A Journey of Regeneration at Quinta Marugo

When co-founders of Quinta Marugo, MaryAnn Voli, and Ugo Uberti Foppa first arrived, the soil around Quinta Marugo was extremely depleted due to tilling and the land laying bare for extended periods in preparation for planting grass for sheep farming.

To regenerate the land, Ugo decided on a strategy to prevent further topsoil erosion by planting native drought resistant bushes that provided ground cover. During periods of heavy rainfall the bushes act to keep topsoil intact and when the area is experiencing droughts, the bushes retain humidity to help keep moisture and life in the soil. After four years, the area planted with native bushes is thriving and much greener than surrounding drier areas.

Quinta Marugo has a 1,000-square-meter veggie garden that provides local and seasonal vegetables for the vegetarian retreat. To cater for its many mouth-watering vegetarian dishes and sweet delights created in the kitchen, the retreat collaborates with neighboring organic farms that provide a steady supply of freshly grown fruits and vegetables. In line with permaculture practices implemented by Ugo, manure from resident horses and donkeys, and worm castings are used in compost to fertilize the onsite veggie garden. Companion planting is also preferred to avoid insecticide use.  Ugo likes to share his gardening practices on social media to educate people about the benefits of gardening.

They also like sharing their healthy eating habits with guests through their menus. “One positive outcome was that we discovered that our Zero sugar menu has inspired our guests to reduce the amount of processed sugar in their diets and feel better because of it,” said MaryAnn.