Saturday Oct. 13th
Today I rode the "one speed" to the market in Telese for the first time. The market happens every Saturday but this is the first time I've gone. I received an email from my next farm saying I need to bring rubber boots. The market is the best place to find almost anything. So I rode in and was taken by surprise when I saw how enormous it was being that Telese is a relatively small town. There were 3 merchants just for fresh fish. Many for fruits and veggies. Several for cheese and salumi. But it's the tables of piles of clothes that amaze me. Each table has a price stating what each piece costs. It's either 1 Euro or 2 or 3 up to 10 Euro. But I had to find boots and disregard all this amazing stuff for very little cost. I did have to stop at one tables though and found a sweater, zip front, 80% wool with leather patches on elbows and a high neck. It would feel good on me when it gets a little chilly. But it was 4 Euro and I probably wouldn't have room for it. Most everything is new; some used.
A pizza truck would do really well here for the 5 hours of the market. They close off at least 2 roads completely for everyone to set up. Shoes! Lots of shoes and socks and underwear and kitchen wares and winter coats and leather bags. I found the perfect rubber boots-new- for 10Euro. But I had to have them and I really don't have time to shop around being I'm leaving next Saturday. I bought 2 really large golden delicious apples for .50cents. That was breakfast. Home I went on the one speed with my bag of boots hanging from the handle bar.
WHOLE GRAIN WHEAT GROWN FROM SEEDS THAT WERE NEVER MODIFIED
Maria Pia is a member of a small group of professionals who are constantly seeking out organic and NON genetically modified foods to either grow or just eat.
So 3 cars of these people met to go to a farm in Benevento owned by Rocco's parents who, on their land, grew this sought after grain which was just cut and the wheat kernels removed and put on plastic in the barn. We all got there and scooped the whole grain into sacks each weighing about 40-50Kg each (around 80+lb). The farm owned by Rocco's parents, Luigi (85) and Angela (75) was perfectly clean and very much in order with no clutter or anything out of place. Angela's newly planted garden (Winter garden) was very large. I'm guessing about 1/3 acre with an occasional olive tree here and there. There was not ONE single weed in that garden! It was amazing to see how this tiny little woman of 75 could manage such a place. Her husband, Luigi I'm sure was of no help being he walked with much difficulty and a cane. I wish I had my camera. He looks like a very typical old Italian man with a kind of constant smirk on his face. More like a grin. Very happy looking man with a hat.
The view from the house was spectacular looking out over the huge Benevento valley with all the farms in brown and green patchwork and the mountains all around.
After loading a total of about 750Kg (about 1700 lb.) of wheat into the cars we went into the house for beer and cookies.
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