From Earth to Peach: Geology, Flavours, and Myths in the Heart of Leonforte

Leonforte – Angelo Manna’s Peach Orchard / Garden of the Nymphs – June 22, 2025

On Sunday, June 22, 2025, a Geo-Event organized by Si.M.Geo – Ecomuseum System of the Rocca di Cerere UNESCO Global Geopark was held in Leonforte, dedicated to families and children. The event unfolded in two distinct yet interconnected moments, united by a single theme: enhancing the value of the territory through geological, agricultural, and cultural experiences.

Among the Peach Trees: Where Geology Meets Agriculture
At Angelo Manna’s peach orchard, a symbolic place in the agricultural landscape of Leonforte, adults and children took part in a guided tour and educational workshops designed to explore the connection between soil, geology, and agricultural production through hands-on experiences.
The activities, led by Salvatore Chilardi, educational coordinator of the Rocca di Cerere UNESCO Global Geopark, allowed younger participants to discover the composition of the soil and the life cycle of the peach, a signature product of the area.

The morning concluded with a tasting session curated by the Kore Siciliae Consortium, celebrating local products as tangible expressions of agricultural biodiversity and the material culture of the region.

Theatre Meets Water: Myths and Memories at the Garden of the Nymphs
In the afternoon, the event continued at the Garden of the Nymphs in Leonforte, with institutional greetings from the Rocca di Cerere UNESCO Global Geopark and the Municipality of Leonforte.
Following this, Giuseppe M. Amato, scientific coordinator of the Geopark, presented an in-depth talk on the theme of “Water”, exploring its role in shaping the territory’s geological features and defining local ecosystems.

The evening concluded with the performance “Acqua passata” by the Nuova Compagnia Teatrale Il Canovaccio APSof Leonforte. This theatrical and musical production evoked the symbolic, historical, and imaginative relationshipbetween water and the local community, drawing upon ancient rituals, customs, and legends that still animate the collective memory of the region.