PHOTOS PROVIDED / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
CUNEO COOKING CLASS … Bryce Peters, Nate Wieland, Ashtyn Sanders, Evan Siegel and Conner Sanders learn to make gnocchi at Open Baladin in Cuneo.
MONACO VISIT … Conner Sanders, Ashtyn Sanders, Nate Wieland, Evan Siegel and Bryce Peters stand on a terrace overlooking the small sovereign city-state of Monaco.
After nine days of traveling in Italy and France, the group of FFA and community members returned home in time to celebrate the Fourth of July.
The group began their journey June 25, flying from Detroit to Philadelphia and then Philadelphia to Milan, Italy, where they were met by their guide, Beniamino, on the morning of June 26.
After meeting up with another FFA chapter from Pennsylvania to complete the group, they traveled to Turin, taking a walking tour of the city and having dinner at a local restaurant.
The following day, June 27, the morning began with a guided tour of Turin from a local guide.
Before lunch, the group visited the Museo Nazionale del Cinema and ascended the Mole Antonelliana — Turin’s iconic tower, which houses the museum — riding its panoramic elevator for sweeping views of the city.
In the afternoon, the group was given the opportunity to explore Turin on their own. Many visited the Royal Palace of Turin or the Museo Egizio, which holds the largest collection of Egyptian artifacts outside of Egypt. Another highlight was the Cattedrale di San Giovanni Battista, where the holy shroud is preserved.
On June 28, the group traveled to Cuneo, making several stops in small towns to explore farming in the region with a local guide.
One of the stops was Castello di Grinzane Cavour in the Langhe hills of Piedmont, famous for its association with Count Cavour, a key figure in Italian unification who served as its owner and mayor.
Before a tour of the castle, the group was given the opportunity to stroll among the vineyards and learn more about grape production.
The following day, June 29, the group was again joined by a local guide who walked them through several agriculture-focused tours.
To begin the morning, the group toured a veal farm, learning about beef production in Italy and humane rearing practices. The group then toured a fruit-processing facility, Gullino, where they learned about the cleaning and packaging of local produce. They were also able to try different varieties of produce unique to the region.
For lunch, the group stopped in Saluzzo, where they were able to select a restaurant with local cuisine and visit the beautiful Cattedrale di Maria Vergine Assunta.
In the afternoon, the group toured Agrion, a fruit research facility specializing in integrated pest management and organic farming methods.
On June 30, the day began with a visit to Molino Bongiovanni, a historic flour mill, where the group learned about the processing, packaging and shipping of Italian flour.
For lunch, the group traveled back to Cuneo for a cooking class with a local chef at Open Baladin, learning to make gnocchi and hazelnut cake, which they then had for lunch.
The afternoon was filled with a tour of a dairy farm and centuries-old cheese making. At Cooperativa Agricola La Poiana – Valle Grana, the group learned more about dairy farming in the Alps and the process of making cheeses unique to the region.
La Poiana is specifically noted for the tradition of making Castelmagno cheese, which only around seven people in the world have been trained to make.
After the tour of the dairy and cheese-production process, the group sat down to a tasting of the various cheeses made at La Poiana and within the region before heading back to Cuneo for an evening of dining and exploring the city.
After three days in the Cuneo region, the group began their journey through the Alps, arriving in Nice, France, for supper on July 1.
During their travel to Nice, the group stopped in the Liguria region to visit a family-owned olive grove and take an in-depth look at olive oil production.
At Olio Ferrari, the group was joined by a local guide and given a detailed account of how the family sustainably maintains the olive trees, harvests the olives, cold-presses and stores the oil for sale.
Students were able to try their hand at the harvesting tools the family uses in December to gather ripe olives.
At the end of the tour, the group was given samples of the products made at Olio Ferrari, along with tips on what to look for when selecting their own olive oil at the grocery store.
Upon reaching Nice, the group was given a walking tour of the city before eating supper at a local restaurant and checking into the hotel for the evening.
Thursday, July 2, began with a tour of the family-owned perfumery Fragonard in Grasse, France. A company guide explained the historic process of creating perfumes from flowers and other plants from the region and how the company expanded to using plants from around the world.
She also took the group through selecting scents that match their individual body chemistry and how to identify quality perfumes.
After the perfumery tour, the group traveled to Monaco, where they were given a walking tour of the small sovereign city-state before taking time on their own to explore and have lunch.
The group returned to Nice for an afternoon of exploration and free time in the city. Many members went to the public beach, where they swam in the Mediterranean Sea, while others shopped and tried local cuisine before eating supper at another local restaurant and celebrating the birthday of one of the students.
The group of FFA and community members returned home Friday, July 3, with new perspectives and appreciation for other cultures, along with gratitude for the West Unity and Alvordton communities that supported them through fundraising for this travel opportunity.
Students also mentioned a newfound appreciation for air conditioning and ice.
