Ca Penelope

To round out my WWOOFing experience, I chose Ca Penelope because it was an agrotourism with a restaurant, garden, animals and a vineyard. The jobs are varied, but of course my favorites are in the kitchen. Every morning starts with feeding the animals, and taking them out to the surrounding land so they can graze on whatever is available. Then we harvest strawberries, and other things for the restaurant which happens every Saturday. The atmosphere is young, and energetic- everyone on the farm is in their 20s, except the owner, Fabra, who is 62 but her heart is in it's 20s like most Italian women I have met this age. It sits just outside Modena where the Alps start and I know I don't need to say it, but the landscape is the most serene and bucolic I've ever seen. It's like a postcard, or an advertisement for Italian handmade bread. I almost can't believe my eyes when I wake up in the morning. Silvia, who manages the tourism and booking at the place, was kind enough to take me on a whirlwind trip up into the mountains on her Vespa (I know, I know- it was a little too Italian), but the photos don't do it justice. The landscape here is a serious of steep hills with deep, green valleys. At this time of year they are harvesting hay and rolling it into big, beautiful rolls. It's wonderful.

This is the agrotourism entrance. It is in a renovated barn and farm house with big beautiful exposed beams and vaulted ceilings on the ground floor. There are about six guest rooms and the loft. 

The hammock grove near the animals.

This garden was planted by Fabra and all the trees beyond the fence are different rare varieties of fruit trees. Each one has a little placard and I'm happy to report that my Italian is ok-enough to understand a little bit about each tree! A very little bit though. 

I took this photo while Amandine, Daisy and I were scouting out areas for the animals to graze. Beyond you can see the vineyard for lamrbusco grapes which they cultivate here on the farm. 

This photo and the ones that follow need no explanation....