Paparoni Farm
In the municipality of the delightful Mirto , just 7 km from Capo d'Orlando , extends for 14 hectares, planted with citrus and olive groves, the family-run Paparoni Farm , founded in the early 1900s.
"At the end of the 80s, when I started to take care of the family business - my fixed idea was to innovate our production techniques, so we fully embraced the principles of agriculture biological, rationalized the irrigation system (with a considerable saving in terms of water and energy) and later we created a system of photovoltaic panels. Finally, we have built a cozy farmhouse, which is a popular destination for lovers of peace and nature.
Speaking of lemons, the cultivar used is a common female that has always been present on the farm and that has found its ideal habitat in this valley, where the Zappulla stream flows. Thanks to a particular microclimate, the result of our cultivation is a very aromatic lemon, very rich in juice and with exceptional organoleptic qualities, it is no coincidence that we are preparing the necessary for an IGP recognition.
The Paparoni Company, which is also an educational facility, in addition to the cultivation of lemons, oranges and clementines, produces an award-winning organic oil called "EMERALD OF CONTURA". It is a high quality oil, which comes from a rare and very ancient Sicilian cultivar, the MINUTA present only in a few plots of the Nebrodi mountains, which has obtained recognition of excellence by the international Slow food association, of which it is also a "Presidium" . In addition, the presence of the Sicilian Black Bee, also a "Slow Food Presidium", essential for
the pollination of citrus fruits suggested to me the idea of breeding it, so we are also a beekeeping company.
In recent years the company has also become an agritourism with the proposal of six holiday homes independent, comfortable and air-conditioned obtained from ancient farmhouses recently renovated and surrounded by greenery.
Guests also have access to 2 splendid swimming pools finely equipped.
To these must also be added the proposed activities such as:
"the discovery path" a beautiful walk through the countryside over 1500 meters long, rich of paths with an infinite variety of cultivated and spontaneous plants, such as Sicilian banana trees, medlar trees, mulberries or the many fruit plants as there are in the Sicilian countryside. Then, the history of our territory gives an extra touch to our company.
I must say that the vision I have of the company and that we are trying to implement comes from the memories of a child when I went to the countryside with my grandfather and it was a succession of emotions of things to look at and above all to eat. < br> The presence in the company staff of children under the age of thirty is a reason for pride and hope for a change of course. These young people have fully embraced the project of a new agriculture, which can be summarized in a few words in the rediscovery of peasant civilization, with slightly more modern objectives.