Meet Riccardo Clemente
- Who we are
About Riccardo Clemente
I lived in Genoa until I was 18, where I attended high school and worked as a beekeeper in Sant’Ilario, near Genoa. My father and grandfather both had art galleries in Genoa, but I was always interested in agriculture.
In 1993 I moved to Milan to study agricultural science and graduated in 1999. In 1996 I moved to Scotland to study agricultural science in Auchincruive, a suburb of Glasgow near the coast.
I drove there, but when I got to England, I took the wrong turn, driving on the opposite side!
I returned to Milan for a few months before returning to Slovakia and Hungary for four months to continue my studies in agricultural science.
Finally, in 1999, I returned to Milan where I graduated in agricultural science.
I started my first job in Siena, at Fattoria Il Santo, a 1000 acre farm near Siena in the Municipality of Monticiano.
It was a pleasant experience because it was a very large company with Maremma cows, horses, olive trees, wheat, cork oaks, agritourism and so on.
I started my career as an agronomist consultant in 2003 and at the same time I also started my blueberry farm in Arcisate (Varese) in 2004.
In 2022 I bought a piece of land in Poggibonsi, where I grow a 2,000 m2 vineyard and vegetables.
My wife and I have two children, Alessio, 14, and Silvia, 17, and a Labrador dog Nala, who is now part of the family.
When did you discover your passion for agriculture and viticulture?
I was 13 years old, living in Genoa, when I started cultivating my own vegetable garden and became a beekeeper with a teacher from my school. He was a priest, and while taking care of the bees, we would talk about life, God, and agriculture in Europe (he spent a lot of time in Spain). I loved agriculture, and at 16, I decided to become an agronomist and manage a farm. I studied Agricultural Sciences in Milan, spent a year in Scotland, and a few months in Hungary and Slovakia. After completing my studies in 2001, I moved to Siena to work as an agronomist for a farm and later as a consultant in my own practice. In 2004, I started a small blueberry farm in Varese, which was my dream. I have about 5,000 square meters of land with 1,200 blueberry plants and a production of 5,000 kg.
What do you enjoy most about the blueberry trade?
It is interesting and enjoyable to sell blueberries directly to customers. They ask if they are locally produced and come to visit the farm. After a while, I decided to let them come and pick the blueberries directly at the farm, spending a few hours in nature with their families, and picking the fruits straight from the plants. It has become a fun experience, and many friendships have formed, which are renewed every year.
Have you witnessed any changes in the industry in recent years? Do you see them as positive or negative?
I see a significant change in people’s mindset regarding the green economy and sustainable agriculture. Farmers are trying to use fewer chemicals and choose more sustainable products for their production (glass, wood, paper, etc.). Even the customers who buy blueberries ask me to use less plastic for coverings, baskets, etc. They often return the cardboard boxes to me.
Which part of the production process do you enjoy the most (from a technical standpoint)?
I enjoy reclaiming abandoned land and transforming it into vineyards and olive groves. Seeing the plants grow from small saplings without fruit to large and productive plants that yield excellent wines or oils is very rewarding.
What kind of experience do you aim to offer your customers when producing your wine/gin/cheese/beer/fruits and vegetables/honey?
I aim to provide wine tasting experiences and blueberry picking opportunities for my customers.
