Crop cultivation
The company is developed on several levels of altitude and is sheltered from the winds of the west, mistral and scirocco. On the contrary, it is exposed to the wind from the north wind which, fortunately, spira quite rarely. This particular topographic conformation has allowed us the cultivation of different tree species and fruit trees.
Olivo
Centennial plants of Minuta Nasitana and Castriciana (some are 500 years old) have been joined by new varieties such as the Nocellara dell'Etna and the Biancolilla to obtain a higher yield.
The preciousness of the olive tree, in fact, lies in the fact that it manages to completely regenerate - or in large part - by repairing the epigeal and hypogeum, so much so that after centuries it continues to produce alternating years of maximum fruiting to years of low production.
The alternation of production can be traced to a mix of weather conditions, parasitic attacks, pruning and wrong fertilization, excessive delay in harvesting the fruit.
To try to solve the problem we carry out extraordinary pruning operations (ring incision) trying to maintain the right balance between vegetation and fruiting and anticipating, as far as possible, the harvest time (when the drupe is painted purple). a more pleasant oil of lower acidity and better oil yield.
Cork oak
It is an evergreen oak that reaches 20 meters in height with greyish-green foliage. The trunk soon becomes sinuous and is covered with a very characteristic bark, many centimeters thick, greyish, which is easily detached in large heavy blocks. At each detachment the new rind underneath has a reddish brown color, often almost reddish. Every 3-4 years the plant is skinned and the product is used for the manufacture of corks and as insulation material in construction.
Corbezzolo
It belongs to the family of Ericaceae and has been planted because it is one of the Mediterranean species best suited to acid soils. The trunk has a thin, finely and regularly peeled rind in long and narrow reddish brown vertical plates and fruit in autumn. The fruit is a 1-2 cm globose berry, dark red with fleshy pulp with many seeds.
cotogno
It belongs to the Rosaceae Family. In the farm we grow two types of quince that are distinguished according to the shape of the fruit: maliform and piriform, of which the first is more appreciated. The pulp is easily oxidized and often rich in sclereids, not sweet and astringent and with it we create the so-called "cotognata" (quince, sugar) typical Sicilian sweet with a beautiful amber color.
Fico
It is a tree that belongs to the family of Moraceae and being a plant very resistant to drought does not require great care. It produces two types of fruit: the best known are formed in spring and ripen in summer and the latter - which are a rarity - are formed in autumn and ripen in the late spring of the following year by presenting sterile female flowers.
The arboreal species cultivated on the farm complete the sweet orange, the cedar, the mandarin king, the plum the peach the chestnut and the walnut.