What has 50 cows, acres of Vernaccia grapes on the vine, 2,000 olive trees, breathtaking views, a welcoming restaurant and 11 rooms and apartments for guests?

Welcome to Fattoria Poggio Alloro, “Bay Leaf Hill Farm,” an Agriturismo property we visited this week. The Fioroni family has been working the farm since 1955 and purchased the land in 1972. The working farm overlooks the walled Tuscan city of San Gimignano and became part of a growing trend in Italy when in 1991 the family added a few guest bedrooms, eventually transitioning into a hospitality destination. We met manager and head chef Sarah Fioroni back in Virginia when she visited our area last March. Besides her involvement in the family’s growing business, Sarah is a busy lady with a bestselling cookbook and last October Sarah was a guest chef at the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

Back in Tuscany, the Fattoria Poggio Alloro complex includes 10 double rooms for guests plus one apartment with adjoining bedrooms. Rooms are simple, no television but free WIFI, and the terraces have commanding views of the Tuscan countryside. Americans comprise 40% of the visitors. The Fioroni family produce their own wines, olive oils, honey and other products for sale and use on the property. The organic farm produces 90% of the food consumed on the property. Guests are welcome to tour the farm, sample wines and even take part in a cooking lesson or two.

We are adding Fattoria Poggio Alloro to our list of preferred Italian Agriturismo properties.

Ireland may get all the press about being green, but in Tuscany this spring the fields are green seas of winter wheat swaying in the wind. The harvesting has begun at some farms but today we saw acres and acres of wheat destined to become Italy’s famed pasta and breads.

Did you know that the area around the town of Bassano del Grappa in the province of Vicenza north of Padua and Venice is known for its white asparagus? Legend has it that Saint Anthony of Padua brought asparagus to the region when he visited the area to appease the tyrant Ezzelino da Romano. By tradition, traditional harvesting season ends on 13 June, the anniversary of the Saint’s death in Padua in 1231…..This coming week the restaurants of Bassano will be outdoing themselves during the annual Bassano White Asparagus Festival with menus celebrating the tender pinkish white Bassano asparagus, especially the “Chiaro” variety of Bassano, which holds a national P.D.O. [Protected Designation of Origin].

April 28th would have been the 100th birthday of Ferruccio Lamborghini and the roads around Bologna to Ferrara, Italy will come alive with the sounds of sports cars as Lamborghini clubs and fans of the Lamborghini brand from around the world head to the Ferruccio Lamborghini Museum in Argelato for six days of birthday celebrations and remembrances from April 25th to the 30th. Some lucky drivers will get the thrill of riding their cherished cars full out on the Varano de Melegari race track. For more Italian celebrations, see our calendar of festivals

With Spring coming to Italy the festival season is underway. This weekend lovers of artichokes will be flocking to the town of Ladispoli on the Mediterranean coast north of Rome for a weekend of culinary fun highlighting artichokes, remarkable artichoke art works and music.