Friday 24 August
During the 10 days supporting its fundraising stall in Liguria, I learned that Villa Govinda, in the province of Lecco in Lombardia, is similar to the popular agritourism establishments very common in Italian countryside, but not quite the same. It supports an international spiritual and humanitarian organisation based in India and is particularly meant as a place for retreat, meditation and service. After the mad hustle and bustle of Ferragosto tourism, I look forward to some peace and quiet.
I head inland from the northwest coast of Italy towards Milan, then further east past Monza to the tiny train station of Cernusco-Merate, just half an hour from Milan. I am pleased to discover that the trains in Italy cost very little, especially compared to those in England. Arrangements had been made so I exit the station to find Marco waiting for me in his van.
Marco, in his early 40s, is one of the founders of Villa Govinda, which is just a few minutes’ drive away on the outskirts of Olgiate-Molgora, overlooking Merate. As we head towards it, I am pleased to discover that the town dissolves to give way to farmsteads, cow sheds and fields of corn.
A large, dark red building demands attention amid a predominantly green landscape – this is it! We make our way through the wide, paved driveway decorated with pink, white and grey, cobbled stone mosaics of flowers and lush garden on both sides. Marco points out that the old sector of the large semi-detached villa is over 200 years old while the new quarters were added just 40 years ago.
Chiara, in her 30s, comes out to meet me wearing an apron. Marco has told me that she was the one to first conceive the concept of this place. Villa Govinda is a non-profit organisation that operates by donations and volunteers. It may host as many guests as are willing to live and work together as a community.
Chiara gives me a warm welcome and leads me to the back of the villa to meet their other guest from America. We find Colin chopping wood, stopping occasionally to catch his breath and replenish his energy from the stunning view of the pre-Alps and Merate’s steeple yonder, the cultivated valley below and the forest around. I’ve been here for just 10 minutes, and I love it already!
Saturday 25 August
Walking around the grounds of the villa, observing how things are run, I quickly understand the comparison made with agritourism establishments. Agritourism is a form of tourism in which the tourist is hosted by an agricultural establishment, an activity introduced in the late ‘70s and firmly established in Italy by the ‘80s.
Initially the idea was conceived in order to meet the demand of city dwellers who wished to experience an alternative way of life in the countryside and also to enable the survival of rural territory and agricultural activity within a society of constant development.
In time, agritourism has been modified so that hospitality within agricultural establishments continues with varying degrees of involvement in the actual running of the agricultural business. Other services have gradually been introduced to enrich the experience, such as wine tasting.
Statistics reveal 13,500 registered agritourism establishments in Italy in 2005, thus this is a constantly-growing phenomenon. In this area there are at least six agritourism establishments within walking distance, yet Villa Govinda differs from the rest. Here you never feel like a tourist because you are immediately one of the family.
Sunday 26 August
I go with Marco to the dairy down the road. I get distracted trying to attract the cows’ attention over the fence. He calls me to help at the dispenser, a neat coin-operated machine which supplies fresh, unprocessed, full-fat milk – almost as good as getting it directly from the cow’s teat – a rare, and sometimes illegal, commodity these days!
Back at the villa, I am allocated kitchen duty, helping prepare several dishes for the free vegetarian Sunday feast offered to the 20-plus guests who usually show up to work, sing and then eat together. Because of its connection with India, this place operates as a pure vegetarian establishment, which means that no meat, fish or eggs are used – rather unusual for Italy, whose culinary culture is similar to Malta’s, and certainly rare in regular agritourism establishments.
The 15 litres of milk go straight into a huge pot for boiling, and then are divided into three portions: two are put aside for making yoghurt and for drinking, while one remains on the stove for making cheese. “Homemade” rings as wholesome in most people’s minds, yet most of us are unaware how easy it really is to do it yourself, as I am about to discover.
A dash of lemon in boiling milk separates the milk solids from the whey. When the whey is clear, the contents of the pot are emptied into a strainer lined with a cheese cloth. The cheese cloth is folded over the remaining milk solids and squeezed. Left to stand in the strainer for half-an-hour, with a pot of water over it for weight to strain it further, makes a solid white cheese!
When another portion of milk is just cool enough to bear a little finger dipped inside for 10 seconds (43-45°C), yoghurt is added.
This is the perfect temperature for the bacterial culture to multiply. The pot is wrapped in cloth, placed in a warm place and the entire content is transformed within a few hours!
Tuesday 28 August
I am fully engaged in the system – we have a new roster for kitchen duty! Meals must be prepared while the others do odd jobs around the villa and its land.
A wander around the vegetable garden to select the ingredients of the day beats any trip to the supermarket! In this season, it supplies 100 per cent organic potatoes, cabbage, cauliflower, long green beans, zucchini, eggplant, pumpkin, tomatoes and strawberries fertilised by our own compost heap.
Thursday 30 August
My world smells of lavender. I trim all the bushes in the garden, keep most aside for the bee keepers and place bunches throughout the villa. Everywhere the air is sweet!
I am living on homemade and homegrown in close proximity with nature. The people are friendly and everything is just lovely.
I just disapprove of the neighbour’s cock – it wakes me daily at unholy hours but Marco says it’ll be gone for Christmas.
Saturday 1 September
I learn that flat breads are easy to prepare on a day-to-day basis, using simple dough of flour and water with a pinch of salt. Small balls of dough are rolled out about 5mm thick, cooked on one side on a dry, flat pan, then flipped over. Finally, a quick flip over an open fire (even a gas fire) makes them blow up in the middle and hey presto!
Chiara also bakes in a more traditional Italian way, producing a variety of homemade, whole grain breads in preparation for tomorrow’s feast and also as a supply for the following week. She even makes various cakes without eggs in the mixture – the result is a little stickier, heavier and, in my opinion, more delicious!
Wednesday 5 September
I am passing my days full and varied unlike any old holiday. I could be painting a door, potting some plants, cleaning a book shelf, picking some vegetables and cooking a pasta al dente. In between I find time for lying in the hammock, reading and doing my odd little thing. And then there is the yoga and meditation of course. I am not leaving very fast.
Sunday 9 September
Robbie and Mauro take care of the bees which produce Villa Govinda’s honey. There are five families of bees that I am keen to visit when Robbie calls me with a spare set of protective gloves and hat.
A special apparatus blows smoke from the smouldering lavender onto the surface of the bee houses, urging the bees down and keeping them calm. Robbie picks the first beeswax plate of 10 which hang next to each other in the house and holds it up in display.
The bees have built their hive along the plate, which doubles up as a store for honey in various stages of production and a nest for larvae and bees in various stages of development. “Look, the queen bee is right here!” Indeed, although hundreds of bees cover the plate, the queen is easily recognisable for her differing shape, size and colour. She is busy laying larvae.
The queen is the most important member of the family. While working bees will live from 40 days during the busy honey-making period to a few months during the cold winter months, her life span stretches a few years and she is the only larvae-laying bee in an all-female community! Males are created occasionally, to fly away and inseminate. Six males during one mating enable a queen to produce six million youngsters!
The first 10 days as larvae are spent feeding on plenty of honey, followed by 10 days of incubation in which time they transform into bees. Honey is the general food for all bees except the queen who lives on a special substance produced by her entourage.
Honey is produced from nectar collected from trees and plants. The bees add purifying substances while exchanging it from mouth to mouth, then place it into one of the hexagons of which the hive is built. When the honey retains only 16 per cent moisture, the hexagon is sealed with wax until it needs to be accessed. Mauro dips a blade of grass in an open hexagon and allows me to taste the sweet liquid – thankfully bees always make much more honey than they need!
One of the families is missing their queen, first indicated by the humming of wings then confirmed by closer inspection. No queen means that the family will dwindle, yet bees will not always readily accept a new queen, that is born as royalty. Indeed, one that Robbie had tried to introduce was rejected and murdered by suffocation!
Mauro and Robbie continue to give me the details about the bee laws of stinging and suffocation, how the hierarchy and social system works and all the complex intricacies of life, death and survival within this fascinating society. Knowing its background, honey now not only looks like liquid gold to me but is worth as such.
Wednesday 12 September
I am surprised to go for days without leaving these premises, happily engaged in farmhouse living. I like to follow the paths through the forest sometimes, to the sound of the trickling stream, while the mountain bike allows me occasional escapes to the nearby gelateria.
Peaceful and comfortable in the simple lifestyle of this idyllic place, I realise that I have lost track of time. Colin and I promise each other to discover the surrounding wonders of which we have heard but not yet seen!
Websites:
Transport: www.trenitalia.it
Agritourism: http://www.agriturismo.it/enindex.asp
Contact Villa Govinda:
Email:[email protected]
Tel. (0039)039-9274445
Episode 18 of Melanie Drury’s diary is due on 24 September.
www.melaniedrury.com
[email protected]