A Day Out to See How Sustainable Animal Farming Works
05 Feb 2020

Good livestock farming is essential for animal welfare, for our health and—most importantly—for the protection of the environment and the fight against the climate crisis.
Farmers and consumers must start from this consideration and rethink meat production, seeking out a more natural relationship with the land and animals and eating smaller quantities of higher quality meat, which brings greater pleasure and better health.
Often these discussions might seem theoretical, but it’s not that hard to find farms that can help us understand what sustainability really means, in concrete terms.

As part of the Meat the Change campaign, launched with the support of the Italian Environment Ministry, Slow Food has outlined the profile of good livestock farming and is taking advantage of a partnership with Airbnb to offer experiences based on animal farming to anyone who wants to find out more about Slow Food and sustainable meat production.
Everyone who takes part in these initiatives has a double advantage. Not only getting to know how sustainable livestock farmers work, but also helping them carry on their businesses.
Experiences organized under the auspices of Slow Food are classified as having a social impact.
They give the opportunity to make a profit to finance the activities of the farmer who organizes them and to support Slow Food’s cause, giving up his share of the profit so that all the proceeds go to support non-profit organizations. Slow Food, in this case, will use the funds to continue to support its projects around the world, aimed at ensuring that everyone has access to good, clean and fair food.
“Finally we have the chance to share our work,” Damiano tells us.
The food and wine journalist and leader of Slow Food in Palazzolo Acreide continues:
“For many years we have been helping curious visitors discover the intense sensations that Sicily has been offering for centuries, like the scents of its wine, the flavors of hundreds of unique products, the fascination of its history, the beauty of its landscapes and the genuinity of its inhabitants. And to know Slow Food you also have to know the work of the Presidia, in our case the products made as part of the Nebrodi Black Pig Presidium. We start our experience with a walk in the woods where these extraordinary animals are reared and where they forage for acorns, roots and tubers. Then we continue with a visit to the workshop where together we make fresh and dried sausages. We conclude the day with a tasting of dishes made using sausages and lard from Sicilian black pigs, accompanied by cheeses, seasonal vegetables and bruschetta with homemade bread.”
Italy, Spain, Cuba, the United States: Around the world a number of livestock farms are happily opening their doors to consumers.
“Guests gather in our English-style garden with a view over the pond and the wooded wetlands,” explains Donna Simons of Pound Ridge Organics Farm.
“We make our introductions accompanied by hot local cider and some organic snacks before heading out to see the garden and meet the flock. Participants can meet all the farm’s animals, learn to tell the different breeds apart and find out about their habits as well as our work on the farm. Obviously there’s also a tasting of the products we make on the farm and a small souvenir to take home!”
“I can’t wait to welcome visitors,” says Pello Urdapilleta, the owner of Caserío Elola in Spain.
“They can enjoy the beech, oak, chestnut, walnut and hazelnut woods where our beloved pigs live freely for much of their lives. We introduce the new arrivals on the farm with their mothers, and if we’re lucky we’ll get to see the piglets suckling. We’re happy to be able to share the process of how our happy pigs live, breed and are fattened, as well as the history of our centuries-old farm.”
Here are all the activities available so far, all you need to do is book!
- Slow Food – The ancient Sicilian sausage – Italy
- Slow Food – Vacas y biodigestores en finca – Cuba
- Slow Food – Conoce cerdos Felices – Spain
- Slow Food – Pound Ridge Organics Farm Tour – USA
- Slow Food – Slow Food- Discover Micro Dairy Farming – South AfricaSlow Food
- Slow Food – Mangalica pig produrcers – Hungary
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