Azienda Cascio Carmela

The company was founded in Villafranca Sicura, located on a hill about 350 meters above sea level. It is the town that gave birth to the charismatic Cardinal Pappalardo of Palermo. But it is also the municipality of oranges and falls within the DOP Ribera. It is situated in the province of Agrigento, where the green patches of orange and citrus groves appear as paradisiacal oases emerging from the typical Sicilian clay.  

 

All the production of Azienda Cascio Carmela in Villafranca Sicula is strictly organic and the care that Mr. Vito Perricone puts into the fields makes it one of the most significant from a qualitative point of view. Only oranges of calibers 3 – 4, among the best. An intact environment where the plants are allowed to produce without too many interventions that force production. No treatments, use of traps for sexual confusion, and hormones that attract pests inside, trapping them in wax that blocks them. The orange groves are rich in butterflies, bees, and other beneficial insects indicating a healthy environment. On some plants, the bees have built their hives, and inside, the orange blossom honey can be seen.  

 

Harvesting is done by hand, and in Vito Perricone's company, gloves and a strict cleaning protocol are used for all those employed in the harvest. Before entering the field, body cleanliness is a substantial factor. Smoking is not allowed in the fields. In short, the oranges are and must be kept pure until they reach our tables. Furthermore, they are not waxed or treated, so the peels are very good for use in pastry, cooking, and for candying to be paired with dark chocolate.

 

In addition to oranges, Azienda Cascio Carmela also boasts beautiful lemon, grapefruit, and citron plants. A citrus grove rich in plants also features highly fragrant mandarins. A plot on the hill overlooking the beautiful village of Caltabellotta, perched on the mountain. A magical place where the climate is particularly breezy. During the flowering and ripening of the citrus fruits, the emerging fragrance is intoxicating and balsamic. Not far from the citrus grove are about thirty bee houses for the production of a honey with intense scents and flavor.