The pathway of the MADE IN ITALY vegetables - #pathwayoftheseedsofItaly

HORTIVES IN TOUR

The pathway of the MADE IN ITALY vegetables

#pathwayoftheseedsofItaly

THANKS TO YOUR PRECIOUS HELP YOU TAKE A STEP OF OUR TOUR!

The tour

A route dedicated to the rediscovery of ancient local varieties of vegetables region by region, through the knowledge of "food traditions" as cultural and ethnic elements of Italy.

10 vegetables for 20 regions to create a pathway dedicated of healthy eating Italian. A mission to accomplish in a year to increase the store of ancient seeds of Hortives Labs: this is the project promoted by Filiderba Association.

The preservation of local vegetable varieties contributes to the protection of agricultural biodiversity of Italy; rediscover, study and spreading again these old varieties is an action that implements environmental protection in the agroecosystem, especially in a very local level.

After careful investigation, the team of Hortives Researchers drew up an initial list of some varieties that will be the stars of the tour dedicated to their rediscovery, the study and collection of seeds.

A initiative completely in contact with the local territory of Italy that will lead to the rediscovery of tradition, authenticity and local customs. The team of Hortives Researchers will use contacts with some “custodians farmers”, small horticulturists, local people and associations and organizations of producers to recover these varieties and some seed samples.

We will organize three working groups that will depart from Milan to three directions Puglia, Sicily and Sardinia, going up the Italy encountering different regions. A trip long a year to regain our precious horticultural heritage and keep it for future generations. In each region the Hortives Researchers will initiate a thorough search of social and cultural information and written and oral statements to define and confirm some information:

• if actually that taken into consideration is a typical horticultural varieties

• the accuracy of the name given

• the collection of historical and cultural information

• collect as many testimonies of the historical presence on the territory of the ancient varieties typical of that region

• contact with local associations, amateurs, vegetables growers and “custodians farmers” for kindly request some seed samples

The project boasts a prestigious scientific partner, the CREA - Council for Research in Agriculture and the analysis in Agricultural Economics of the Ministry of Agriculture, Environment and Forestry of the Italian State.

Hortives

The mission of the research project HortiVeS, in the name of protection of land and horticulture of Italy, is to enhance the knowledge of old and local vegetable varieties of the Regions of Italy through the rediscovery of the "food traditions" as elements cultural and ethnic backgrounds of our country.

HortiVeS project wants to take care of horticultural crops by launching an extensive and meticulous research of seed varieties (preferably defined by the technical term "accessions") old and local for rediscover them, study them, make them known again to the local territory and protect them through the so-called conservation of germplasm implemented at the Seeds Bank and research laboratories of Hortives, today with 300 ancient vegetables accessions are preserved.

With the term ancient vegetable, Hortives refers to all the varieties of local vegetables which have now grown from a few amateur or small growers and custodians of old varieties.

THE MAIN ISSUE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO REDISCOVER THESE LOCAL VEGETABLES AND RESTORE THE IMPORTANT BOND OF THESE VEGETABLES WITH THE TERRITORY OF ORIGIN, ALSO PROPOSING RECIPES, TRADITIONAL FLAVORS AND TYPICAL PRODUCTS.

HortiVeS is creating a rich archive of: biological, botanical, agronomic, nutritional and historical related to each vegetable with careful reference to the link that the vegetables in question has with the territory and its tradition.

The attention of Hortives moves, year after year, towards a more thorough collection of varieties of vegetables and food plants in general, including at international level. In 2015, in fact, he was responsible for the organization of "TOMATO EXPOSITION"; the event was held in September last year, at the Milan City Council Nursery and the exhibition was entitled "Lycopersicum mundi": a collection of more than 100 tomato varieties from around the world. In 2016, the research was directed towards the "new" field of edible flowers, thanks to the activation of a new collaboration with researchers of France.