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| R.M.Miriam on the tractor |
Rev. Mother Miriam, the prioress, has a special charism for the land which provides the stable base of the monastery and it is through the land and the animals that the community experiences the seasonal cycles of nature in complement of the seasonal cycle of the liturgy of the Church. For the nuns of San Vincenzo, the animals are a part of the care of the land and of the care of our souls. At present we have two donkeys (Melody and Stellina) and the mother is pregnant with another addition; two Shetland ponies form another mother and daughter pair (Lara, also pregnant, and Yam).
The fields provide pasture for beef cattle in winter months and haying in the summer; olive groves extend on lower and upper terraces along with cherry, apple, pear, apricot and walnut trees. Our vegetable garden lies close at hand for fresh vegetables and greens summer and winter. Some of the seasonal works on the land are more apt than others for participation of individuals or groups of guests. The land is a sacred space for peaceful work, a way for guests to know the elemental joy of the earth, nourishes the community and so joins in singing the praise of God.
Working together on the land takes a special kind of teamwork and brings a shared joy in fruitful labor. Our physical work and the land begin to bring an inner harmony, a place of peace within that helps us face the complexities of our lives in this third millennium. The photo shows what has been excavated of the original abbey and the 12th century, New Abbey on the right.
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| Google Abbey View |
Land Schedule
Pruning olive trees ~ February - March
Cleaning olive terraces ~ March & November
Fertilizing the olive trees ~ April
Fertilizing the garden ~ April
Spring planting ~ April - May
Burning & clearing fields ~ April
Weeding the garden ~ May - September
Harvesting the garden ~ June - November
Haying the fields ~ July – October
Tomato preserving ~ September
Wine making ~ late September
Olive harvest ~ November- December
