Visiting an Italian farm

Secrets of real Italian wine and olive oil production will be a great present for our students. The thing is that we offer to learn new topics ‘Fruits’, ‘Vegetables’ at the Giovanni’s and Marisa’s farm. Where else can you expand your vocabulary quickly and effectively but at the farm tasting these olives, grapes, and many other fruits and vegetables!

The farm is located in Arzene, Imperia province, 31 km from Sanremo. Their sector is different from the others because it is situated in the mountainous area, so it is very difficult for farmers to work in such conditions. There are almost no villages there, but you can find buildings from XV-XVI centuries (masonry without cement), farming tools from the beginning of XX century.

Giovanni and Marisa are vegetarians, and most of the time they live in Taggia (near Sanremo, by the sea), they like to grow basic products by themselves. They told us how to make wine in the ancient barrels, how to extract olive oil (Taggiasca olives are one of the best in the world), how to cultivate zucchini, asparagus, Fava beans, potatoes in the mountains. Of course, our students had an opportunity to taste the cake by Marisa and the fresh jam from the homegrown apricots.

We had a conversation with our friends for more than two hours, because we did not want to leave these great people. On our way home we stopped near a mountain river – on the highest bridge in that area. Our road had small towns Montalto Ligure, Badalucco on its way. Students were fascinated by their beauty and picturesqueness.

Actually, Sanremo is not just a sea, famous resort and song contest. It is also hardworking people, eco-friendly products and unique technologies. All of these and much more our students have experienced in reality. That trip helped in learning new topic. Homework results showed that 90% of new material was learnt successfully.