The olive trees are found growing in the hills at a medium altitude of around 200 mt a. s. l., on land very rich in vegetation, on man-made terraces almost 6 km long. Today we work these steep terraces safely with a radio-controlled, driverless tractor.
The Estate
In the heart of Tuscany, the “Il Ronco” Farm is situated in the district of Larciano, on the seaward side of Montalbano, the home of Leonardo da Vinci. It looks out towards the nearby medieval town of Cecina, the Fucecchio marshes, Valdinievole, Montevettolini, the castle of Monsummano, and further out towards Montecarlo (near Lucca), all the way to the Apuan Alps.
An expanse of terraces, fruit trees and ingenuity.
This is our habitat.
Biodiversity
Among the dry-stone walls grow thyme, myrtle, erica (heather), broom, cane and wild blackberry, and the paths are bordered by wild fennel and asparagus. In the cool undergrowth along the Ronco (the stream), ancient ferns still grow, while flowers fill the fields with colour. Sorb, fig, pear, and cherry trees are still spread around the estate to witness the skills of the farmers of the past.
Montalbano
We are in the territory of the “Menzione geografica aggiuntiva del Montalbano – Tuscan PGI oil”, which certifies all oil production in a radius of just 7 km, spanning the hill of Montalbano; however, the chemical and organoleptic values are even better than those for Tuscan PGI oil.