On the sunny Mediterranean island of Sicily, nestled between the towering mountains of Monte Barraù and Monte Castro, sits a lush, vibrant land where the herbs, flowers, waters, and earth have remarkable healing powers. This luxuriant natural wonderland is called La Furtuna Farm, a family-owned, organic, and sustainable farm farm that holds a treasure trove of more than 12,000 olive trees (some of which are from 600 to 1500 years old), 500 unique plants, 50 medicinal wild herbs and archeological remains from 2000 B.C. Here, the pure spring waters flow through the mountain slopes, nourishing the organic farmland with a reservoir of nutrients. Diverse soil compositions of clay, limestone and sandstone imbue the plants with a unique mineral complexity. The land had been undeveloped for more than 400 years so the plants that grow here are exceptionally rich in nutrition. As guardians of this breathtaking, bio-diverse natural kingdom, we distill the life force of our plants into wildly potent skincare formulas.
THE PLANTS
Steve and Agatha Luczo rediscovered this amazing land, regaining ownership of a family property that had been lost generations ago. Under their visionary stewardship, a world-renowned botanist was brought on to oversee the farm and unlock the secret powers of its plants. He discovered why they have been able to withstand the test of time and survive the extreme conditions that has affected Sicily for centuries. Grown on fertile, lush soil that had been untouched for 400 years, fed by mineral spring waters, and strengthened by their own plant communities, these botanicals are optimized for performance. Over time, they evolved into Extremophyte™ plants, wildly potent botanicals that thrive where others cannot. We harvest these plants in diverse communities to honor the natural ecosystem. Thanks to our botanist, we are able to understand the secret language of our plants and tap into their powers for skin. We learned that plants work as a team, forming synergies and sharing strategies to protect and support each other. They function best when part of a diverse community so we make sure to grow and harvest them collectively.
THE HISTORY
La Furtuna Farm holds thousands of years of history and heritage, shaped by a fusion of cultures — from Phoenicians and Greeks to Spaniards and Romans. Our first prehistory excavation project was made possible by La Furtuna Foundation and led by two world-renowned Italian archeologists. They unearthed the oldest human remains known to Sicily, dating back to the Bronze Age (2000 BC) and artifacts from the Copper Age. Ancient ruins were also found on the land, matching a building style that can be traced to the Iberian peninsula. We will continue to explore the hidden treasures of our land in hopes of discovering even older remains.
CONSERVATION
Seventy percent of La Furtuna Farm falls within the Monti Sicani Biological Preserve, which is part of the Natura 2000 Network. A protected haven for rare, threatened and valuable species of plants, birds, and other wildlife, it is designed to conserve the biological history of Sicily, ensuring the survival of its diverse flora and fauna. La Furtuna has established a herbarium to conserve local wild species and ancient heirloom varietals. Through our conservation efforts, vulnerable plants such as the rare Helichrysum rupestre have been preserved and disappearing species such as the Biancolilla centinara olive tree have been revitalized.
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