Sicily: Noto (Nov 2007)

My second WWOOF volunteer exchange took place at a farm just outside of Noto, in the southeastern corner of Sicily. I stayed here for only two weeks, but absolutely fell in love with the area, the people, and particularly the town of Noto. This farm was run by a Sicilian named Giuseppe and he produced olive oil (which he named after his mother), almonds, citrus, honey, and carob for sale. There was also a small flock of chickens that laid eggs for consumption on the farm. Unfortunately when I arrived the olive harvest had already finished for the year, so I helped with other projects such as the construction of an addition to the farmhouse, cleaning, and preparing packages of almonds and crates of olive oil for shipping. While there I got to go rock-climbing at Cava d'Ispica, ride horses bareback, visit a wetland bird sanctuary, and visit the most southern point of Sicily (and the end of Europe for that matter) too! (I'll post pics of those trips separately)

The community at this farm was bursting with energy! There were 3 friends of Giuseppe who lived there and numerous people would stop by throughout the day to help with the work or stay for meals. Dinner was my favorite because after we ate everyone would sit around the table for hours talking, playing the guitar and singing Sicilian folk songs. I learned a tiny bit of Sicilian while I was there! One night we travelled to a nearby friend's house for dinner and a bonfire and music. This summer during my travels I may go back to this farm to help with the almond harvest in August.

The town of Noto was both charming and exquisite; I wish I could have spent more time there. The town was completely re-built after a devastating earthquake in 1693 and has been called a "masterpiece of Sicilian Baroque" due to the great work of architects such as Rosario Gagliardi and Francesco Sortino among others. The town is also currently listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The main centro was a long street with shops, churches, a theater, city hall and other government buildings, restaurants, cafes, and little urban parks. In the evenings everyone flocked to this main street to walk up and down, as happens in many Italian cities and towns. This evening passegiata is one of my favorite things about Italian culture, where people of all ages leave their homes to socialize and get a little exercise too! I think we Americans can learn a lot about city/urban planning from these European models, which allow people to live within walking distance of all their needs and not have to drive a polluting car everywhere. And the beneficial health effects of all that walking would only help our American epidemic of obesity and diabetes. Noto is a town of only 24,000 but I think this "urban center" idea works great there and provides a more sustainable and community-oriented living space. I had a wonderful time at this farm and in Noto, I would definitely recommend it!