MEMORIES

For Marco Viola, the olive symbolises his family tree. It all began in the 1800s with Biagio and Lucia, who transmitted their passion for olive cultivation to their son Ferdinando. It was then Ferdinando’s son, Diamante who made his contribution to the history of the Viola family when he applied his entrepreneurial spirit to extending the cultivated groves to 30 hectares and subsequently opening the first family mill in the castle of Sant’Eraclio. Diamante’s son and Marco’s father, Biagio Viola followed and became the family custodian of their intense feeling of connection to the land  and to this extraordinary fruit, the olive: a green and generous  pearl  but also a  demanding fruit regarding time and nature. This is the reason why the Viola family has lived in symbiosis with the olive tree for 150 years: thanking the sun that makes it grow, fearing the frosts that could ruin the fruits, but always defending it with patience, respect and dedication. Marco has deep gratitude for the olive tree and therefore pays careful attention to all stages of production, from the olive harvest to the consumers table.

MEMORIES AND PROGRESS

My name is Marco Viola, I was born and live in S. Eraclio di Foligno, in Umbria and I am proud to say that I am a farmer. I love my land deeply because it is from it that I have received and still receive all that I know and possess. The greatest gift my family has passed down to me is the passion I put in the cultivation of the olive trees that grow on the hills near my village and that have for centuries clung to the clefts in the rock. I can’t remember when I first felt attracted to this job but I instinctively chose it. I grew up in contact with nature, enjoying the colours of my land, and day after day I have learnt to love it. My choices have always been guided by a strong sense of admiration for those who have made a lot of sacrifices to grow olives and have devoted themselves fully to farming. My childhood memories are connected with the various phases of the cultivation of olive trees:

the care of the groves, the hope during the flowering season, the cheerful voices and songs of the harvesters and the fragrance of the new oil at the mill.I am proud of my origins, but this is not enough to produce high quality oil. To get this result it is necessary to adopt ethical behaviour, acting in a fair way and taking care of the environment and consumers’ rights. That’s why I have chosen organic farming which is based on respect for the land and in keeping with my life philosophy. I am sure that all we give to nature will be given back to us as a precious gift, and that’s why when I chose organic farming I didn’t think of our public image and I didn’t just aim to obtain a high classification, but I was mainly interested in the quality of our olive oil. Organic fertilizing and traditional farming techniques are fundamental to have a high-quality crop together with the right balance between the olive tree and the environment. Here is the secret of our Firm: every single bottle of our olive oil has a history of its own. It is the result of a hard year’s work which begins in the olive grove and ends in the oil mill. The cultivation, harvest and processing of the olives are carried out following our family traditions and all contribute to making an oil for a customer who is very selective and able to appreciate its fragrance and taste which are the flavours of Umbria. The organoleptic features of this product are unique and cannot be reproduced artificially.

PRATICAL PHILOSOPHY

The agricultural company Viola is committed to pursuing a programme of social responsibility with the aim of developing sustainable agricultural practices, respecting the environment and guaranteeing a healthy product to the consumer. The project is based on a series of tangible daily activities that ensure close monitoring of the entire production chain, from the olive grove through to the final product in the bottle, and in this way, the consumer is provided with a guarantee of a healthy, high quality product.