Fontana Murata Fattoria

Hi, my name is Ambrose, I've been farming since I was young. I think that cultivating the earth is a privilege to share with people who are prolific, cheerful and related to our way of being. The philosophy we pursue is that of a purely human exchange, preferring to stay together to share the beauty that nature offers every day, convinced that land and crops are important tools of socialization and awareness of food self-determination. We are firmly convinced that it is from the earth that we have to restart, to redefine the time that this globalized society tends to get us out of hand.

Our farm is family-run. I, Ambrogio, live here permanently, while my wife, who works as a biologist and teacher in Palermo, comes here every weekend. Sometimes also our daughter comes here. We speak only Italian, so you should have some basic knowledge of the language. The farm surface of about ten hectares is used for olive growing, cultivating antique grains rotating with legumes and foraging, we also have a permanent vegetable garden and grow a type of tomato which is typical for the area. Moreover, there is a small orchard and woodworking equipment. We do not use chemical fertilizers or herbicides to respect human health and the environment. The work carried out in the company is not just about land cultivation and harvesting its fruits but also for maintenance, carpentry and masonry. We also have some animals that we take care of, like sheep, two goats, a donkey, chickens, some cats, and a young lovely dog. Volunteers can learn agricultural processing techniques, learn about Sicilian plants, and enjoy wonderful walks immersed in Sicilian nature. We are looking for people who can help us cultivate the soil, with the masonry of the housing estate, and with the maintenance. Volunteers work no more than five hours a day with two free days per week. Work is not difficult, it is a manual job that has to do with earth and plants and also some manual and artistic work. The volunteer will have a shared room with bathroom or stay in a caravan or tent. The hospitality we offer aims at the practical exchange of information, respecting the lifestyle and in harmony with the environment. The living property is very large, with large outdoor spaces and various plots of land. The territory is rich in archaeological sites. Visits will be organized with the means of the company as long as possible. There is also a train station just a five minute walk away so it is very easy to go to other cities such as Palermo, Catania e Agrigento.