Spring 2005 - Spannocchia Foundation

S PANNOCCHIA I NTERNSHIP P ROGRAM
I L P ENNATO
V OLUME 4, I SSUE 1
B UT
S PRING 2005
THIS DOESN ’ T LOOK LIKE SPRING …
By Carrie Curtis Sacco, Education Director
This spring was
perhaps the most
un-springy spring
in the history of
Tuscany. I might
be exaggerating
(as you may know,
I like to
exaggerate) but
judging from the
amount of
complaining down
at the Circolo in Rosia, I think it might be
true. Just days before the interns were due
to arrive, we got hit with a huge snow storm
that left Spannocchia in quite a daze. Drivers
were sliding all over the road, people
scrambled to locate chains, and a party of
workers spent hours hitting the snow off our
hundreds of olive trees with long chestnut
poles.
The interns arrived like spring blossoms out
of place among
cancelled flights
and freezing wind.
And then it
snowed….
again...in March!
The interns woke
up on their first
Sunday morning
to a light dusting.
The weather
improved from
there, but this group
continued to be
exceptional. They had
exceptional chemistry,
exceptional wine
consumption,
exceptional humor,
exceptional cioccolate
fondue, and an
exceptional group
bond!
Luckily spring officially sprung just in time to
wow the Spannocchia Foundation board
members who came to the property the
weekend of May 1st. The flowers bloomed for
them, the pool was uncovered, the bees began
buzzing, the trees filled with blossoms, the
piglets were born, and the calves were too.
After over two months of hard work, the
interns got a chance to share their newly gained
experience and knowledge. The weekend
culminated with them taking the board on a indepth tour of the
property, now in its full
spring splendor.
The tour left us all, even
the interns themselves,
with a feeling of having
(re) discovered
Spannocchia. Thank you
again to the 10
exceptional spring
interns, it was truly a
pleasure.
T ABLE OF C ONTENTS :
2
S PANNOCCHIA
W ORD C OLLAGE
M ONTARENTI
P AINTING
3
M Y LOVE AFFAIR 4
WITH
I L M ONTONE
S PANNOCCHIA ’ S
A PPALACHIAN
F OLK S ONG
5
S PANNOCCHIA ’ S
B EEN
E VERYTHING ...
6
S PANNOCCHIA
M AD L IBS
7
P HOTOS !
8-9
E ACH D AY IS
S OMETHING
L IKE T HIS
1011
S PRING 2005
I NTERNS
12
I L P ENNATO
P AGINA 2
S PANNOCCHIA W ORD C OLLAGE
By Ben Cox
SPANNOCCHIA.SPRING.2005.famiglia.introspective.snow.sustainability.Pippo.
miracles.St.Lucia.queen.Carrie.vino.Sovicille.walkofshame.Siena.Walkabout.
JUSTIN.tuttofare.dosscunt.montone.Angiolino.tortadellanonna.dessert.breakfast.
greeneggs.frenchtoast.Pulcinelli.commoncloset.CaffeCioccolata.anarchy.Riccio.
ducato.rain.maialinos.BROOKE.cingy.Montepulciano.nobile.Roberto.olivi.
tastetests.honey.boscaiolo.BLAKE.attenzione.hiphoppoolparty.pranzofire.Firenze.
Randall.birramoretti.Rosia.madgabs.injuries.Elba.nostracena.Graziela.vitality.
PoggioAntico.’useyourinventiveness.’efficiency.pecorino.fuoco.Giulio.
castlethatonlygodknows.safety.francois.Nick.pennymarket.Lapo.drawing.Pasqual.
Casetta.poppies.Volterra.alabaster.ipod.danceparty.toga.mayday.ALICE.felice.
feelings.deadbird.omens.copper.KERI.yoga.fattoria.Gaetana.croccante.thecount.
’woooowww.’reggae.benzine.petriolo.sulfur.hotshower.caldaia.bees.wyclef.
wildedibles.Daniella.riciclaggio.bluebirdsfly.sunset.pastorella.Carmen.orto.
secretgarden.snake.NORA.crackbaby.roomies.sex.pighill.Nikki.floppy.
spavantapassere.pecorreeeee.andiamo.NICOLE.oliodiolivi.fashion.cenadipizza.
laspinoza.tower.cypresspeeing.sangimignano.fishday.Natalino.Sally.tiramisu.
loradonna.folkdancing.legato.l’uomoverde.Enzo.honey.fantasma.
doveilmiocibobitch.Angelo.beard.ladsweekend.zuppadipesce.seagulls.carabinieri.
’quiquiqui.’amalfi.bigsunglasses.lemons.meatpit.salsiccia.highfidelity.scrabble.
peacecorp.boh.Roberto.buffalo.schifo.cucina.easter.kinderegg.bert.helen.
littleman.mexicannight.Francesca.pbandj.gelato.TRICIA.sunburn.l’ultimaspiaggia.
tarot.l’ultimobacio.’stayoutofthewater.’darkness.susannasdogs.granola.rainbow.
postalservice.ELIZABETTA.perfetta.memories.camellight.zappa.
’thegoodtimesarekillingme.’theboard.frisbee.whoretown.whoretownII.tea.
universitybar.papacinghiale.biondo.sangalgano.palio.campo.vino.soprasotta.
chinesefood.8:00.piccololavoro.prontohello.’idontlikeit.’opera.whiskey.bootroom.
Giuseppe.capanonne.accendino.milling.doves.cantina.benches.pace.certaldo.
impressions.lunchnap.scarf.BEN.laden.handsofawoman.aceto.Lily.insalata.ruffage.
cervo.Beatrice.vespa.Sylvia.arcadefire.Chiara.handshake.intestineballoons.
blackwater.contemplative.Popener.selfdefense.sanbernadino.littleglasses.boxing.
mountainbiking.threeman.baci.‘anditinkaboutyouallthetime.’…and so much more.
Who ever thought three months could change your life so much.
Thanks for everything.
Molto Bene.
V OLUME 4, I SSUE 1
View of Montarenti from Pulcinelli front lawn
Watercolor by Keri Rumley
(photo right: Keri painting in front of Pulc.)
P AGINA 3
I L P ENNATO
P AGINA 4
M Y L OVE A FFAIR WITH I L M ONTONE
( DISTANT MEMORIES OF A PASSION LOST )
By Nicole Accordino, Pastorella
I was warned about you, yet I disregarded the advice, thinking I- would be different. I was wrong, because as I sit here in the
back room of the stable, contemplating our short-lived fling, I
realize I was just another sniff and nudge down the feeding line.
I was really convinced we had something when every evening, no fail, you chose
to nip and nuzzle me rather than head straight for the hay. I even wore the same
woolen flannel (never washed to hold familiar scent) knowing that you would
recognize me over the others.
We were doing just fine until something in you turned, and suddenly you
went on a (ram)page of charging...for weeks. You really broke.....me and
brought tears to my eyes. And later, what were you thinking (!) when you
thought stomping on the stable roof for an hour, lip raised, panting,
would prove your dominance over me? Absolutely nothing. I know this now.
Do –you- recall those numerous moments, I straddled you, your head in my
arms, and I stared deep into those blank eyes until -you- began to cry?
I dealt with your split personality and said I wasn’t taking your actions
personally. But, oh montone, it was so hard sometimes, you really had me
smitten for a while, so smitten I completely ignored the fact that you
already had 23 ladies in waiting.
This is an official fare well to you, signore montone. I am glad to have
come to my senses about our relationship. I just want you to know, once-in-awhile, only sometimes, I truly do miss the feeling of excitement
that came when I heard your thundering hoofs of pursuit behind me.
with love and indifference –
Nicole
V OLUME 4, I SSUE 1
P AGINA 5
S PANNOCCHIA ’ S A PPALACHIAN FOLK SONG
BY
N ICOLE A CCORDINO
AND
B EN C OX
Chorus 1
Ho-di-ding-dong-dittle-la-li-day
Chorus 2
Ho-di-ding-dong-dittle-la-li-dittle-la-li-ho-di-ding-dong-dittle-la-li-day
Chickens are growing in the garden
Sweepin’ fireplaces, smokin’ Camel Lights
1
1
Tricia and Keri can’t stop farting
Beth and Nora our GSI’s
1- 2
1-2
Who’s our Papa Cinghiale
Our half Italian friend Count Natalino
1
1
Our friend Justin tuttofare!
Always knows when to bring more vino
1- 2
1-2
Brooke and Alice up on pig hill
Pigs are rootin’ in the vineyards
1
1
Rakin’ pig shit just for the thrill
When they’re slaughtered, meat and lard
1- 2
1-2
Sheep are out in the pasture
We eat lotsa meat for dinner
1
1
And the ram thinks he’s my master
Graziella and Gaetana they’re our winners
1- 2
1-2
Ben spends his days in the vineyard sun
Dirty, dreddy, Lapo at the door
1
1
Tyin’ turquoise plastic – never so much fun
White and fluffy like Falcor
1- 2
1-2
Blake spends his days choppin’ down trees
Wine flows early every night
1
1
Siiiii says Roberto, attenzione please!
But Pulcinelli interns won’t put up a fight
1- 2
1-2
I L P ENNATO
P AGINA 6
Spannocchia’s Been Everything I’ve Ever Had
To my Famiglia di Spannocchia: Our memories of this place we will continue to carry, just as our
awareness of each other continues to carry us. (And may the words below elude us no more...)
- L. Blake Lynch
I don't know if you can see
the changes that have come over me
in these last few days
I've been afraid
that I might drift away
So I've been tellin' old stories, singin' songs
that make me think about where I came from
and that's the reasons why I seem
so far away today
Oh and let me tell you that I love you,
that I think about you all the time
Caledonia, yer callin' me,
and now I'm going home...
And if I should become a stranger
you know that it would make me more than sad
Caledonia's been everything I've ever had
Oh and I have moved, and kept on movin'
proved the points that I needed provin'
lost the friends that I needed losin'
found others on the way
Oh and I have tried, and kept on tryin'
stolen dreams, yes there's no denyin'
I have traveled far with conscience flyin'
somewhere with the wind
Oh and let me tell you that I love you,
that I think about you all the time
Caledonia, yer callin' me,
and now I'm going home...
And if I should become a stranger
you know that it would make me more than sad
Caledonia's been everything I've ever had
Now I'm sittin' here, before the fire
the empty room, the forest choir
the flames that couldn't get any higher
have withered, now they've gone.
But I'm steady thinkin' my way is clear
and I know what I will do tomorrow
When the hands have shaken and the kisses flown
Well I will disappear...
Oh and let me tell you that I love you,
that I think about you all the time
Caledonia, yer callin' me,
and now I'm going home...
And if I should become a stranger
you know that it would make me more than sad
Caledonia's been everything I've ever had
Oh and let me tell you that I love you,
that I think about you all the time
Caledonia, yer callin' me,
and now I'm going home...
And if I should become a stranger
you know that it would make me more than sad
Caledonia's been everything I've ever had
V OLUME 4, I SSUE 1
Spannocchia Mad Libs
By Nora McElroy, Beth Krieger
and Nicole Accordino
And so it is just like we said it would be. Our time here at
Spannocchia is coming to an end. What adventures we’ve had
in the past three months. Within 24 hours we were solid.
Blake was already humping free dice every night! The snow
starts to fall and we’re freezing our dogs off. Cold pennato
beneath our feet. Never enough rubber boots to keep in the
heat. Thank Giulio for red wine! Justin the tutto, fixing things
– you would think, but more likely he is in the villa kitchen
eating schiffo showers. The animali girls with a lot to do,
carrying buckets of glass, they will zappa until pranzo. Its
morning and Tricia and Keri are luscious because they will be
in the garden with Carmen, bottles and cars will grow under
their care and fill our tables with sultry sheep. Ben likes to
blaze in the vineyard. With Angelo at his tongue he can light
the world. Blake is learning yellow words in the bosco, taking
breaks, eating mad gabs and smoking smokers with the men.
And then there is Beth pasting whiskeys and dimples and
drinking like a maiala, with her I-River at her side. Beth loves
to consumate pasta and sit at the desk licking guests. Over the
hills and far away the bright sound of corpulent Nicole can be
heard throughout Spannocchia. In the stable, under the rain,
naming all the sheep while they burn her leg. In the officina,
apron on, Nick can be seen painting with metal, clearly.
Always return tools to the proper place. We know what
happens when people leave things where they don’t belong.
With a transformation room in his mouth, Natalino cruises up
Pig Hill on the tractor with a coitus on his mind. Only to end
up a gimpy ball sack, pleading on the front stoop of Pulcinelli.
Meanwhile, in the villa kitchen Nora is quivering out
ovviamente with Marta. Up to her sausage fingers in granola
and guests. Nikki thinks sleeping is disgusting, but she loves to
put her breasts in the fiery carnage of last nights kill. At first
Carrie was surprised there was so much wet love amongst the
interns. Good thing she never heard the Pipo “oy yeah!”
coming from the common room, the ugly shower, and other
unmentionable places. Carrie, we call her the Queen, she is
always happy, energetic, organized and ready for sucking.
Three months ago, we only knew a list of slippery names. We
thought maybe Blake would be cowardly, or Betta would be an
eyelash. Now we know each other inside and out. We mold
together. We ooze together, slovenly. Soon we will part, but
we will never forget the hot memories and gracious faces of
Spannocchia.
P AGINA 7
I L P ENNATO
P AGINA 8
W E BONDED LIKE NO OTHER ….
The lads
bond on elba
HOW MANY
INTERNS CAN FIT
INTO AN
I TALIAN PHOTO
BOOTH ?
-V OLTERRA
F IELDTRIP
“W HAT
IS ABOUT
TO HAPPEN IS
VERY WRONG ”
K ERI R UMLEY ,
2 ND CAFFE
C IOCCOLATO
26/4/05
V OLUME 4, I SSUE 1
P AGINA 9
S ANTA L UCIA
YEARLY
C LEAN - UP
A NEW
TRADITION IS
BEGUN …
B UT DID IT
HAVE TO BE
TOGAS ?
“V I A MIAMO !!”
L AST DAY OF
WORK BRINGS
TEARS TO OUR
EYES ,
THANKS FOR THE
EXPLAMATION
POINTS J USTIN !
P AGINA 10
I L P ENNATO
E ACH D AY IS S OMETHING L IKE T HIS ...
B Y K ERI R UMLEY
often i wonder at the coincidences of events that come to shape my life...i planned a
weekend trip to rome sometime last week. kim golding, my friend from middlebury is
living there and we were long overdue for a real visit. my fellow gardener tricia and i left
spannocchia saturday morning (early) to catch the three hour bus ride to rome.
spannocchia is removed from the rest of the world in the best of ways, so maybe we
were not entirely aware of the potential significance of our visit, until we arrived at
tiburtina station and felt the buzz escalating through the city. we wandered our way
through layers of history to the piazza san pietro and the vatican, feeling that this was
where we most wanted to be at this moment. zigzagged through cobbled streets with the
grandest and most magnificent sculpted facades, for me, until now only seen in art
history books (reduced to the dimensions of a postcard). the weight and richness of
western thought and development of civilization threading through each via. we entered the piazza (from which you can see
the window of pope john paul II) that is shaped like deified arms encircling his flocks, in the mid-afternoon to a clumps of
pilgrims congregated from all over the world, forming circles, saying the rosary, building shrines of flowers and candles,
singing in unison to guitars or sitting cross legged in prayer, tears streaming, soaking it in. all nationalities, the full spectrum
of humanity. everyone was gazing up at his window, bodies aligned to their sun. waiting for bells to ring... birds to fly... the
sistine chapel was shut down, vatican city heavily impermeable. so we waited (together) in the piazza. after a few hours of
waiting we headed back to meet up with kim to explore more. we ended up at a little wine bar drinking amazing wine, eating
proscuito with melted cheese and walnuts and truffle ravioli and listening to elvis, while our tattooed bartender
recommended excellent medium-bodied reds. lovely conversation and talk of spiritual matters and coincidence. i go outside
to smoke a cigarette (yikes i really am in europe!) and someone asks me in italian " have the bells rung yet?" i answer "non lo
so" (i don't know) and when i rejoin my friends at the bar they tell me of the text message they have just received (from her
employer who is a journalist for the vatican) that he has indeed just passed. i return to the congregation "fumaring" outside
and i tell them (yes, in italian) that the bells have indeed rung. we leave the wine bar with bottle in hand to again make our
way back to the piazza san pietro where the masses are congregating to grieve his death and celebrate his life (and their faith).
stumbling through tiny alleys leading up ancient stone steps presided over by images of the holy mother, overlooking a lit up
and shimmering vista, the iconic coliseum glowing through a channel of streets. we arrived at the piazza just near midnight to
a sea of thousands of bodies and an impromptu service. a flock
of nuns sang chilling hymns over the loudspeaker. cardinals
gave speeches talking of "pace" (peace) and "pasqua" (easter).
media hovered, bulky cameras and microphones rampant. cell
phones and text messaging spreading the word throughout the
world. we stood on one of the pillars forming the circle of the
piazza, looking out over the massive crowd and at the large
screens showing the mourning faces of the people. the spiritual
vibration high. bonechilling goosebumped otherworld
awareness. amazement. to be at the vortex of such a
monumentous occasion in the history of our modern world.
wondered what my deceased irish catholic grandparents would
have thought, or if they knew...
V OLUME 4, I SSUE 1
P AGINA 11
but rewind, rewind... so much more has happened. every day, new
gifts. last friday we visited poggio antico, a biodynamic (bio-life &
dynamis-energy) farm in tuscany. a place that looks like the beginning
of the world. their practice is holistic earth management, a not in the
hippie dippy new agey way, but in the combination of age old tuscan
agricultural methods combined with extreme reverence and deep
examination of the integration of all life. our guide made the grandest
entrance i have ever seen, shouting "ciao!" as he strode up on a
gigantic beautiful chestnut horse. not because he was trying, but
because he was coming from work and that's what he does. hands withered, laugh lines from the sun, aquiline profile,
timeless. thoughts of my own vermont "roots" and farming. roberto tells us how every living process is interconnected, how
the song of the birds, inspires the plants for stronger growth. we are all driven by rhythm. like the water that sits in a room
with chanting buddhist monks forms longer, more developed crystals when frozen, than water with no audial
encouragement, or worse, negative influence ("you stupid water!") not too surprising considering we are made mostly of
water ourselves. we visit the cows and he tells us of the practice of planting cow horns (their cosmic antennae) in the soil
with quartz (connected with light and photosynthesis) inside. after the winter when dug up, this matter can be used to spray
on the plants to better refract the light. we visited the olive groves and presses, held baby goats, bought yarn made there,
colored with natural dyes (ortica- stinging nettles). after, had a picnic of 5 different types of cheeses (both cow and goat) in
order of pungency, some made that day. drank fresh peach and plum juice. bought homemade pasta and soap. everything is
connected and reused to keep the cycle of life vitally sustained. one of the most magical places i have ever visited, spirit
permeating the land. this really is the way to live with intention...
back... back ... even farther back recalling a few weekends ago our late night visit to the hot sulphur springs. after a good
soak under the dark indigo and sparkling stars we all jump into the trusty old van for the jaunt home. find a (mostly ok
looking) place to turn around and automatically sink into mud in pitch dark. luckily lots of italians around partying, relaxing,
soaking, so we enlist about 10 men. i jump into the drivers seat so everyone else can push and gun it. we rock it back in
forth, lots of italian voices animatedly directing and shouting over one another. after they pick up the entire
van and lift it several feet, finally we are out! but the night is not over yet! one of our new friends has a van he has built into a
little home (yes, "he lives in a van down by the river!") with solar panels and a woodstove and he invites us for wine and fresh
bread he has just baked with his solar oven. i don't think this can get better or more surreal until he busts out the old school
traditional accordian (his vocation is street performer) and starts singing and playing us traditional anarchist tuscan folk songs.
mournful and playful and alive! silvia, our italian friend, knows
the songs from childhood (her father is in a folk band), so she
with red flower in her hair, against the backdrop of a red velvet
curtain (in the entrance to the van), and her wide eyes and
boticelli beauty begins to dance and sing impassioned, under a
moonlight tuscan sky with rushing water and flowing wine.
each day is something like this. my hands cracked from the soil
and i am happier than i can remember being, sad to know that
all is impermanent, especially tuscany in the springtime, me
fully me, with this amazing family i have found (for now
anyway).
S PANNOCCHIA I NTERNSHIP
P ROGRAM
Località Spannocchia
53012 Chiusdino (SI)
Italy
Tel.: (39) 0577-752-11
Fax: (39) 0577-752-224
E-mail: internships@spannocchia.org
WWW. SPANNOCCHIA. ORG
Internship Mission Statement:
The Internship Program is dedicated to enriching the lives of young
people by providing them with a unique educational experience on
a community oriented organic farm in Tuscany, Italy.
Tenuta di Spannocchia’s 1100-acre pastoral estate serves as an
active model for responsible stewardship through collective effort.
S PRING 2005
Beth Krieger Accoglienza
A special thanks to the great bunch of
volunteers that helped us out on the farm
this spring, including: Cameran Frisbee,
Davide Cappelletti, Lisa Kneffel, Helen and
Bert Van Noordennen, Stefania Patinella,
and Susan Barozzi. Grazie Mille!
Front Row (L-R)
Nicole Accordino Pastorella
Trincia Boulet Team Orto
Alice Beban Team Animali
Back Row (L-R)
Ben Cox Vignaiolo
Keri Rumley Team Orto
Brooke Jordan Team Animali
Blake Lynch Boscaiolo
Justin France Tuttofare
Nora McElroy Accoglienza