Our Story

“Once upon a time there was a little currant plant growing beside a farmstead…”

On the Caregno plateau, at an altitude of 1000 meters in a wide clearing of meadow and grazing lands, where stood four farmsteads and a hunting lodge called Roccolo, now there is “Pesei”. The farm covers a surface of 12 hectares, and it’s surrounded by mixed woods with deciduous oak, hornbeam, birch tree, maple, ash, and linden as well as beech and spruce’s forests. Not so distant from Brescia, Pesei lies in a nook between the heights of Valtrompia, under the shadow of Mount Guglielmo, where time seems to have stopped…

 

1993-94

Life Dreams

La famiglia Saleri che da decenni custodisce la proprietà praticando la tradizionale attività dell’alpe, decide di lasciare Pesei. E’ in questi anni che Amedeo ( nella fotografia insieme alla mamma Giovanna e papà Annibale) figlio della proprietaria, all’epoca agronomo fresco di laurea, avverte la necessità di custodire quell’ampia radura che nei secoli passati è stata con fatica conquistata al bosco.

So, he begins dreaming and cleans up the area around the old Roccolo while he brings the first beehives near the Casina alta, the farmstead in the highest part of Pesei.

1993-94
1995

Amedeo and Abramo

Amedeo starts spending more and more time in “Pesei” and this is where he meets Abramo, who was born and raised in the little village of Magno, a fraction of Gardone Valtrompia. Abramo has been around the highlands of Caregno for all his life, it’s home for him and he loves to stroll in this area during his free time.

They become friends while mowing the lawn. Words and ideas flow one after another, between the gestures this laborious work requires… new projects are born from the enthusiasm of two young man and their common passion for the mountain.

1995
1996

A fresh start

The accidental encounter with a little red currant plant near one of the collapsed farmsteads with just its outer wall barely standing is the reason that will lead to a decision on what to do with the property: growing small fruits.
The first plants arrive in 1996, they are dog roses bushes, hawthorn, red and black currant.

1996
1997-2000

Pesei Farm

Nature showed the path to follow and in 1997 Amedeo Materossi and Abramo Sabbati’s Pesei Farm is born.

The ancient structures in the clearing are restored one stone at a time, from the Roccolino to the central farmstead, which will house the processing laboratory and the honey extraction room. More plants are added to the farm: blackberries and raspberries find their place among the orchard rows.

1997-2000
1997-2000

Pesei Farm

Here you can see the Roccolino before the restructuring done directly by Abramo and Amedeo with the help of his dad Giuseppe.

1997-2000
2001

The Farm restaurant is born

Our restaurant started by proposing our preserves, honey, and sauces to pair the cheeses and cold cuts from the valley.

2001
2003

The donkeys arrive (on all fours!)

The very first donkey to arrive is called Pedro. Then comes Carmen, who is the pack leader still now, and all the others.

2003
2003

Course for operator in didactic farms

Abramo goes back to school to become an operator in didactic-educational farms. 

2003
2002-2003

Schools in Pesei

Thanks to the schoolteachers of the valley, who pushed us in that direction, the didactic activity starts in Pesei, with the goal of handing down our passion for the land to the future consumers.

2002-2003
2011

Pesei becomes partner of Valle Trompia Ecomuseum

The Ecomuseo di Valle Trompia: la Montagna e l’Industria (the Mountain and the Manufacturing) is established in 2009 and in 2011 it is recognized by the Lombardy Region.

Valle Trompia Ecomuseum aims to create a connection between humans and the natural world they live in. It’s the beginning of a participated and shared path to discover again the surrounding area with the dedicated involvement of the community. In 2011 Pesei starts to be part of it by providing its expertise.

2011
2017

A choice that continues

Luca becomes Pesei Farm’s co-owner.

2017
2017

The world meets Pesei

We enter the Wwoofing and Workaway volunteer networks. People from all around the World come visit us to experience life in the mountains and help us in our everyday tasks at the farm.

2017
March 2019

The herbs garden is born

Pesei herbs garden project started thanks to the meeting with Chiara, a young bee who lived not so far away, and Laura, the old nomad hen.
United by their passion for the harvesting of wild herbs, in 2018 they plant the first “piante miliari” in the garden: gentian, echinacea, yarrow, lavender, Pimpinella, fennel…

March 2019
May 2019

Stallino Holiday Home

We start to manage the Stallino Holiday Home in Caregno, entrusted us by the municipality of Gardone.

May 2019
August 2019

Rebecco Farm

After a year-long journey, Pesei and other four farms of Val Trompia together make up the Rebecco Farm net, the first network of agricultural enterprises. 

August 2019
2022

1997-2022

Passo dopo passo arriviamo al 2022 sono trascorsi 25 anni e l’avventura Pesei continua

2022
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