THE CHESTNUTS

October is certainly the perfect month to "chestnut", go to the woods where the trees change color and drop the delicious fruits kept in the hedgehog to the ground.

In Bagno di Romagna there are many opportunities to harvest chestnuts.

In the area of ​​Acquapartita, Selvapiana and surroundings, one of the richest in chestnut groves, you can contact the local structures that manage the collection in packages, even daily, dedicated to the autumn fruit.

We can suggest the following structures:
Ca 'di Gianni Farm tel. 0543/917358
Valbonella Tourist Center tel. 0543/918729
Agriturismo Incisa tel. 0543/910516
Hotel Miramonti tel. 0543/903640

We also report the contact of Mrs. Daniela Bartolini, who on request and for a fee, makes available her own private chestnut grove for the chestnut harvest (cell. 347 7136035).

Furthermore, in the Alfero area (a few km away, already under the Municipality of Verghereto), you can contact the following contacts:
Mr. Albino Faggi owns private land where it is possible to pay for chestnuts: you pay for what you collect (Via Don Babbini, 118 - 47028 Alfero di Verghereto (FC) - cell. 347 0478649).
The Piccolo Hotel offers packages for chestnuts with activities connected to its structure (Via Padre Guerra, 3 - 47028 Alfero di Verghereto (FC) - Tel. 0543 910193).
The Hotel Bellavista alle Balze, also in the Municipality of Verghereto, also offers the experience of harvesting chestnuts (Via Campo Madonna 3, 47028 Balze di Verghereto (FC), Tel: 0543-906630).

Important:
We do not recommend entering the chestnut groves in the area without authorization as most of them are privately owned.
Instead, we recommend that you plan at least a full day, to be able to combine the chestnut harvest with a nice meal in one of the many restaurants in the Upper Savio Valley, where you can enjoy mushrooms, truffles, delicious recipes and of course ... chestnuts!

Recipes: we suggest a tasty traditional recipe based on chestnuts, Il castagnaccio.

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 A short and curious scientific premise (text extracted from:
https://www.eataly.net/it_it/magazine/come-fare/come-raccogliere-castagne/#:~:text=%2D%20Per%20raccogliere%20le%20castagne%2C%20nel,lavoro%20per%20evitare%20di%20pungersi)

chestnuts are not a dry fruit, but to be exact an achene contained inside a hedgehog. Each hedgehog contains in most cases 3 chestnuts: as they used to say, one to the master, one to the farmer and one to the poor. Furthermore, they are born from the chestnut, a plant of Mediterranean origin with an imposing stem with a branched crown that reaches heights of about 30 meters. Those who want to go to chestnuts, therefore, will have to do it in chestnut woods at an altitude between the hilly one and 1200 meters at the most.

The fall of chestnuts from a plant lasts about 30 days, so the ideal would be to return to the same place every 3 days to always enjoy the new fruits.

To collect chestnuts, if they are still inside the hedgehog, it is advisable to open the shell by exerting a slight pressure with the foot and letting the fruit come out with the help of a small wooden stick. It is important to use thick work gloves to avoid getting stung.

Chestnuts should be collected in a wicker basket (as mushrooms are collected) or in a jute sack. Better to avoid plastic bags that do not guarantee correct transpiration.