Hortus Gymnasium:
biodiversity and ethnobotany in agronomic practices

The Hortus Gymnasium Farm has started activities that are consistent with the protection of North Latium and North Calabrian biodiversity, applying the principles of ethnobotanics and eco-sustainability in cultivation, through:

• the registration of the company to the certification of organic production with effect from June 2016.
• the valorization of the existing olive grove consisting of local varieties, of which recovery has begun. Olive farming, predominant in the company’s production, will only be conducted organic techniques of traditional agriculture.
• the recovery of the surviving vineyards and replanting of a vineyard reinventing the traditional red and white vine varieties of the territory: Magliocco, Gaglioppo and greek (for this purpose the first production titles were obtained in 2016). Setting up a vineyard in Lazio with red grape varieties typical of the Lakes of Tuscia region: Cannaiolo and Aleatico. The vineyard will be raised with a form that is now desuet, but it guarantees great quality, that of the tree.
• Planting of Mediterranean aromatic trees and shrubs such as laurel and rosemary.
• Cultivation of endangered legumes and vegetables such as the lentil of Onano and the vine leek, also known as “aglione.”

Hortus Gymnasium adhered to:

• the cooperative society AS.PR.OL. Cosenza in order to participate in projects of the olive oil sector
• the Association of Wines of Calabria and the integrated project “promoting the wine industry”