In 1994, the agricultural experience of Caritas Ticino was born with the Pollegio farm. Since 2011 the farm has been converted to the organic method (with Gem BioSuisse) taking the new name of Social and Organic Farm.
In 2022 the farm moved to San Antonino continuing the work of about 30 years in the socio-professional insertion of people in unemployment and assistance. in agriculture.
Caritas Ticino has always carried out mainly horticultural activities in cooperation with the Federation OrtoFrutticola Ticinese (FOFT)-Tior SA, in recent years a process of farm diversification is underway with the introduction:
Organic Beekeeping since 2014;
Management of organic American Giant Blueberry production in Gerra Verzasca since 2015;
Production of organic vegetable seedlings since 2015 both for internal use and for since 2016 ProSpecieRara (where Caritas Ticino is the reference nursery for their productions); since 2017 Erbe Ticino (since 2017) with the production of organic aromatic seedlings for producers in the sector;
Production of organic medicinal herbs in Pollegio and the Verzasca Valley;
Production of Jams and Processed products since 2014;
Since 2017 with the Biocassette project https://www.caritas- ticino.ch/catibio/biocassette/
Products: Seasonal organic vegetables and fruits, jams and processed products, honey, organic medicinal herbs both fresh and dried.
Agritourism offerings: The agritourism project was created in continuity and as a development of activities in the agricultural sphere. The agritourism activity promotes encounters with the agricultural and social worlds through information and training modules for young people and adults on issues of environmental sustainability, critical consumption and circular economy
In the new facility it makes use of dedicated spaces in particular:
a. A multifunctional room for both catering (with the capacity of 50 covers) and for conferences with the capacity of 70 people;
b. A fully equipped kitchen;
c. Meeting room, training, convention, etc. with capacity 20 people.
d. Also available are:
a. Nursery (for teaching activity, training activity of participants, promotion activity of the CatiBio project);
b. Orchard (for teaching activity, for the training activity of participants, for the promotion activity of the CatiBio project);
c. The whole company (for the teaching activity, for the training activity of the participants, for the promotion activity of the CatiBio project).
There are several educational modules for schools with specific topics related to farm activities:
- SUSTAINABILITY ON THE FARM: A time for learning and action
- A DAY ON THE FARM
- WE SEED TOGETHER: Let's sow the seeds of Biodiversity, let's protect our territory.
There are specific information modules for adults:
- LET'S PLANT TOGETHER
- GREEN GIFT DAY
SUSTAINABILITY PATH: From Earth to Plate. Food as a sustainability supply chain.
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Details of the agritourism offerings can be seen on the farm website: www.catibio.ch (site being completed)
