Our farm is in Monasteri (Floridia SR). There are four of us in Monasteri full-time, me Angelo, Valeria, my wife, Renato and Sara, my two children who live and work in the farm with us. We also have seasonal workers who come and help us during harvests. Monasteri is a special area and perfect for growing citrus because the altitude is not too high, perfect for nurturing citrus-based cultivation. In fact, the optimal altitude for citrus should not be over 250 meters above sea level. Our house in Monasteri is an old millstone built in 1880 - Before it became a citrus farm the farm was a vignard. The land conversion was done in 1955, when the previous owner changed its cultivation to citrus and then in 1980, my father purchased the land to cultivate citrus, the same ones as today. We are located across a number of plots around the River Ciane area (a natural reserve) and Contrada Monasteri which is a very fertile area in the South East of Sicily. Our altitude is approximately 100 meters above sea level – This is the optimal height to grow the best possible quality citrus. We promote biodiversity in the farm as we integrate our cultivation using beehives in our cultivated plots, ladybugs and different types of trees and plants. Our farm is based on sustainable cultivation and respect for nature. We use the ‘cover crops’ (sovescio) method, which is an agronomic practice that allows us to maintain or even increase the soil fertility by planting special crops such as legumes, cruciferous plants and grass in the soil. This system has allowed us to improve the organic substance to the soil, which helps slowing down the erosive process 
and reducing drought because the humus in the soil retains the water. The area around the Farm is very rich with local fauna. There are ducks, flamingoes, fish and reptiles around the River Ciane, while hawks, rabbits, owls and foxes are more visible inland towards Monasteri. We fight the presence of parasites that can harm the soil by introducing ladybugs and other insects that help the soil to become rich and healthier. We also use organic manure to feed the soil. We also promote the natural growth of nettle, which is regarded as the natural disinfectant for the soil and borage which flowers attract bees and ladybugs. The water that we collect to irrigate our trees come from local natural aquifers that we extract at approx 70 meters and up to 200m below sea level. Although, as we constantly promote the biodiversity of the environment by introducing specific plants and through sovescio, the soil requires less irrigation as it is able to retain more water in the ground. By using the drop irrigation we have become more efficient and are able to save more water and energy. The use of ‘Cover crops’ is a great opportunity for us to keep the soil in an ideal condition for nature to do its work in the best way. In fact, the soil remains protected, along with the microorganisms underground.