Mattia and Manuel Preci are two brothers united by a deep and shared passion for agriculture, rooted since childhood and matured over time in a solid and coherent business project. In 2015 they decided to found their family-run farm, immediately oriented towards a model of certified
organic agriculture.The company is headquartered in Castel d'Aiano, in the Bologna Apennines, and covers about 70 hectares distributed in different locations in the province of Bologna, with a predominance of hilly terrain. These are complex areas to cultivate, characterized by steep slopes and soils historically not suited to the production of legumes. In these mountain areas, the predominant cultivation is traditionally destined for alfalfa and pasture, to support the Parmigiano Reggiano supply chain, deeply rooted in the territory.
Precisely in this difficult and undervalued context from the point of view of growing legumes, the Preci brothers have made a choice that is as courageous as it is countercurrent: to dedicate themselves to demanding crops, with a high content of manual labor and, at times, with an uncertain yield. A choice that testifies not only determination and vision, but also a deep trust in the agronomic and cultural value of one's work.
Fundamental in this path was the figure of [LPAG_856], a historic member of the El Tamiso agricultural cooperative and an authentic pioneer of organic agriculture in the Apennine area. He was the first to introduce, precisely in these areas, valuable varieties such as that of the Puy green lentil, native to the north of France and renowned for its qualitative characteristics. His experience, his sensitivity and his knowledge have been a precious guide for Mattia and Manuel, who consider him a real mentor, not only technical, but also human and
ideal.The main crops today include legumes, in particular lentils and chickpeas, which are accompanied, according to a careful and sustainable crop rotation, by cereals, seed vegetables, fodder and buckwheat. One of the company's distinctive features is the self-production of seeds.
The attention to innovation is accompanied by a deep knowledge of the agricultural tradition. In recent years, Mattia and Manuel have embarked on a path of cutting-edge technological experimentation, collaborating with a subcontractor specialized in drone agricultural processing. This project, active for two years, has made it possible to carry out natural treatments (such as the use of fixing nitrogen and antagonist fungi) in an extremely targeted, timely and efficient way. The results obtained were more than satisfactory, both in agronomic and economic terms, thanks also to the significant reduction
in operating costs.Within the company there is an agricultural store, where customers can directly purchase cultivated and processed products, guaranteed by the organic brand and by a transparent and traceable supply chain. Dried legumes, flours, prepared and other processed vegetables are the result of careful processing, respectful of raw materials and aimed at keeping the nutritional properties of the product intact.
In addition to direct sales, the company continuously supplies several stores specialized in organic food, solidarity buying groups (GAS) and distribution circuits linked to agricultural cooperation. In this sense, the Preci brothers maintain consolidated relationships with some of the most historic and significant cooperatives in Italian el biologico.
Today, Mattia and Manuel represent a clear example of young and conscious agricultural entrepreneurship, capable of focusing not only on the product, but also on the landscape, the people and the stories that make it alive.
