the week before we went to Volterra..an old walled Etruscan city. Fascinating, charming, but somewhat nostalgic at times. Streets that make you feel as if you are walking in a movie or a book. Of course the day ended tasting some delicious, ethereal wine (Montevertine is a producer worth checking out). Ok, this past weekend. Panzano was a wonderful city as well, but we were not able to see much of it as we were on a mission to see the butcher there. Dario Cecchini. He is one of the most famous butchers period and definitely the most notorious in Italy. Bill Buford apprenticed with him as recorded in Heat. We had a stellar meal there at his restaurant Mac Dario (pun intended). Therefore we were served a bun-less hamburger...which was without a doubt the best hamburger i have ever had. After many drinks and 'digestivos' (the italians excuse for having after meal drinks is saying they are 'good for digesting'...i'll buy it:) Then we meandered over to a winery, Le Cinciole (again worth checking out), and it was pretty perfect as well. I organized this winery trip for our group and it was a stab in the dark of sorts but totally worth it. We got to try their whole spectrum of wines and it truly affirmed their identity as an under-the-radar, mind-blowing Chianti Classico producer. Chianti is an easy region to hate (b/c of a number of reasons) but they truly put out wines that embraced terroir and focused on the potential and perfumed nature of sangiovese. Anyway, I digress.

This weekend's adventures involve a trip to Multilpuciano to visit a brewery there and to see another old Tuscan town.

Oh and by the way we are harvesting the grapes next week. No big deal. Ok it is.

here is a short list of things i have learned here this past week (in NO way all inclusive):
1) in the morning hearing my supervisor mention the word 'legna' means i will be tossing wood around all day (it is italian for wood)
2) make sure you put water in the pot when making coffee on the stove (you think i should have learned by now)
3) Salami Dolce is one of the best things ever (its a chocolate fridge cake dessert)... phenomenally delicious and contrary to the name, no meat
4) learning languages is difficult. Enough said.
5) I was the best in class at making orecchiette! its a awesome pasta btw.

Ok until next time! Ciao. Hope all of you are well!

Week One on the Farm!

Hello everyone,

Just wanted to send a quick update before dinner and some wine on the terrace (can't miss that!)...

The week has been great kinda getting into the swing of things here on the farm. For the most part our days are full of various different work activities with some afternoons being 'informational'. We have started language lessons although I am very intimidated still by the language. This past few days have been filled with lifting logs (a lot of logs), some pruning of the vines getting them ready for harvest in a month or month and a half, and some bottling of last years wine in the cantina. It has been great switching from task to task as a get a bit of ADD when stuck doing the same thing. Tomorrow we have the day off and are going to a artisanal, small pasta maker in Greve (Chianti) and a vineyard in the afternoon. I know kinda ridiculous. I will take notes for sure, as my first attempt awhile back at homemade pasta was a pretty epic failure.

All in all the people here are great. The people in the program, while all different, have interesting points of connection...passions, past jobs, etc.

Highlights this week:
1) Last night's dinner which included (all homemade of course):
Bruschetta
Lasagna
Venison braised with chocolate and pine nuts (crazy right?)
Coffee Gelato! - Delicious
Limoncello

2) Trail runs around Spannocchia

3) Ongoing sustainable food/gastronomic conversations and debates

4) Slowly finding my rhythm here

Anyway, just wanted to toss out a quick update! All is well over here!
Forgive the bad grammar and misspellings as I am not proofing this as I am paying by minute :/

More later...I miss you all and can't wait to touch base as I can!