Culture and Cultivation 

Culture and Cultivation
The idea of respect for the environment achieved through bio-architectural works is not limited to the protection of plant or animal species, but considers the environment as a whole, encompassing the land, the flora, the fauna and the people who populate, experience and modify it.

People
Amongst the collaborators of Dello Scompiglio are people with different experiences and young people who can grow and learn with the Project and in turn develop and transform it. Each employment, performance or commission contract always contains the clause “respect for the environment” with the twofold intent to protect the land that hosts us and maintain the active research that finds its meaning in continuous evolution.

Of the Flora and Fauna  
In the mountain areas, in order to give space to more typical trees and shrubs, weeds or species at the end of their vegetative cycle are replaced, with the help of specialist woodsmen and a tree climber. In the areas historically used for cultivation, the old functions have been recovered, liberating olive groves and vineyards from brambles and neglect. The typical or rare species are protected and left free to grow where they have developed spontaneously during the years of neglect. Common endemic species are grown on and replanted in areas cleared of brambles. A large area that expands from the Park through the Collina dell’Uccelliera (Aviary Hill) and the woods, embracing different environments and forms in a single garden, is the fulcrum of a plan for the regeneration and development of the landscape identity and environmental biodiversity.

Farm
The farming activity is inspired by the principles of organic farming. Earth is considered a complex organism with which we want to cooperate: not a resource to be exploited. The Dello Scompiglio vegetable garden began in 2007, with the idea of an organic and sustainable production focused on respect for the balance of the soil and the environment. The vegetables we grow are mostly ancient, typical and local varieties.
In the newly planted vineyards (Upper Vineyards and Lower Vineyards), we planted vines from the Vigna Madre (Mother Vineyard) and the Syrah grape, cultivated in the Lucca area since the 17th Century. The resulting wine reflects the territory and the climate of the vintage that generated it. The ancient olive trees have been partially recovered and share the space with other plants, mainly cherry and heathers, which have developed within the olive groves over the years of neglect.

Cucina Dello Scompiglio (the restaurant) 
Combining tradition and innovation, the Cucina offers menus related to the seasonal fruit and vegetable production of the estate and the territory, with particular attention to vegetarian dishes.

Seasonal fruit and vegetables, mostly local varieties, wild flowers and “forgotten” herbs, are selected daily and their organoleptic characteristics are brought out through the use of both ancient cooking and processing methods, and modern technologies and solutions. The raw ingredients are prepared with an awareness of their history and of their individual use, developed over time. The local gastronomic culture thus generates surprising results, yet at the same time, still connected to tradition. The continuous experimentation also extends into the artistic field and finds its expression in the free reinterpretation of some of the projects carried out by the Associazione Culturale Dello Scompiglio. This gives rise to special menus for tasting during the limited run and culinary staging of specific theatrical productions.

Cultural Association
The performance and exhibition activity and the external and internal spaces are in constant dialogue and influence one another. Each place can become a scenic space and each place is influenced by the artistic activity. The SPE - Performance and Exhibition Space, built according to green building and bio-architecture techniques, continues the reflection on the relationship between the inside and the outside, enhancing the absence of external influence. The artists, through a residency period preparatory to the creation of their own work, have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the life of the estate, and establish a dialogue with the place and its collaborators and activities.