SOLARIA – BOCCEA FARM
270 hectares of Roman countryside where man is not at the centre, but part of a system in which everything is connected
The sweetness of the countryside loved by Goethe, cultivated as a single living organism
Grandfather Elia and the love for a land
It all began in the 1950s, when grandfather Elia fell in love with this land: 270 hectares of woods, valleys, and crops of grain, fodder, and olives just outside Rome. He founded the company and raised dairy and beef cows thanks to the work and dedication of one hundred families who live here, in a farming community that pulsates with the rhythm of the seasons. In 1999, his granddaughter Anna Federici took over the company with a revolutionary vision: to radically change agricultural methods. "We cultivate the well-being of the planet every day with ethical choices and natural methods," says Anna. "Man is no longer at the center, but part of a natural system in which everything is connected."
The turning point: from organic to biodynamic
Within a few years, Anna transformed the farm first to organic, then to biodynamic, embracing the principles of agroecology: farming within an ecological system, in harmony with nature's cycles, to create a resilient ecosystem, free from chemicals and antibiotics. The question underlying the biodynamic method is not "how do you fight a disease?", but "how do you create health and well-being?" The answer is a virtuous cycle of interconnected practices: multispecies green manures that regenerate the soil, crop rotations and intercropping, rotational grazing, composting of mature manure, and the biodynamic preparations of horn-manure and horn-silica—all natural tools serving the fertility of the land.
An oasis in Goethe's Roman countryside
Entering Solaria is like stepping back in time, immersing yourself in the sweetness of the Roman countryside, so beloved by Goethe and often depicted in his paintings. A pristine natural setting where diverse habitats coexist: rows of olive trees, hills, woods, streams, and lush vegetation, with hedgerows and wooded areas alternating with pastures that preserve the biodiversity of fauna and flora. It is in this oasis of beauty and well-being that animals roam freely, the olive trees that produce oil grow, and the vegetable garden, legumes, and grains thrive. A farm conceived as a living organism, where human activity serves the work of nature to generate health for both.
Three herds in the wild
Three herds of mares roam freely in the pastures of Boccea, each with its own unique character: the white-coated Marchigiana, docile, accustomed to humans, and beautiful, with highly prized meat; the Boccea Mesticce, a cross between Maremma cows and Marchigiana and Limousine bulls—enormous, hardy, dark, the most resilient, with extremely long horns; and the reddish-brown Limousine, fond of the prunings of the olive trees that dot their pastures. The herds live with the bulls and give birth year-round; the calves remain with their mothers until about six months, suckled naturally, and then raised on pasture. The human-animal relationship is participatory, designed to promote the health of the cattle raised on extensive pastures.
Two meat lines, one ethic
Production follows two approaches, both faithful to the company's organic and biodynamic standards. The young bulls and heifers remain on pasture for up to 19-23 months: only during the last two to three months are they placed in a large open barn, where they continue to receive grass and hay with a small supplement of grains—up to 15% of the ration, some of which is produced on the farm—for a young, naturally tender meat that requires little aging. The 100% Grassfed Boccea Adult Cows, on the other hand, are mature animals, born and raised on pasture and fed exclusively on grass and hay throughout their lives. Their premium meat, dark red with slightly yellow fat and rich marbling, is aged at a controlled temperature for at least two weeks to concentrate its flavors.
The chickens and eggs of Boccea
In 2019, a new challenge arose: raising chickens and producing eggs to put an end, in our own small way, to the industrial culture of intensive farming. The Boccea chickens live on a tree-filled meadow, sleep perched on roosts in open houses, and scratch around on grassy patches rotated weekly. They eat the grass, any insects they find, the feed prepared on the farm with home-grown grains, and the vegetables from the garden, which they love. No antibiotics or pesticides are used: there's no need. The result is hardy, robust birds with firm yet tender meat, flavorful and naturally rich in antioxidants like Omega-3.
The biodynamic garden: the rhythm of the seasons
Solaria's garden follows the seasonality of the plants, and each plot rests for at least one season. No weedkillers, pesticides, or chemical fertilizers: never an uninterrupted expanse of zucchini or a field of only eggplants, but rows of synergistic plants that protect each other from pests, sown after green manure or farm compost, and wild herbs left to grow once the plants are fully developed because they welcome insects that would otherwise only visit the vegetables. Harvesting occurs at the perfect time to offer the intensity of ancient flavors, favoring the most flavorful and resilient varieties, even if less productive: from spinach and artichokes in spring to authentic Neapolitan friggitelli in summer, from cavolo nero and Romanesco broccoli in autumn to pumpkins and radicchio in winter.
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