Deep Roots
Rich in history, from its foundation as a convent around the fifteenth century, to hosting legendary yoga retreats from the 60s to the 80s, our farmhouse has always been a refuge where you can find calm and connect with nature.
In our family for four generations, we live every day with the particular memory of this place.
Already since the Renaissance period, when the nuns of the art of wool lived and worked there, the farm has been surrounded by olive trees. The hills of the area have been covered with them since ancestral times, being considered the heart of Tuscan excellence. At that time, the nuns, then the farmers, shared the farm with the animals, cows, pigs, and mostly the precious sheep. The animal heat, rising from the ground floor, allowed the first floor, where the residents lived, to be heated.
After its time as a convent, when feudalism was prevelant in Italy, the farm was absorbed into a larger domain that encompassed the majority of the hill where we are now. Powerful lords owned this large swath of land, that was cared for by local contadini (farmers). These contadini, in exchange for the lord’s protection, cared for the land and provided them with large shares of the oil, wine, meat, wool, and cerels that they produced.
While we are thankfully well past the long years of feudalism, and the once large property has been divided into many small, independent hamlets like our own, the landscape of the surrounding hills remains relatively unchanged. And it’s not just the panorama that endures; even today, one could meet people with the same surnames as back then on the paths crisscrossing the hill.
La Famiglia Passigli - Scaravelli
In 1931 Alberto Passigli, great-grandfather of the current owners, purchased the farm, together with a large part of the other surrounding farms. Alberto Passigli, a Florentine with an openness to the world that was rare at the time, was an entrepreneur at the beginning of the century, who combined a great business sense with a passion for culture.
He was one of the founders of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino and hosted great musicians and composers as well as thinkers, even from remote horizons, such as Krishna Murti from India.
Vanda Scaravelli Brings Yoga to the Florentine Hills
Thus it was that Vanda Scaravelli, Alberto's daughter, grew up in a very rich cultural environment. A talented pianist, married to the philosopher Luigi Scaravelli, she was introduced to oriental philosophies and the practice of yoga under the guidance of the great gurus of her time (B.K.S. Iyengar, Murti, etc.), who continued to come regularly to the hill. The farm then came alive with the presence of many disciples who came from various countries.
Alberto's Way
Alberto Scaravelli, Vanda's son, inspired by this atmosphere, very young and ahead of his time, became passionate about yoga and olive trees. Non-conformist in a simple and natural way, he worked in the fields alongside the farmers after having greeted the sun alongside the gurus. From his readings and studies of avant-garde theories, and from the ancestral experience transmitted by his workmates, Alberto understood that the organic production method was the only way to achieve true sustainability. When synthetic products began to enter Italian soil, Alberto made the choice to continue in the tradition and refuse their use. We know today with scientific certainty that his decision was a decisive one. Thanks to him, the farm land and its water source have never been contaminated by any synthetic product, in other words, we have always been organic producers. Alberto saw beyond, his aspiration was close to what we call today permaculture.
Following the Path
Alberto and Gabriella’s sons, Enrico and Dario, in turn were raised in this unique climate. Faithful to their father's vision, they are committed to the organic practices he put in place, with eye towards progress. By embracing new technologies in the production and preservation of olive oil, they have brought our product to the highest level of quality, recognized by multiple awards and publications, and used by famous chefs in Tuscany and around the world.
