Il Foionco green
Il Foionco is an organic agriturismo based on principles of respect for the environment, sustainability, and ecology. Our farm has been certified organic from the very beginning for all its products, which mainly include extra virgin olive oil and cereals. In 2016, we planted 1,000 organic olive trees were planted, adding to those already present on the estate. We follow the principle of crop rotation, which promotes soil regeneration and respects the recovery time of the fields. For soil cultivation, we adopt practices that avoid plowing, preserving the natural soil layering, which is essential for biodiversity.
The recently built structures on the estate are made of wood according to eco-building principles and are classified in Energy Class A++++. The restoration of the old manor house was also carried out with a green approach. For floors and coverings, we chose certified antibacterial porcelain materials. The pool, designed for very low energy consumption, is equipped with an advanced microfiltration system that minimizes the use of chlorine and other chemicals. The garden, designed by an experienced landscape architect, features Mediterranean plants and flowers that require minimal water even during the hot season. For irrigation, rainwater is collected and stored in large underground tanks.
At Il Foionco, we exclusively use renewable energy, produced by two company photovoltaic systems with a total capacity of 36 kW, harnessing the power of the sun. Our accommodation facility follows the same philosophy: we offer organic, sustainable, and local food, minimizing waste. We pay particular attention to waste separation and the use of ecological cleaning products, minimizing environmental impact.
The Legend of Foionco
It is said that in the Emilia Apennines, particularly in the area between the Secchia and Panaro rivers, there lives a legendary creature known to all as the Foionco. The Foionco is a very peculiar animal: it has the appearance of a nocturnal bird of prey, but with three legs, a hooked beak, and a disheveled tuft of feathers on its head. It is an incurable chicken thief and lazier than a dormouse (it is said to mate only by taking advantage of seismic tremors). But the most curious characteristic of this strange predator is its uncontrollable passion for... Lambrusco wine!
At night, it would leave the thicket where it takes shelter in the Apennines and, slowly, glide down the hill and then across the plain between Reggio Emilia and Modena, in search of the fattest chickens and the finest Lambruscos. Many swear they have seen it fluttering around the two provinces in front of the entrance of some tavern. Some even tried to prove the existence of the legendary Foionco with an experiment, leaving a bottle of Lambrusco outside their door every evening.
Result?
It has never happened that the wine was still outside the door the following morning!
Flora and Fauna of the Foionco
The Cats of Foionco
The estate is home to a colony of Maremma cats, adopted over time, who have chosen this location as their home. Our guests will forgive their exuberance, which is especially lively during the summer evenings.
The care and feeding of our little friends are exclusively managed, and with great attention, by the owners.
The Swallow Show
Every Spring, the swallows return, more numerous than ever, after a long journey from Africa, to restore the existing nests and build new ones. Starting from May, the first chicks begin to hatch, and then leave the nests to make room for new broods, until the end of August.
"Organic farming, the availability of insects for food, and drinking water make Il Foionco the ideal place for these birds, which are beneficial to the environment and great consumers of pesky mosquitoes! If you stay by the pool in the late afternoon until sunset, you will witness their dance as they glide over the water's surface to drink, oblivious to those swimming in the pool. For this reason, and due to the risk of extinction, in Italy the removal or damage of nests is punishable by law.
