By Federico Donti
“If grown well and with the necessary precautions, the product is excellent! Olive oil, which in its simplicity is obtained from pressing, thus becomes a healthy food for man” the owners of the historic Trasimeno oil mill tell us.
For more than 50 years, the Paciano mill has been the heart of olive growing in the region. For generations now, olive growers have been producing their most precious commodity in autumn: their olives. Then comes the solemn moment of squeezing the crop into high-quality olive oil and reaping the fruits of this passionate work. But the mill is much more than that. It’s the centre of the community, where people meet, chat, talk about anything and everything (and of course the best olive oil). In short, it could be defined as Paciano’s second market. And so the mill lent its services year after year: “Until we realized that it was getting old.”
Precisely in this year (2024), the structure turns 50 years old and the new management has every interest in implementing the renewal that has been generated by local historical traditions; Reviving olive growing in the area is a goal to reaffirm not only that agriculture is the vitality of the area, but that local traditions are precisely the continuity and the irreplaceable life cycle. “In order to understand them, you also have to experience them together,” Norbert explains.
“There is a lot to discover in our region, especially the silence and tranquillity. In villages steeped in history, such as Paciano, the rhythm of the world is still comparable to a heartbeat at rest. You get the feeling that time flows differently in Umbria. This is also something that contributes to the charm of the region, because it is not the tourists who set the pace, but nature and life in a real and living community,” he tells us.
“Everyone here knows each other and helps each other. Where agriculture reigns, the weather is not simply a climate, but a fixed quantity that affects everyone. Here you can discover a refreshing coexistence, based on values such as friendship, helpfulness and authenticity. The people here are down-to-earth and closely rooted in their territory, a bit like the olive trees that have been for generations, and will remain forever, the pride of the family,” he concludes.
We are located in Paciano (which is 391 meters above sea level near Lake Trasimeno. The medieval town has been included among “The most beautiful villages in Italy”), a wonderful scenery in the typical Umbrian countryside, between the green hills and Lake Trasimeno; along the Buttinale road, you arrive right at the oil mill.
With these premises, the project was born from the partners Norbert and Stefan, linked not only by a friendship, but also by the love for the territory that they have chosen for their lives! It all started three years ago, with the machinery that was already available: “The knowledge and experience of the workers who are still in the structure give added value and pass the baton to the new recruits,” they explain. Boasting the experience of people who have been working in the mill for 44 years and, with vitality and great spirit of initiative, giving their great daily contribution, building the fame and history of the mill.
Since the 2023 olive harvest, they have been able to offer customers the new service at the mill with the new machinery: state-of-the-art equipment for the entire pressing supply chain. The new technological plant provides eight channels, each for its own olives – with a dedicated nitrogen process for storage and new bottlers. The property is certified organic.
They are keen to let us know that the mill is 100% eco-sustainable, not only thanks to the important photovoltaic system, but also for the entire transformation of the waste products of the pressing: each element is separated and put back on the market, such as the olive stone (which is an excellent fuel) and the waste water, shipped directly to the biomass plant. “In short, nothing is discarded!” they say proudly.
In addition to the service for third parties, the mill produces its own high quality organic oil with olives coming directly from the olive trees of the neighbouring lands, with the intention of giving something back to the community that welcomed the project with great warmth: with the name ‘Buttinale 73’ this new production also begins: not only the classic extra virgin olive oil, but also oils flavoured with rosemary or other spices – ground directly with the olives themselves.
The ‘Oil Mill Project’ is expanding! In fact, the renovation of all the old annexes has been planned, to give new life and spread the culture of milling. They also hint at an international initiative that we will learn about very soon – more about later!
Info: Frantoio del Trasimeno, in addition to pressing, offers other services, from bottling to domestic and foreign shipments – and is planning online sales.
Voc. Buttinale, 73 – Paciano (Pg) / Tel. +39 075830227 / www.buttinale73.com / it / info@buttinale73.com