Simone Batini’s documentary photography project The Metato, Chestnuts, and the Mill explores the traditional chestnut cultivation and processing practices of the Lucca area and Upper Tuscany. The series follows the process from maintaining chestnut groves and harvesting the fruit to drying, threshing, cleaning, and milling the chestnuts into flour. The flour is used for traditional dishes including necci, polenta, and castagnaccio. The project also highlights efforts by the Associazione Castanicoltori della Lucchesia to preserve this ancient practice and encourage younger generations to take an interest in chestnut cultivation.
The Ancient Tradition Of Chestnut Cultivation In Lucca, Italy