Azienda Agricola Luigi Ruffo

Luigi Ruffo, when l&' oil becomes passion

Chatting with Luigi Ruffo is always a pleasure and a discovery, what shines through his stories and hands is the deep passion that this farmer has for his land, his olive groves and his precious bees, who, with a note d&' affection, he defines as tireless workers.

L&' a more tiring but satisfying adventure began in 2006, when Luigi inherited from his father a small olive grove that would become the pillar of his farm. Over the years, thanks to fervent curiosity and absolute dedication, this young farmer began experimenting with new natural cultivation techniques, based on full respect for plants and the choice not to use highly polluting chemicals

.

Un&' farm where nature dictates the

pace

All the cultivation and processing procedures of the products follow strict organic regulations certified by the ICEA Authority. The small size of the farm also makes it possible to apply manual working methods, and to monitor the production and the level of well-being of the crops day by day.

In Luigi's company, the undisputed lady is Nature that sets the pace and then sets the annual production. Strongly believing in agriculture that does not force the laws of nature, no synthetic chemical molecule is imposed on plants to achieve the desired production. The fruits are collected manually between October and November and the olives are pressed twice a day to keep their qualitative characteristics intact

.

The most suitable soil for each cultivar

Thanks also to a land particularly favorable to the cultivation of &' olive tree, Luigi is able to produce a very high quality oil, so much appreciated that the reservation is almost d&' a must. The company is located in Cellore di Illasi, in &' east of Verona, on the slopes of Monte Garzòn where the microclimate and the extremely calcareous soil allow the maximum expression of the Grignano cultivar, a variety of Brazilian origin, transplanted into the Verona area around 1800, with the peculiarity of being very resistant to

cold and humid climates and having a unique aromatic power.

Over time, the plots of &' east of Verona, which have gradually expanded the farm, have been selected in neighboring countries with extreme care and with &' the objective of finding the most suitable and suitable land for each cultivar, thus diversifying the production of &' oil. For example, in Colognola ai Colli, Leccino is cultivated, which gives us an oil with scents of aromatic and wild herbs typical of the cultivar, combined with notes of flint and smoke given by the vulcanicity of the soil, typical of the territory.

Unlike the olive groves of Montorio, one of the areas where olive cultivation dates back to the oldest times, Valpolicella DOP is obtained, an extremely balanced oil thanks to the age of the plants that

reach more than 500 years.

Bees: from a natural technique for the cultivation of &' olive tree to

uncontaminated honey

Among the biological techniques used by Luigi c&' it is also l&' use of medicinal and aromatic herbal infusions, as natural pesticides and insecticides, also coming from the work of bees. Driven precisely by these alternative models, in 2019 Luigi decided to further enrich his experience by trying his hand at producing honey. Visiting his farm, in fact, you can admire and touch the ten small and colorful hives arranged along the ancient wool path, where the pristine environment allows bees to collect healthy nectar free of chemical contamination. With the help of these small creatures Luigi today produces 5 types of honey: wildflower, cherry, acacia, dandelion

and chestnut.