JUNE

With WWOOF I learned

sheep farming.

After graduating from the University of Bologna with a degree in Geometry, I was feeling out of my element and so, nearly by accident, I decided to explore the world of everyday life. I signed up for WWOOF, but it was winter, and many hosts don’t take WWOOFers during this period and so I ended up with the only host that would take me in, Mario at the Finocchio Verde farm.

From this unexpected beginning, a passion was born; I discovered that I liked spending time with animals, the work, the rhythm of this new life. For someone who fears the monotony of work, it was refreshing to taste every season and all of the different phases of production.

This multifunctionality, so common on small scale farms, was what WWOOF had to offer me, and so for two years I traveled around Italy, looking for farms that could offer me specific experiences and knowledge. I stayed in 5 different farms learning how to make seedlings at a plant nursery, salami, olive oil and bread.

During this experience I discovered that I was a farmer, and I started dreaming of my own place where I could put to use all that I had learned. And it just so happened that, in that moment, there was the possibility to rent a plot of land…

So together with my wife Stefania, we created from nothing our small goat herd, focusing on the production and sale of goat cheese. The best part is that we are not alone; in this small part of Liguria in addition to visits from WWOOFers, we are part of a small network of 5 WWOOF farms that help one another by exchanging goods as well as helping out.

And in the middle of this adventure, Gioele was born, who is already 2 years old!

Mauro S.