I have had a passion for agriculture, and for tomatoes in particular, since childhood: as a child, in fact, I helped my parents on the family farm to grow and process San Marzano tomatoes. During my university years, I studied Economics but always in relation to the agri-food chain. In 2017, after a long experience as an accountant, I decided to found the agricultural cooperative "Eccellenze Nolane". Together with Felice Vitale, a young agronomist, we recovered the native cultivars of the Vesuvian area that, due to poor production competitiveness (yield and post-harvest lifespan), had been abandoned in favour of modern cultivars selected by the industry (which have much lower organoleptic and qualitative characteristics). We immediately decided to root the company in the organic method and with Katia, my wife, we created a small artisan workshop to transform the vegetables from the garden into excellent preserves. Also on account of her training as a biotechnologist, she is in charge of the workshop. We have also opened an urban farm where, with the help of our chef, Ciro Del Vecchio, we have created the line of simple and tasty ready-made sauces, following the recipes of Neapolitan cuisine and always using our tomatoes and vegetables. I deal with the management and organisation of the different aspects of the farm: agricultural, processing and agri-tourism. My greatest joy is seeing that the vegetables I have grown are appreciated! The biggest challenges for me are getting the people of Nola to understand that we have an incredible agricultural and culinary wealth and making farmers aware of why they should carry on with the ancient seeds. CrowdFarming's philosophy fully reflects our values. Even before we were farmers, we became CrowdFarmers and we met other producers who, like us, are dedicated to the cultivation of extraordinary products and sell them directly.

Our company was founded on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius, in the ancient city of Nola (hence the name "Eccellenze Nolane"), in the area belonging to the "campania felix", thus defined by the ancient Romans precisely for its high fertility. We are an agricultural cooperative registered in the regional directory of custodial farmers (those who ensure the conservation of genetic resources at risk of extinction); in fact, we cultivate horticultural varieties of the Campania tradition that we have brought back to life and year after year we try to encourage other farmers towards the rediscovery of ancient seeds. We monitor all phases, from sowing to harvesting to processing, to bring a genuine product to your tables, guaranteed by organic farming and respectful of soil fertility. In our artisan workshop, all the raw materials are selected and processed by hand according to Neapolitan traditions. All the preserves are produced and packaged respecting the seasonality of the vegetables; the techniques are artisanal, but at the same time we follow the best process standards to guarantee food safety. To irrigate our garden, we use water from the aquifer through artesian wells and a drip irrigation system. Drip irrigation helps us save a considerable amount of water and sometimes allows us to administer fertilisers (ferti-irrigation) directly to the roots of the plants. The garden is irrigated only in summer, in three shifts per week and for three hours per shift. Approximately 6l of water is administered per plant. We cultivate organically, practicing rotation and green manuring. We keep strips of soil grassed year-round to promote the increase of agrobiodiversity and every year we plant flowerbeds with flowers such as calendula, sunflower, mallow and borage: this favours the growth of the population of pollinating insects and predators, such as ladybirds. We use a biodegradable mulching sheet on the first few cm of soil near the plants to prevent weeds from growing. Production waste is stored in the compost pans to produce fertile compost for use in our soil. We donate the excess harvest, and more, to Caritas in Nola, which is accessed daily by more than 120 people in need. Since the establishment of our agricultural cooperative, there are six permanent and five seasonal workers. All of our employees receive a salary according to the collective agreement. We promote flexible working hours to allow our employees to balance family commitments and private life with work as much as possible. We participate in community initiatives for the rediscovery of ancient varieties, we are guarantors of the SlowFood Presidium on Torzella kale and we organise "community gardens" (with the association UILDM CICCIANO) for people with disabilities.