Scott High School Agriculture Program

🇮🇹🍝 Day 5 – Cooking, Vineyards, and History! 🍇🏰

Today was a day full of hands lon experiences as we explored Italy's rich culinary traditions and beautiful countryside! 🇮🇹

We started the morning with a cooking class where we learned how to make grissini stirati rubatà and tajarin.👩‍🍳🥖🍝 Grissini stirati rubatà are traditional hand-stretched breadsticks that originated in the Piedmont region, while tajarin is a thin, egg rich pasta that is a local specialty. We were able to go through the entire process of making the pasta from scratch from mixing and rolling the dough to cutting it into noodles. The best part was getting to enjoy the fresh pasta we made together during lunch! It was a fun and delicious way to experience Italian culture.

Before lunch while our noodles were cooking, we toured a local vineyard nestled in the beautiful hills of the Langhe region. 🍇🍷 We learned about the vineyard's grape and wine production and saw firsthand how they use terrace farming to grow grapes along the steep hillsides. The vineyard spans 57 acres* and produces wines with PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) status, meaning the wines are made using strict regional standards that emphasize quality and tradition. While this often results in lower production, it helps ensure exceptional quality in every bottle.

Our final stop of the day was the historic *mCastle of Grinzane Cavour, a UNESCO World Heritage Site surrounded by the rolling vineyards of the Langhe. 🏰🌄 As we explored its centuries old halls, we learned about Count Camillo Benso di Cavour, one of the founding fathers of modern Italy, who once lived and worked at the castle. We also enjoyed breathtaking panoramic views of the surrounding countryside, making it the perfect way to end another unforgettable day.

Each day continues to bring new opportunities to learn about Italy's agriculture, history, and culture. We are making memories that will last a lifetime! 🇮🇹💙💛

🇮🇹🌱 Day 4 – Meats & Fruit! 🚜🥩🍎

Today was another exciting day as we continued exploring the many different areas of agriculture that make Italy so unique! 🇮🇹

🐄 We started our morning by visiting a veal farm, where we learned about production practices that are much different from what we typically see at home. The farm raises primarily male calves, with about 98% of the animals being males. The calves arrive when they are around 10 days old, weighing approximately 100 pounds, and remain on the farm for about 190 days before reaching nearly 700 pounds. They are fed a specialized milk-based diet made from powdered milk, which helps produce the light-colored, tender veal the region is known for. We also learned that the calves are grouped by weight, the company owns its own processing facility, and they raise around 30,000 head of veal across multiple regions, with nearly 1,000 animals processed each week. It was fascinating to learn about a part of the livestock industry that isn't very common in our area.

Next, we visited the Gullino Fruit Packing Facility. 🍎🥝 As a family-owned company, Gullino packs and distributes fresh fruit to supermarkets throughout Italy and across Europe. We toured the facility and learned how they sort and package peaches, nectarines, apples, kiwis, and blueberries before they are shipped to customers. One interesting fact we learned was that kiwis and apples must be stored separately because apples naturally release a gas that speeds up the ripening of other fruits. We also had the opportunity to sample several of the fresh fruits, and they were delicious! 🍑🫐

After our tours, we enjoyed a wonderful lunch in the beautiful town of Saluzzo. 🏛️🍽️ The charming streets and scenic views made it the perfect place to relax before continuing our day.

Our final stop was Agrion, an applied agricultural research center that focuses on helping fruit producers through research and innovation. 🔬🌱 We learned about different methods of pest management, the importance of proper pruning and irrigation, and how technology is helping farmers make better decisions through smart irrigation systems that monitor soil and water conditions. We also learned about research being conducted on kiwi orchards to determine how protective coverings affect fruit production and even participated in an apricot tasting to compare different varieties.

Another day full of learning, new experiences, and incredible agriculture! We are so thankful for the opportunity to see how farming is done around the world and can't wait to see what tomorrow brings. 🇮🇹💙💛