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Located 400 meters above sea level among the rolling hills of the Tuscan landscape Podere Fontecornino is an organic farm that has been growing apples since 1992. The entire daily activity hinges on the rhythms of processing this highly prized fruit, which for years has been produced by observing the principles of organic cultivation and benefiting from the valuable experience gained by four successive generations of farmers.

Here, the many varieties grown (more than 10 different varieties) are produced in total harmony between man and nature and with full respect for each other’s needs. Storage of apples takes place in our controlled atmosphere cold rooms and also sorting always directly on the farm. The apples are either started for consumption in local markets or processed on the same farm into tasty juices and dried apples, and in collaboration with another company into a pleasant vinegar with a slightly fruity taste and fine cider.

At Fontecornino, health has top priority: fruit produced organically acquires greater value and taste both nature itself and man benefit mutually from an environmentally friendly system of cultivation.

Some special features of our activity:
Irrigation: use of water from on-farm reservoir fed by on-farm springs and rainwater recovery, almost exclusive use of automated drip system (overhead only for spring frost or severe heat stress). We limit the use of irrigation so as not to “dilute” the flavor of the apples.
Fertilization: use of organic manure and compost from plant source and not from animal husbandry. We limit the use of fertilizers so as not to “dilute” the flavor of apples and to produce apples that will keep well and long both in the refrigerator and at room temperature in the consumer’s home.

Over the years we have steadily improved soil quality by increasing organic mass, making the soil structure looser thus decreasing plant water stress during the summer period and parasite attack.

– Photovoltaic power generation that covers the company’s annual needs;
– Also use of electric farm machinery for field work;
– Use of insect nets (no treatment against different types of bugs for 9 years);
– Use of farm weather station for 20 years to best determine what needs to be done;
– We do not produce the beautiful apple at all costs (we carry out fewer treatments by accepting that we have a certain percentage of defective fruit, which we are then able to enhance through the production of our processed products. Any phytosanitary treatment even with natural products always has an undesirable side effect and we always try to limit its use);
– During the ripening period we constantly perform starch testing on apples to determine their degree of ripeness;
– We make a minimum of 3 apple detachments (and a maximum of 5) during harvest so that only ripe fruit is picked;
– Also only workers hired directly by our company work in the field, we never give agricultural work to subcontractors (we care about increasing the technical knowledge of our employees);
– As of 2020, we are also GLOBALGAB certified;
– We recover heat from cold storage to heat our rooms and preheat the juice during the pasteurization process;
– Just carried out an energy renovation of our main structure (mainly with wood).

Contact:
Podere Fontecornino
Via Fontecornino, 2 – S. Albino, 53045 Montepulciano (Siena)
Tel. +39 0578 798279


podere@fontecornino.it

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www.fontecornino.it


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