The many villas of Tuscany were the centers of large estates and farms.  The noble families of Florence and other cities acquired property and the bounty of these farms not only fed the owners but also the families that worked the land.

Traditionally, at Canneto, there was a dairy farm, as well as sheep and cattle (for work and food), but today, other than a few chickens and pigs, we have no livestock.  It was also tradition to grow feed grass in the fields between the olive trees, a tradition still carried on today on our neighbors' property.  We continue another great tradition of maintaining many small vegetable gardens worked by our neighbors, friends and the family on various parts of the property.

In the past, a number of fruit trees were kept on the grounds.  Because of this, today, we have bountiful crops of pears, apricots, plums, and figs, as well as lesser amounts of cherries, peaches and blackberries.  When in season you will find this fruit at the breakfast table along with our own jams and preserves which we enjoy producing.

As long as people have lived at Canneto there has been a farm.  While the activities of the farm have changed over time, the principle activity over the last one hundred years was not  producing a distinctive and special extra virgin olive oil, but providing sustenance for a number of families resident on the estate, according to the centuries old system called "mezzadria".  The farmers raised wheat for making bread, feed for livestock, fruit and vegetables, all for their own consumption.

Instead today there are about 2000 olive trees on the estate, all of which are used to produce the family's own olive oil.  To do this with the highest quality, the family continues to operate and maintain its own olive mill (frantoio), constantly updated according to the latest technology, where olive oil is also produced for our neighbors and clients who bring their olives to Canneto, usually beginning in October during the harvest.

The Fattoria also includes a small vineyard featuring mostly Sangiovese and Trebbiano grapes from which we make our modest production of house wines for the family and our guests in the old cantina of the Villa.