From Italy to Ventura County
When you think of Italian food, you might just conjure up images of fresh homemade bread and pasta, alongside sumptuous salami, basil, tomato, mozzarella and perhaps multiple bottles of local wine (or in my case, since I’m 15, olive oil!) But there’s so much more to this magnificent food than Instagram-ready images.
This past summer I traveled to an organic farm on the provincial border of Umbria and Lazio to fulfill my dream of experiencing this Tuscan food utopia, and to better understand the farming methods behind it, firsthand. Yes, the food is INSANELY superb, just as it is in Ventura County, but I also learned that behind the scenes (aka, on the farm) there are concerning environmental issues similar to problems found in Southern California. Namely, Tuscan farmers grapple with a crippling drought, rising energy costs, depleted soils and exorbitant waste.
It’s not all doom and gloom, however. My goal is to share their clever long-tested methods for dealing with these big problems to lend insight as we confront those same issues here. I am also including a couple heavenly recipes I picked up along the way, because there’s no better way to have life-changing conversations than while enjoying a homemade, delectable, Tuscan-inspired dish.
Coping with Crippling Drought
Tuscan farmers are seeking innovative methods of farming to cope with climatic changes like extreme drought. The summer of 2022 was the hottest in Europe’s recorded history, with the worst drought in centuries. According to Stefano Patuanelli, Italy’s agriculture minister, this could endanger 30% of Italy’s agricultural production, threatening the output of staples like tomatoes.
In drought conditions, tomato plants exhibit myriad signs of stress that are often fatal to the plants: reduced growth, flower drop, mineral deficiency, fruit breakage, flower rot and poor seed viability. This summer, I learned of a traditional farming method used in modern ways to conserve water called “dry farming.” On the farm where I worked, dry farming tomatoes meant the fruit was grown with a rich, robust and productive soil, built up with compost and mulch. Once the plants are established, typically in the dry season, the farmers stop watering the plants, at which point the roots dig deep for water and the plants’ energy is spent on growing their fruit. The result: a smaller, denser, more flavorful tomato grown thoughtfully during a drought with no water. This practice has deep historical roots and has been used around the world by various people, and it’s exciting to see it used in new ways as we face a worldwide farming crisis.
Avoiding Troubling Transportation
Another major issue that affects both Italy and Ventura County is the energy-intensive and costly transportation of produce. To conserve energy and resources, Italians are encouraging farmers and consumers to sell and buy locally and in season. We are likewise lucky in Ventura Country to host robust and frequent farmers markets that provide us ample opportunity to save energy and money while supporting local farmers—and nothing beats food fresh off the farm!
Local Tip: This winter, let’s buy local citrus in season and locally grown papayas instead of those grown elsewhere. Tuscany and Ventura County are fortunate to have this fruitful option!
Moving Away from Monocultures
Globally, monoculture crops deplete the soil and waste resources, especially water. When many acres are devoted to one single type of plant, monoculture crops lack the natural forms of pest control found in diverse environments and therefore require more harmful pesticides. I witnessed Italians implementing crop rotation and plant diversity to improve the soil quality and its ability to retain moisture, minimize pesticides and, importantly, improve the quality of the food.
I loved watching chickens forage in the Tuscan olive tree orchards while naturally providing fertilizer and pest control for the olive trees. Symbiotically, the trees provide shade and food for the chickens, thereby improving egg quality.
Local Tip: As consumers we can encourage and support the Ventura County farmers who embrace this diverse, symbiotic system approach.
Making a Waste-Less World
I was truly dumbfounded by how little Italians waste in all areas of life. The people relax in the shade during the hottest hours of the day rather than work in air-conditioned spaces. Glass jars are reused. I never used or even saw plastic. Very little excess food was cooked at all beyond what we ate, and anything not eaten was given to the animals on the farm (minimizing the need for corn feed).
According to USDA data, it is estimated that 30–40% of food production in the United States goes to waste. Over the past decade, research on food waste in Italy has limited data, but current estimations run 4–17% of food produced.
Research on Italian culture and food waste reported in 2021 by Maria Luisa Scalvedi and Laura Rossi of the Research Center for Food and Nutrition in Rome confirms what I witnessed: In Italy, throwing away food is associated with a negative emotional experience; and Italians report that reducing food waste would contribute to a better world. Meanwhile, according to a survey published in the journal PLOS One by Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future, about three quarters of surveyed U.S. Americans perceive themselves as wasting very little food, and certainly less than the national average.
Italians are working to promote the value of food and to shift social norms so that wasting food is no longer socially acceptable, especially targeting younger and larger households. After my experience living less wastefully, I hope to promote this ethic here at home, using as little as possible and reusing as much as possible, like my Italian friends.
To Use or Not to Use?
While many Ventura County farmers are working hard to reduce their environmental impact and transition to more sustainable farming practices, my Italian experience—and the scale of our current environmental problems—have shown me the need for global effort and communication. From dry farming and buying locally and in-season to implementing diverse agricultural systems and waste-free production, I’ve learned uplifting ways to tackle issues ranging from drought and transportation to monocultures and waste. Imagine if every farm in the world tried to approach the current climate crisis with such open-minded innovation! Let’s learn from this farm, and from each other, because this worldwide crisis demands a concerted global response that starts, connects and grows at the roots we all share.
