The Orto’s organic crops derive from a production system based on respect for the seasons and management of natural balances – aimed at limiting the depletion of soil, water and air resources – making the harvest unique and rich in biodiversity. By adopting a technique that has governed traditional agricultural production for centuries – crop rotation – one can safeguard, in the medium and long term, both the farm’s production requirements and the soil’s capacity for self-generating fertility and structure, assuring a model of development that will endure over time.

One of the main tenets of organic farming is the protection of beneficial insects or “friendly insects”, as Vittoria likes to call them, which are bitter enemies of parasites and plant pests. The use of medicinal herbs is also fundamental, allowing the production of organic antiparasitic pesticides in the form of macerates or infusions, to fertilise, oxygenate and mineralise the soil. The practice of mulching is also widespread, consisting of covering the soil with hay or allowing it to become grassy, to protect it from jumps in temperature and to hinder the development of weeds. Lastly, crop rotation plays an essential role in limiting the growth of weeds and improving soil structure by making it more fertile.