From the Apuan Alps, past the border between the provinces of Massa-Carrara and Lucca, the road begins to descend a steep slope, where marble slabs set in the majestic mountains around can be seen everywhere. The protuberances of the rocks end right at the side of the road, presenting itself as a place at first glance threatening, almost hostile, but slowly an increasingly wide and grandiose panorama opens up.
The valley becomes entirely green, among small villages sprouting on the hills: we are in the heart of Garfagnana, place of production of the tastiest PGI spelt in Tuscany.
A historical region crossed by the Serchio River and covered by numerous forests, a place since ancient times of passage that connects the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines to the Apuan Alps to the sea and that historically constituted the outpost of the Republic of Lucca.
As early as Roman times, the cultivation of spelt, a nutritious and healthy cereal that was consumed by the imperial army before making their territorial conquests, was widespread. The microclimate of this area favors its cultivation because the altitude allows water to drain away and not concentrate at the plants, which must remain medium to low in height so as not to expose themselves too much to the weather.
Garfagnana spelt producers were able to form a community and organize themselves in 2010 into the “Garfagnana Spelt Producers’ Consortium” thus being able to draw on government grants that allowed for the full recovery of this crop, which was slowly disappearing, and the promotion of this cereal with great nutritional properties, which is assumed to have been originally cultivated right here, even before other areas of Italy. Moreover, it was possible as early as 1996 to obtain recognition of the PGI mark issued by the European Union.
Lorenzo, among the main representatives of the Consortium, shows us the meadow that is already completely green with the spelt seedlings that are slowly growing and will be ready for harvest in August. A few meters away is the mill, where through the use of modern technology the entire production process can be monitored: from the discarding of impurities to the milling process. As we watch all the various steps of the machines:
Lorenzo explains that the absence of cholesterol, the low glycemic index and the high protein content of this cereal promote the proper functioning of the intestines while giving energy to the body.
It has been thanks to the tireless efforts of this community that it has been possible to rediscover a fundamental product of our tradition such as Garfagnana spelt, which combines the taste of artisanal production with the healthiness of this cereal with a history dating back thousands of years
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