We traveled about 45 minutes into the Sicilian countryside to visit a local family on their farm. Set against the rugged peaks of Modica, Ragusa is both an agricultural oasis and powerhouse. Home to a mix of small-scale and large-scale production, this area is one of the biggest exporters of greenhouse produce in all of Europe, as well as one of the primary sources for milk, dairy, and meat production. We could easily see Ragusa from the farm.

We were greeted by the owners Gaetana & Salvatore and invited into their home for coffee and Italian cookies—a typical welcome tradition in Sicily.

Sustainable, environmentally conscious and farm-to-table style of farming is what this farm focuses on for themselves and future generations (and for which Sicily is known.) They gave us an introduction to their property and the various methods they use for cultivation. They reap abundant, quality harvests while working with nature, not against it. Keeping the harvests small allows them not to compromise quality and the heritage of what they produce.

On the other hand, at times they are forced to think in different directions, and bring in products that are new. In this case, it is the cultivation of blackberries.  They have been very successful in learning this new crop and built quite a large covered areas with technical monitoring for the vertical growth of the berries.  We got to help pick!

Then we rolled up our sleeves back inside the house to make some traditional dishes for our lunch….a special type of pasta and some dessert.

Before lunch, we had a lesson in Sicilian Hand Gestures from Dario.  take a look at this video…..Dario was SOOOOOOO Funny!

Lunch was great!  Fresh cheeses and produce, hearty pasta, tender meats, and homemade wine!!! And more beans, of course!

We were happy campers as we left this lovely couple!