The self-service orchard : sustainability and originality meet in Lombardy

This initiative stems from the desire of citizens to live an experience in contact with nature, in open air, to get quality food, controlled at a good price. The experience is more engaging if lived with family or friends. The project was born in the Bergamo area where some farms have decided to plant fruit trees or vegetable gardens on their hectares of land and give visitors the opportunity to independently collect the products and take home a lot of succulent and quality fruit or vegetables.

Thanks to initiatives like this, Lombardy proves to be an increasingly green region, attentive to sustainability and respect for the environment. Through this formula of the “do it yourself” harvest, the relationship with the land, with the fruits that the latter provides us with, and the importance of consuming local products is emphasized.

Respect for the land is also manifested in the indications of farmers, who, once the doors of their orchards are opened to visitors, explain to the latter the rules to be respected to avoid damaging the trees and compromising their production.

The visitor who wants to live this experience can discover the origin of what he will eat next, how these products were born and raised. It is an opportunity to test the quality of the product directly on site. In addition, during the harvest, a member of the farm staff will be available to visitors to answer their questions, curiosities, to show the different cultivated species, explain organoleptic characteristics, times and methods of cultivation of plants, but also to give a general smattering on agricultural activity and inform about biodiversity and seasonality of the various types of fruit and vegetables.

There are numerous varieties that can be harvested in these agricultural lands: from strawberries to cherries, from apricots to peaches, pears, grapes and red fruits such as raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, currants but also vegetables such as asparagus. A positive experience on different aspects, from the environmental, social and educational value. A system of shopping “from plant to table” that enhances the region, guarantees consumers products at affordable prices, seasonal fruit and vegetables without forgetting the importance of environmental conservation.