Nestled away in a quaint valley where the mountains span out to the sea, there you will find KALAB
Nestled away in a quaint valley where the mountains span out to the sea, there you will find KALAB
I had just arrived back in Italy after spending one month at home to celebrate my 30th Birthday. On the cusp of officially embarking on this journey to set-up Vera Italia, it was time to “get out there” and begin working with the locals to secure the Culture Creators.
Amici, I believe that when you’re onto a good thing, just when you’re about to take a solid step, there’s bound to be a hurdle to deter you but — the secret and the magic lies within overcoming the hurdle, trusting in God’s greater plan and looking at it from the other side, when you’ve managed to take one more step.
So, how is that little dream of yours that you carry around in your pocket? Go on, take that next step!
Let me paint the picture, I had just returned from my comfort zone and was about to officially step-out into the unknown. Up until this point it had all been planning and chipping away on the set-up. I woke up the next morning after a 30 hour trip and was on a video call to my incredibly supportive and loving parents, sobbing away, asking what on earth was I doing being away from them and all of the love that surrounds me in Australia. I missed them dearly.
Then my phone rings. It was Manuel, my good friend and the Vera Italia videomaker. He said, Chiara, I’m coming to pick you up! I said goodnight to mum and dad, pulled myself together and got ready.
As I climbed the stairs, Manuel was there ready to go with his bright yellow car. Just seeing this car would brighten up your mood and as soon as you hopped in, you knew you were in for an adventure. I often say that Manuel was truly an angel that day. We first went to meet his Nonna, the most adorable petite lady who has a heart of gold. He said, I thought you’d be missing your family so I thought you’d appreciate coming to visit Nonna (and boy did I!).
After a coffee with some dear friends of ours, we went to visit Luciano…
Nestled away in a quaint valley where the mountains embrace the vast land that spans out to the sea, there you will find KALAB — an acronym for Calabrian Agricultural Lab, an agricultural company and producer of local fruit, vegetables and chillies! It was springtime so the fruit was in bloom and while strolling around the impressive fields adorned by trees, plants and shrubs that all produced some sort of produce, we snacked away as Luciano gave us a tour and invited us to try the seasonal fruits of his labour that were ripe and ready to be picked. AMAZING!
Luciano is a young calabrese who chose to remain in his homeland and continue four generations of farming. Plus, his young son Davide at five years old is already showing interest in continuing this farming legacy. When you think of a farmer, perhaps you think of a “simple life”: land, crops and produce. Amici, I have to tell you, Luciano is one of the most interesting and inspirational entrepreneurs that you may ever meet. On the surface level you see an extremely hard-working young man who spends his days in the fields ploughing, planting and picking the fruits of his hard labour under the scorching sun of Italy’s south. Dig a little deeper and the moment he begins sharing his ideas, his vision and his perspective on how to achieve that, you realise that in front of you stands a highly-educated, incredibly intelligent and brilliant mind.
In today’s day and age, perhaps working in the land may not be as highly regarded compared to other professions but if you think about it, working in the land is probably one of the most important jobs there is — providing sustenance and feeding an entire population! If that’s not enough, this giovane (young man) has taken his family legacy a step further, creating a brand for himself and a truly unique offer. Calabria is well-known for its spicy flair on certain delicacies and one of the most typical varieties of chilli peppers grown in the region is the Diavolicchio Diamante. Just think that every year, the town of Diamante has a chilly festival that features every type of chilly you can think of and is frequented by chilly-lovers from all over the world. Luciano is a horticulturalist to every effect and has taken this to another level. Visiting Luciano will not only immerse you in the agricultural tradition of the south, but you also have the chance to browse through a seriously impressive variety of chillies including some of the most spiciest in all the world. It’s truly remarkable!
I am so proud to share Luciano’s experiences with you because not only does it allow you to experience this farming culture and the traditions that have spanned throughout centuries that continue to supply us with food and nutrients, but you will also see the genius and the creativity behind the mind of a young farmer who is doing amazing things in his patch of land. Working with Luciano has been one of the biggest highlights of my journey because every time you see him, he always greets you with a smile, with a laugh, and he is always up for a chat about big ideas that are really exciting. He is so incredibly humble but so incredibly genius and having access to him and his friendship is truly an honour and a privilege. I truly wish him and his beautiful family all the blessings this world has to offer because they truly deserve it.
I hope you get to meet them so you can experience their love, passion and dedication to the land and the beauty that brings when you share a moment with them. Check-out his experiences at Vera Italia to pick some insight from his land of genius! https://www.veraitalia.it/culture-creators/kalab/
The first time I visited KALAB, I was like Alice in Wonderland — as my friends put it. Despite having had a rough start to the morning, being immersed in nature, surrounded by this land that was producing amazing fruits wherever you laid your eyes, it was truly soothing for the soul. One of my highlights was when we stumbled across a row of raspberries (I love raspberries, they’re one of my favourite fruits but not so easy to find in Italy). Luciano said, try one! My eyes widened with excitement! I delicately picked one off the vine and oh my goodness! He laughed at my reaction and said, “yep, it doesn’t get much fresher than that! The only way it would be fresher is if you put your mouth up to the plant and ate it straight from the plant!”…I’ll have to try that next time. Maybe we can try it together?
Amici, thank you for being here. Thank you for listening to my story and travel escapades that have led me to realising this big beautiful dream of sharing the traditions of humble Culture Creators in the beautiful region of northern Calabria. My prayer to you as you read along on my dream-chasing escapades and travel extravaganzas is that it will leave you with a glimmer of hope, an oomph of inspiration and the courage to take-on that little dream you’ve been carrying around in your pocket. Come visit!
Meet Luciano here: https://www.veraitalia.it/culture-creators/kalab/
Full article also available on the website Australian Good Food Guide:
https://www.agfg.com.au/article/four-generations-of-calabrian-farming-meet-culture-creator-luciano
