The 21 August 2014 We went to visit the Association Archeology, in San Lorenzo di Lerchi, near Città di Castello, in Umbria. A very intense experience, guided by the stories of Isabella Dalla Ragione, Chairman of the Organizing Committee for the Archeology Foundation.
(Text to follow adapted from http://paesaggiocritico.com/2011/09/23/archeologia-arborea-lucilla-intervista-isabella-dalla-ragione-serena-dandini-e-maria-cristina-leonardi-villa-borghese-18-09-2011-la-conserva-della-neve/ ) In 1960, Livio By Reason, painter and anthropologist, In contrast to the atmosphere of the period, Decides to leave Rome to return to inhabit the homeland on the hills of Umbria. He travels to San Lorenzo de Lerchi, near Città di Castello, buy a plot with an abandoned Church and a building, probably the rectory. Shall endeavour to their restoration and then I moved the whole family. Drawn heavily from the roots of the people of his homeland, Livio he founded and directed the Museum of popular traditions of Città di Castello, but rather than by objects feels attracted by the flavours and smells, especially by the aroma and goodness of some fruits of his childhood have now disappeared, sacrificed to the fast process of industrialization of agriculture. In his land, the old kitchen garden of the pastor, There are only a few vines, but valuable, some very old plum and almond trees. Livio li gears according to the ancient dictates and plays them, then begins to scour all the high Tiber Valley looking for fruit plants escaped to accept or simply abandoned in uncultivated land now. Knocks on the door of cloistered convents to visit their gardens closed, walk through the gates of the old mansions and goes to find old farmers. Returns from the plants identified during the fruiting, back again at the right time to do le marze. Take home, Gears, plant in its terraced field and save. Visit libraries and archives, law and collects all the old books of agriculture for classification, starting from the twelve volumes of Columella, Maybe our first agronomist. In short, a big job.
Among the daughters of Livio, the vocation of his father tap Isabella and she just teenager starts to follow him in his wanderings: up and down mountains, almost always walk. Soon she is even less adventurous part of the undertaking entrusted with the: cataloging and classification of plants. Isabella chooses to devote himself to them, Wherefore Coronet his studies with a degree in agriculture from the University of Perugia. For years work and research together, father and daughter, relying totally on their economic strengths and resources. Laboriously raggranellano assets of approximately 450 plants of over 150 different varieties. An enormity. They founded the Association "Archeologia Arborea" which aims to gather, Save and play, through natural farming techniques these witnesses food biodiversity. (Text taken from the http site://paesaggiocritico.com/2011/09/23/archeologia-arborea-lucilla-intervista-isabella-dalla-ragione-serena-dandini-e-maria-cristina-leonardi-villa-borghese-18-09-2011-la-conserva-della-neve/ )
In 2007 Livio from reason is dead and Isabella continues to pursue this great project. You can help by taking even a single plant and made known to more people the archeology project. http://www.archeologiaarborea.org/it/
