Associazione Il Fagiolo Secondo del Piano di Orvieto

Company, in this specific case, is not entirely an appropriate definition. For myself, Fiorangelo Silvestri, as president and for the other two growers of the Second Bean of the Orvieto Plan, Costantino Pacioni and Renzo Rossi, both partners, it is more appropriate to speak of an Association. Our story began about ten years ago when by recovering a minimal quantity of seed, jealously guarded by an elderly farmer, we managed not to lose not only a centuries-old legume typical of our area, but with it, a tradition and a genetic resource, today fully counted among those of regional biodiversity.

The Association finds its complete finalization in the dissemination of the cultivation of the legume, in the agronomic and technical support to those who have approached this agricultural practice to date and in the promotion of knowledge and tasting of the Second Bean, through the loyalty of restaurants and local shops, as well as making use of the Slow Food circuit, of which the legume has become a Presidium.

Having renounced any profit motive, the Association operates with the sole support of membership fees and with the few funds acquired from public tenders (or from voluntary contributions on the occasion of thematic events). Nonetheless, since it is a real agricultural activity, the possibility is left to the producer members to freely sell their products, in compliance with the prescriptions and standards that being associated entails for them.

As for the production sites, due to the characteristics of the typical area, located near the inhabited areas, and due to its structural conformation, these are modest plots of land, not contiguous, with no residential settlement.

A clarification must also be made regarding the cultivation, whose short cycle, of about 100 days, starting from the month of July, limits any possible opportunity to view the production process to the aforementioned period. It is therefore possible to see the cultivation of the Second Bean, from sowing (July), to harvesting (October), up to shelling (November), the land remaining fallow, or subject to cultivation of cereals or vegetables, in the remaining period of the year . Any purchase of the Second Bean is in any case guaranteed, up to the quantity available annually, by referring to the contact person of the Association, who will direct the applicant to the producer.

The Second Bean, in order to fully respect the organoleptic characteristics that distinguish it, is usually sold dry. The Association, in order to encourage its tasting alone, or rather in some typical recipes of the place, has intended to propose to some Orvieto restaurants, which have accepted, to include it in their menus (see Related activities). It is therefore possible to taste the Second Bean together with other local gastronomic specialties, as well as buy it, as well as from the producers, also from some shops selling typical products in Orvieto. It remains within the ambitions of the Association, trusting that the action will produce returns from an ever-increasing and consistent membership of local farmers, and with an eye towards young and cooperative entrepreneurship, to obtain greater quantities of product over time.

Considering that these actions will produce returns from an ever-increasing and consistent membership of local farmers, and with an eye towards young and cooperative entrepreneurship, it remains within the ambitions of the Association to obtain greater quantities of product over time. This will allow the implementation of dissemination and promotion also outside the district towards sectors, like catering and hospitality, favouring supply chains and methods coherent with our vision of agriculture and food also respecting the environment and the territory.