Livia Firth and Twin Brothers on Quintosapore

The Quintosapore innovative farming project may be nestled in the verdant and peaceful Umbrian hills, but echoes of Hollywood and Cinecittà are not too distant.

Actor and chef Stanley Tucci and Oscar winner Colin Firth have been spotted at the farm in Citta’ della Pieve, which is hosted by the latter’s ex-wife Livia Giuggioli. With her twin brothers Alessandro and Nicola, the siblings have been developing  Quintosapore as a unique location.

Alessandro was also an actor, appearing in movies ranging from the 2016 remake of “Ben Hur” to “Spider-Man: Far From Home.” But he left the business for the quiet countryside and never looked back, founding the farm with Nicola in 2019.

“This was our dream since our childhood,” says Alessandro.

With a chuckle, he admits he and his brother were quite atypical children. “We were obsessed by different kinds of seeds and started collecting them, from those that produced white tomatoes to yellow zucchini and lots of heirloom seeds.”

Their parents had a house just a few steps away, where the children would spend their summer holidays. When the opportunity to buy the land nearby presented itself, Alessandro and Nicola jumped at it.

The farm also offered a safe haven during the pandemic for the siblings, and Livia has been actively supporting Quintosapore, managing its communication and marketing initiatives.

Her Eco-Age consultancy, targeted by criminals and forced to close in 2024 after 17 years in business, had advised clients on industry developments, changes to government policies and practical guidance on how to avoid greenwashing. The three siblings share the same holistic vision for Quintosapore.

“We want to put back real flavor and nutrition into the food we grow and eat, and we have been creating our own stable environment replicating the diversity found in natural ecosystems to create resilience and adapt to the changes in climate, showing that another way of farming is possible and can flourish,” says Alessandro.

The majority of crops are heritage and rare — including the Malmaturo wine, made from a forgotten Etruscan grape variety. “We were told the vineyard was too old and that we should cut it down, but Alessandro waved away the advice and now it produces a successful and rediscovered red wine,” Livia explains.

The Giuggiolis’ approach leads to blending innovative techniques with ancient traditions. “Generally, the conviction is that we can impose ourselves on agriculture but it’s the other way around — we should cultivate crops in harmony with nature,” says Alessandro.

Accordingly, Quintosapore has been developed through biomimic farming, which “involves emulating and incorporating natural processes and systems into farming environments, drawing inspiration from nature’s efficient and sustainable methods of producing food,” explains Alessandro. “We combine regenerative, biodynamic and organic principles with innovative techniques such as agroforestry and effective microorganisms.”

This approach eliminates the reliance on chemicals, promotes organic and regenerative farming techniques, and aims to increase yields while preserving the health of the land.

“Some people think we are crazy and that this is unrealistic but it’s actually more convenient not to use treatments and fertilizers,” says Livia with a shrug.

As an example, she recalls how Eco-Age was tapped by Wembley Stadium to develop sustainability initiatives, citing in particular the work done on the pitch, which led to “saving 1 million pounds” in costs.

Eco-Age clients have over the years included Golden Goose, Ugg, Diesel, Harrods and the Natural Diamond Council, to name a few. Meanwhile, Quintosapore has partnered with Candiani Denim and Matteo Ward, founder of WRÅD, a design studio focused on sustainable development now under the Inside Out umbrella of Suzy Amis Cameron, on biodegradable denim jeans. The resulting compost is used to enrich the soil and grow crops of tomatoes, for example.

As it explores and advances regenerative organic agriculture  through experimentation, Quintosapore works with the Rodale Institute, the University of Urbino and the National Research Center (CNR) in Rome.

Throughout the almost 90 acres of Quintosapore, the Giuggiolis grow more than 1,600 different varieties of vegetables and fruits, ranging from Okinawa melon to white truffles. There are 400 fig trees and the Giuggiolis have planted 1,000 Paulownia trees for natural shade over some of the crops. Quintosapore also produces olive oil, which is not surprising since there are olive trees as far as the eye can see.

“We set ourselves to create our own stable growing environment, to adapt to a changing climate and to show another way of farming is not only possible, but can be extremely successful,” says Alessandro.

Limited-edition products, dubbed From Soil to Jar, are made in Quintosapore’s Farm Kitchen Lab with organically certified and hand-harvested seasonal fresh vegetables. These range from zucchini and eggplants to artichokes and are sold to established restaurants and relais such as the Michelin-starred Niko Romito and Cibreo Trattoria in Florence and also can be purchased online; at the brand’s store in Città della Pieve, and at Rinascente, among others.

The Giuggiolis organize several events at Quintosapore, including special celebrations and weddings, truffle hunting, menus by visiting chefs, or the Serate nell’Orto [Evenings in the Vegetable garden], which are monthly evenings of music and food for the community.

For example, doors open for the Soil to Fork Experience, where visitors learn about farming the Quintosapore way and are then treated to an outdoor lunch with a view of the hills and Città della Pieve in the distance. Five-course tasting menus feature all the fresh vegetables harvested on the day, cooked on the outdoor wood-fire Ofyr and Green Egg Kitchen.

“We have created a community through the Quintasaporean Club,” says Livia. “Through personal and private orders, you can have a box of our fresh produce and our oil or goods in jars delivered to your door once a week or once a month.”

Proudly, Livia points to a project called “Humus,” or Soil, which has invited Indian-British activist and author Satish Kumar to speak, “connecting people to soil and food.” Humus has collaborated with the likes of Davines, the Italian beauty company recognized for its sustainable business model, and Slow Food Italia, among others.

“We have treated the land as a resource to exploit, forgetting that it’s our first home,” says Alessandro.