Agricola Toma

AGRICOLA TOMA.

WHO IS IT.

WHY.

When I was just a child, I remember the love-hate relationship my maternal grandfather had with a fickle land, like a beautiful fiancée. That bond ended, but the profound and earthy feeling had been transferred into the heart of a daughter. And it was marked by a small plot of land, only 3500 square meters, which my mother proudly guarded jealously like a reliquary of delicacies, the sancta sanctorum of the most exquisite oil I had ever tasted.                                                                          

And meanwhile, that little boy grew up and learned that for his own land, despite a thousand recriminations and perplexities, there remained an unconditional, visceral love. Humanistic studies, beloved poetry, and the desire to revitalize this land and territory, too often trampled by daily events, found a natural incubator in the context of the Agricultural Institute, prophesying a passion for the land that became a modus operandi. I taught and learned from colleagues, observed and acquired the tricks of the trade with the secret intention of a challenge: to give voice to the best that this land could offer. And the best was there, still is, it just needed to be seen, to be recognized. The best is called oil, precisely Extra Virgin Olive Oil of Peranzana, a unique food and seasoning, with a full and strong flavor typical of the Alto Tavoliere, which I renamed Poet's Oil because it is the marvelous poetry of my land. And so, the transition from a small plot of land to one of centuries-old olive trees was an instant... Hectares cultivated according to organic principles. In all truth, I believe there is no better quote than "Do what you can, with what you have, where you are" to best explain the name of this dream cultivated with passion. And if it is true that ideas and projects are more suited to engineers and architects, making dreams come true is rarer, more visionary, more poetic... And if a literature professor, in love with poetry and a poet himself, dreams, it's like saying... the die is cast, and the result is given:

Poet's Oil!

In summary, it is the gestation of a dream as a seed within the soul of a land. And this dream, a relay of affections, becomes a tangible reality with my son, because here it is about creating a sustainable enterprise, putting our face to it with all the burden and honor that it entails. The poet's olive trees are also pens to narrate a territory and its delicacies (tomatoes, wheat, grapes, and, of course, oil).

Peranzana oil, an autochthonous variety (originating from the San Severo-Torremaggiore-San Paolo Civitate district), is a green ink with recognized beneficial properties.

Goodness and wellness are the prerogative of Poet's Oil because the consumer's health is that of its producer. And if goodness also means beauty, for that perfect ethical-aesthetic combination that recalls the Platonic Kalos kai agathòs, Poet's Oil, a high-quality extra virgin oil, is the successful synthesis and purpose of daily action because doing is that poiesis which the Greeks understood as poetry in action, civic commitment, and human endeavor.

The Poet

Lucio Toma

APPENDIX

Poet's Oil is a unique product, passionately created by Professor Toma himself in the countryside of San Severo, in the province of Foggia, one of the most fertile areas in Italy. The province of Foggia is rich in "vertisuoli," soil fertility conditions that facilitate the presence of over 2000 botanical species. Additionally, it is located between the Gargano National Park and the Sub-Apennine Dauno. This makes it easy to understand why Prince Raimondo Di Sangro, an Enlightenment figure from the 18th century, decided to transplant olive trees from Provence, France, to this land.

Poet's Oil is a pure EVO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil) made from Peranzana olives, obtained through non-intensive soil cultivation, natural fertilization, and annual pruning. The harvested olives are stored as quickly as possible, and cold pressing allows the preservation of their organoleptic characteristics. The yield is quite low (around 13-15 liters of oil per quintal), as is the acidity, making it an excellent extra virgin oil. Its sensory characteristics are highly sought after, with a clear fruity aroma of olives accompanied by distinct herbal, floral, and unripe tomato notes. In summary, Poet's Oil is a unique product on the national stage, the result of the meeting between nature and culture, deeply caring for the consumer's health.