Umbria is the region in central Italy famous for - among other things -  beautiful medieval towns and villages perched on undulating green hills, and for being home to St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals.  The region described as 'The Green Heart of Italy', prides itself on a culture of 'slow life' and 'slow food' and is well known for olive oil and wine, with a marked tendency toward organic farming.

The air is clean, there are numerous volcanic thermal springs, wildlife is plentiful and the more mountainous parts home to wolves and eagles.  The seventy or so forage plants Apodea bees visit in the fertile Tiber valley area comprise wild flowering-plants and herbs and Mediterranean favourites such as olive, almond, and peach trees, grapevines, rosemary, wild thyme, and lavender.

The farm, called Verdealloggio, belonging to Apodea's owners (shown above) is outside the village of Giove in western Umbria with its historic centre and imposing ducal castle (below).

The beautiful cathedral city of Orvieto is about thirty minutes to the north, Viterbo about thirty minutes west by car.  Rome is just over one hour away.