Do you want to discover our countries? Try with donkey!

We partecipated at trekking “Walking walking with donkey”, sent by Nonsoloturisti at the Azienda Agricola La Piemontesina. Two days intense, interesting, funny, sometimes – I do not deny – very tiring, but that allowed me to really discover a world. If you’ve been following the #piemontesinatour hasthag of those days, you know what I’m talking about.

Versione Italiana.

We meets and knows a slow campaign, you can visit ancient sites that should be more famous, you can meet kind and helpful people that they put a passion into their activities and they are really able to contribute at the development of the area.

We arrive early in the morning at Azienda Agricola located near the “Mandria of Chivasso”, and soon we meet our traveling friends. Valentina, blogger of enogastronovie, and Domenico. They are two friendly people.

The farm has the first Agriasilo of Piedmont.

A place where children are welcomed and they can experience the great outdoors.

The owner, Emilia, is organized for the imminent reopening!

Arrived donkeys: Cantoira, Giusy and Nina. For my daughter the feeling with Cantoira will be immediate, always when in a stretch a bit more difficult and wet cantoira slipped on her, and she is very muddy between our laughter.

I know my daughter well enough and those who follow me in the post, you know that me and my husband we’ve never spared any kind of experience, even strong, but to see his happiness and his enthusiasm for the presence of donkeys, one thing that mistakenly we considered a little ‘trivial until a few days ago, made me reconsider many aspects. Are indescribable her enthusiasm and passion, even in wanting to be the first with a post in his mini-blog!

A fast brushed and in a short time our donkeys are ready with the load than necessary, especially water in view of this hot day.

It starts so between paths and walkways, roads, villages, countryside, …

We don’t know exactly our program and the first hours of walk run faster.

The land – fortunately – is flat and learn all about donkey is fascinating for us adults too.

There are so many attentions that must be used and which, until a few hours ago, we did not suspect the existence.

For example: in the first part of walk, must not let them eat the grass on the roadside, or they take it as a game and they don’t walk. For convention you always stay at the left of the donkey, although I must admit that this aspect has not been so respected by our group, especially when the donkeys decided to do what they want!

The surrounding country is calm and relaxing and it allows us, at least at this step, do not feel tired. Sometimes it speeds up a bit, other times it slows down, sometimes you stop in the shade and took advantage of the break to drink … are the donkeys to set the speed of our walk.

It’s particularly when there is water on the ground. The donkeys are not able to distinguish the depth, therefore, for them, which are few centimeters deep or is a river … is the same thing.

When you reach a tiny trickle of water, which we cross without even thinking about it, here you feel a tug on the rope: the donkey stops and there’s no way to walk it again, except with a lot of patience and if passing in front of one a donkey that has a little less afraid of water.

For lunch we arrive at picnic area along the Dora where we eat the sandwiches and then cool our feet in the cool and white waters.

Did you know that the color of Dora is unique and is different from Po? it’s whitish and in this area the natives give a different name at waters depending on the color and, therefore, of the origin.

In this heat immediately freshen your feet. The regenerative effect is immediate!

However, it is time to leave.

Walk, walk we reach the farm “A casa di Giò” (At Giò’s home) and here we have the opportunity to know Giovanni.

A really interesting and unique farmer.

we bind the donkeys, and he, with a passion and enthusiasm uncommon, immediately give us into the reality of his biological farm.

We learn a lot about bees and we visit a honey extraction room.

Explains how he is organizing its natural oasis, he talks about his lakes and all the projects he has, and I assure you they are so many. It takes us for a stroll at his orchard. Are truly countless qualities of fruit trees and certainly I would not be able to describe them all. This is the banana mountain. Do you know  its existence?

But he knows everything perfectly, every plant has a story and his passion is to bring back to life a fruit now abandoned and mostly extinct. How he doing this? We are asked too!

A lot of farm families and not, they still have in the garden or in some corner of the property, some quality plants that now the big production abandoned as unprofitable. And what does our friend Giò? he search, he finds them, and take a little plants on his property! Only his patience and passion can make them. I taste them really a lot, and each one better than the other particular, together with the hearty snack that is offered.

We decided to sleep in the rooms of farm and I have to admit that we are lovely impressed.

New, clean and delightful in their decor with taste and search for the particular, as well as attention to the guest made of small gestures like a bottle of water on the bedside table or a piece of raffia decoration.

A refreshing shower and we are ready for dinner. The Giò’s wife accompanied us to Campagnette.

A fine restaurant and characteristic, where we taste different local dishes.

Tired we come back at the farm even if they are only 22, but our strength is finished!

Lisa is still with donkeys: fence, fodder, water, … and the next morning, when we finally able to get up … she has already done all and the donkeys are ready to start!

It ‘s really tireless … and he even slept in a tent!

Everybody work to load donkeys and in a short time we are ready to go.

And go again for paths and lanes!

We arrive at the old mill which is actually called New Mill.

It’s really wonderful!

Is no longer used and the wide wheel can be admired in all its majesty recalling the glories of yesteryear.

In addition, the water rushing down creates a microclimate fresh in this hot day … that, in addition to cool again the feet in this water very cold … really makes me want to never leave again!

The interiors are all made of wood and the historical vicissitudes of this mill, are very complicated.

It’s very interesting to move us through the various old machines.

Touch flour and old wooden furniture.

And hear the interesting and very troubled history of this place.

Stop at this delightful – and cool! – corner for lunch.

For us and for donkeys.

It’s time to go to towards the mill still in operation.

The walk here is longer and the heat is felt … but not for Valeria which continues to conduct Cantoira!

The mill, being Sunday, is stopped.

But of course the patient owner works in, because, “in here, you never stop.”
He explains and show all about the mill and moves the water line in a river to tell us the best operation.

Wood, flour, motors, water, wheel, there should be more posts just for this mill to be able to describe the hard work of every day, alone, the owner held here.

But we buy a Manitoba flour for pizza and strongly recommend you a visit.

Walking walking with a donkey … more tired and exhausted than ever, we are in view of Piemontesina.

Finally arrived and still have time to taste the milk of a donkey.

It has a very particular flavor, and even color and texture are different. I found it very good. As well as the cosmetics that the company produces with very intense aroma.

It ‘s time to come back. This experience so unusual and special that allowed us to live emotions, to know good traveling companions and to see printed on the face of my daughter, the satisfaction and joy that probably only experience so simple for us adults can really give.

In the words of The Little Prince that I love so much: “All grown-ups were once children, but few remember it.”

I bring home this mainly from the weekend: the opportunity it gave me to remember it a bit!

Good trekking with donkey at all and do not risk to do like me: bring your kids. Their joy and enthusiasm will surprise you!

Versione Italiana.