The fate of Eliseo and his family
Our supplier of organic fertilizer, Alberto Camba, knows Mario Rosa in the region affected by the 2021 fires. Alberto put us in touch with Mario.
Mario, a real Sardinian, worked in state finance. Since he had worked in South Tyrol for many years and is married to a South Tyrolean woman, even speaks quite well german. We had the opportunity to visit him in mid-August (shortly after his first chemoterapy) and to take a first look on site. We knew him from a phone call and Whatsapp messages. We had Claudia and René with us and Mario as host did not miss the opportunity to serve us a very good lunch of several courses. Such hospitality and generosity has further encouraged us to take another step.
Eliseo and his family
Mario told us about Eliseo and his family as well as their fate. Just a few days later we were able to visit the family on their large property near Cuglieri.
The access road led us through a lunar landscape. Practically all trees are burned, black earth, no life. In the end we stood on a wide plateau with a view. Actually a nice place, if only it weren’t for that burnt stench in your nose that accompanies you every step of the way and won’t let go.
Eliseo and his brother Angelo live with their father in Scano di Montiferru. The small community with about 1,500 inhabitants is located about 1 hour drive north of us or 30 minutes south of Bosa. The grandfather of Eliseo came to this region about 100 years ago from Romania (Italy) and processed wood. Through this income, he was able to start a family and also acquire the land that still belongs to and is managed by the family today.
The two brothers work together, but have their specialty. While Eliseo looks at the 350 sheep and sells the milk of the cooperative, his brother Angelo has 10 cows. With their milk, he produces cheese and sells it in the region. We were allowed to taste the cheese, it tastes really good.
Miraculously, the animals could be saved from the fire, unlike the two stables (as the following picture shows).
This picture shows how much the fire and especially the heat have raged. The plastic water pipe has even melted under the floor and needs to be completely renewed. Only the metal branch has withstood the heat.
A remarkable attitude
The 3 men showed us the tragic extent of the fire, but without quarreling with fate. They already talked again about what they want to rebuild after the big clean-up campaign: Rebuild the water pipe from the river over 700 m away, secure the stables or secure the stables. rebuild, make the house habitable, plant the garden with flowers and herbs.
They receive no help from the state, or then little in a few years, in any case too late. The most urgent thing was to provide the animals with food, hay. The farmers on the island organized themselves and distributed their hay bales to the needy. Eliseo’s own hay bales are all burned.