At the modern, well-stocked Cascina dell’Allaas shop in Bollengo (a few kilometres from Ivrea town centre) you’ll find the whole vast range of products – meat, charcuterie, cheese, dairy goods, ice cream and groceries – of the farm, which rears its livestock at San Bernardo d’Ivrea. It is now run by Nadia and Massimo of the second generation of the Gauna family, who are continuing with their father Angelo’s direct commercialisation of farm produce. They farm about 50 pigs and as many dairy cattle, 400 Piedmontese beef cattle and about 30 sheep. In its pursuit of animal welfare, it has invested in a robotic milking and feeding system (fodder consists of self-produced corn and cereals), while two biogas systems produce electricity from organic waste.
The pièces de resistance of the farm’s dairy production are the typical Canavese tomini which it has been making with artisan techniques for 20 years: you’ll find all three versions of the cheeses – fresh, dry and preserved in oil –in the shop’s display cabinets. A new product is hung beef which, like all the other specialities, is also served at the self-styled agriristoro, the restaurant on the first floor.
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