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Presently we operate for the community as an example and as free of charge consulting. Guests of our Sicily holiday accommodation are welcome to pick all the biological fruit they can transform into marmalade and carry away with them. We encourage guests to enjoy the Nature Park by walking and rding our local little train “Ferrovia Circumetnea”, unfortunately we do not have other public transport.
For energy saving we use sanitary water heating with a thermal solar system of my invention. Winter heating is provided by the reduction of heat dispersion and the burning of agriculture shrubs pressed into bricks thus not creating a carbon dioxide load as the material is renewable. We have reached the point that we burn no fossil fuels. We have 250 sq. meters of rain water collection for recycling of grey waters for irrigation and fertilization. Grey waters end up in the irrigation water reservoir (of cement...it already existed) after leaching the ashes of burned wood.
So the agricultural water which is supplied by a consortium from springs fed with Etna (3400 meters high) snow melt is enriched with potassium that lacks in volcanic soils and phosphates from soaps. We do not use other fertilizers. Fruit is smaller, but real. We are in an advanced stage of planning for the installation of 120 sq. meters of photovoltaic cells to produce electricity to be inputted in the national grid. We recycle organic matter in compost. We are reducing waste in general by refusing plastic bags and extra wrapping from shops. We support conservation by trying to use the most environmental friendly products.
We minimised the impact of the construction by repairing an old construction (built in the 14 hundreds) with traditional local materials, avoiding plastics and cement (as much as possible). Our philosophy is of not being extremists (ex.: lets not ride an electric powered train to demonstrate against a new electric power plant dam or do not cut with a gasoline powered chain saw fire wood) so we conserve as much as reasonable. The materials used at our are lava stone, both ornamental i.e. cut, possibly ancient and by hand, and raw (stone) for construction of walls. Oak beams, cement reduced to less than the minimum and substituted with “calce idraulica” (a traditional very hard material made of plaster and ground terracotta.) Of course the wiring and safety switches are new and at CE standards.
The cladding in and out has been done with “sabbia di Palermo” (a ground stone – I believe a sort of sandstone - that mixed with water upon drying synterizes and makes a sort of hard surface). The sinks and bathroom appliances are of ceramic. Walnut and pine wood (which grow on Etna) for windows and flooring. Fireplace made of lava stone. Recycled ancient tiles for pavements. Security of the house with ancient iron gates bought at scrap metal deposits.
Hot water for sanitary use is produced by a solar collector of my invention (it will never be on the market because its good, easy to build and cheap). The principle is simple: 700 litres (3 tanks in series) immerged in a hot air thermal solar power oven. No pumps no controls. We have experienced that energy efficient light bulbs have a very short life outdoors, so outside they are not efficient nor purchase cost saving so it is limited to the interior.
The area around our our Sicily holiday accommodation is quite wild and there are enormous extensions of Mount Etna Volcano park that are left for wildlife including eagles. We do not plough. We have the fortune and pleasure of having a rare variety of carnivorous plants. Being in agricultural land in the Nature Park of Mount Etna active volcano we produce more than we can use and allow others to collect fresh fruit. We purchase and consume only local organic foodstuff and reduce animal protein to the minimum recommended by our physician. Local personnel is employed (not much: only what is strictly needed) for the care of the land and the cleaning of the lodge.
Our place is small, the work is done by my wife Ingrid and I, and the only help we get is in room cleaning and some times on outside work such as rebuilding the ancient water flooding system and dry walls that are becoming too heavy: every year that passes stones get heavier (I am 63). We try with a little success of being of example. The ancient skill we have manage to resuscitate are: dry stone wall building and pressing the grape by dancing on them. The most important difference that the lodge makes is that is passes unnoticed: silent and joyful.
The Palmento di Gilferraro was a a family vineyard with a wine processing plant renovated at the end of the 17 hundreds by Domenico Coffari After discovering the existence of this family property, abandoned for more than a hundred years, we checked it out and bravely decided to make our house out of it. Ten years of reconstruction passed, traditional elements were used and the house was finished. But is was too big for us! From there to open up as Etnalodge the step was short. The main effort that has been made was to render it sustainable and we believe we managed: Solar, Organic, Recycling
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