Soncino Earth Market

Soncino is a town of 7,600 inhabitants on the border between the provinces of Cremona, Brescia and Bergamo. It is situated on the banks of the River Oglio in an area that was rich in water in the past and famous for its resurgences.
The connection with the local agricultural activities of the area is increasingly evident, the land is cultivated in an intensive form, almost exclusively with corn which is used both for cattle feed and for the numerous biogas plants. The impact of these activities is leading to a loss of soil fertility and a decline in air quality.
In spite of this, Soncino has established itself as a place of great historical, cultural and gastronomic interest and there are many efforts to promote better local agriculture. The town hosts every year the festival of the Radice di Soncino (Soncino Root), an autochthonous root with a bitter taste that has been cultivated for a long time, also featured on Slow Food’s Ark of Taste.
The project of the Soncino Earth Market is promoted by the Slow Food Community of the Radice Amara di Soncino, the Centro di Formazione Professionale (Professional Training Centre) and the Slow Food convivia of Cremona and Bassa Bresciana (the latter is also responsible for the organization of the Padernello Earth Market) with the aim of enhancing the alliance between producers, citizens and students of the CFP to spread the principles of Slow Food by working on "lunches, friendships, culture and local economy".
Today the project involves about 20 producers who rotate throughout the year. Among them are some Slow Food Presidia, from the Cremona, Brescia and Bergamo areas. The products on sale include saffron, extra virgin olive oil from Lake Garda, cold cuts and raw milk cheeses, honey, dry and fresh pasta, fruit and vegetables and preserves.
During the days of the event, the products of the Soncino Earth Market are also the protagonists of the lunch menu organized in collaboration with the students of the Professional Training Centre at the Didactic Restaurant, open to the public.
Soncino can be easily reached both by car and by public transport, given its proximity to the train station. There is a small car park in front of the Cloister and a larger car park 350 m away.

For more information, please refer to the Fb Page of the project:
www.facebook.com/ilmercatodellaterradisoncino/

The project it’s financed by Ministero del Lavoro e delle Politiche Sociali – Direzione Generale del Terzo settore e della responsabilità sociale delle imprese – Avviso n.1/2018 “Slow Food in azione: le comunità protagoniste del cambiamento” ai sensi dell’articolo 72 del codice del terzo settore, di cui al decreto legislativo N. 117/2017