U Casanu

Visitors to the village of Santa Reparata di Balagna, who take the little dirt track behind the church, have no idea what an Ali Baba's cave they're about to find when they enter the home of Paulette and Antoine Poli. The farming couple, recently joined by their daughter Marie-Josèphe, display their entire production and know-how. Just imagine, in their beautifully laid-out sales area, jams, tomato sauces, garden vegetables, chestnut flour... When you see the breadth of their production, it's hard to believe that it's all the work of these three tireless workers. We don't know if the Poli family's days are longer than twenty-four hours or their weeks longer than seven days, but we have to conclude that there must be no shortage of work in the family. "We don't think about it, we just follow the seasons and production. In winter we make chestnut flour, in spring and summer we grow vegetables and fruit. And all year round, we raise cattle," explains Antoine in all simplicity. But beyond this abundance of agricultural activities, what's most impressive is his mastery of the various skills involved. There's nothing in common between cutting up beef and making jam, or perhaps a love of the land and a job well done, which the Polis have shared for generations.