Rural Europe on the move English_chap7_13 | Page 76

CHAPTER 13
3. Federico, our cook and host presents the food story
4. Michele Russo, prickly pear farmer, member of the
regional mutual aid network “Permacultura Sicilia”
Prickly pears and
other sticky things
Federico Coppola serves up our
“We need to value
complexity and nuance,
understanding that
there exists a whole
host of legitimate
perspectives and
we need to talk the
issues out.”
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Mutual aid revival
One such friend is Michele Russo
who runs a prickly pear farm in
first meal as we perch on benches Caltagirone. With his explanation
overlooked by a giant agave in the of the regional mutual aid network,
afternoon sun. Our skin is pasty from we get a more concrete idea of the
the winter months and our bodies way various projects in the network
warm up and unfold in the gentle cooperate. Participants meet once
warmth and bright colours of the a month to help each other out, for
Mediterranean. We begin with a local example when composting, preparing
goat’s cheese from the shepherd who the soil, planting and harvesting. They
roams the rocky crags above us. We exchange seeds and collaborate on
can even hear the goats now, their forestry projects. “It is an occasion
bells cutting through the quiet. As he to leave your project,” says Federico,
serves, Federico tells us the stories of “to meet and share updates, explore
this food, whose hands have tended different landscapes in the same
the soil from which it was plucked and territory and exchange products, seeds,
what the flavour pairings might tell us knowledge and to celebrate together.”
about Sicilian history.
Federico is an ideal collaborator
What is exciting for me about these
spaces of confrontation is that they
for this leg of our collective writing make room for the sticky things. There
journey. Not only does he nourish are not always easy answers, simple
our bellies with delicious local fare, questions may yield a multitude
he also invites various friends to of valid responses. But in a time of
dinner to talk us through the work increasing political polarisation, the
they are doing to ensure local rural split of many countries and peoples
sustainability. into enemy camps is dangerous.