GITA EL TAMISO 2025

The traditional study trip that our Cooperative has organized every spring since 2006, to research and consolidate relationships, experiences and places, this year focused on the upper Piedmont and the Rice Biodistrict, seasoned with necessary historical and cultural testimonies of the places.

About forty people participated, including partners, collaborators and family members; with the usual presence of citizens “active” in informed consumption, in particular the Bellunesi GAS, El Ceston and Il Tarlo.

Already upon arrival, we found ourselves immediately enveloped in the welcome of Silvia Tomasoni, Cascina Santa Teresa, Marco and Giuseppe, all part of the Biodistrict group of companies — then in the afternoon we experienced first-hand the particular technique of planting rice on a ryegrass lawn, then flooded, a chasm of diversity from conventional techniques, in which biodiversity simply does not exist. We are in the so-called “baraggia” (moorland), a territory with poor clay soils, which in recent centuries have become vineyards and rice fields, the “highest” in Europe in terms of latitude, bathed by the rivers closest to the Alps, in our case the Sesia. Then the visit to Cascina Teglio, with Maria Paola di Rovasenda, our “inspirer” of the trip and guide to the magnificent Castle of

Evening and night discovering the great Sanctuary of Oropa, 1200 meters above sea level, above Biella.

On Sunday, with a very nice climate that accompanied us throughout the trip, passing through the “Ricetto di Candelo”, a medieval place of unexpected beauty and popular culture and history, a visit to Giorgio Tirelli's traditional rice mill, put back into operation with great passion by the owner also because of the need to work and package the rice from the Biodirection intended for the El Tamiso Cooperative.

Also unexpected is the passion we found in the town of Masserano, during the magnificent visit to the Museum Center, among the volunteers led by Marisa Coppiano.

Evening among the vineyards and tastings at Podere Monolo, in particular of wines, where it was learned that in those areas “rice is born in water and dies in wine”!

Monday, May 19, was dedicated to an in-depth visit to the Sanctuary of Oropa, an ancient place of worship and hospitality on the paths between the plain and the Val d'Aosta, rich in tumultuous waters.

Finally, back to Silvia Tommasoni to enjoy good food and above all to strengthen relationships between us, based on a common passion for peasant agriculture and environmental and social sustainability.