The simple life might just be for me. After spending a day and night at Agriturismo La Valle in Apice, outside of Benevento in Italy, I'm almost ready to give up city living and move to a farm. Of course, I didn't have to clean up after the animals or work the land until 9 p.m. like the owners of the family-run, bed-and-breakfast-type hotel.

Instead, Antonio and I arrived at the "agriturismo" hotel in time for lunch, which was delicious. We ate antipasto with tiny balls of mozzarella, olives from the groves outside and cold cuts. For our primo piatto (first dish), the owners served us fresh pasta with prosciutto crudo (a type of Italian ham) and a creamy white sauce. For seconds, we each had a piece of lean pork with a dash of lemon and a fresh salad with carrots, dressed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. 

Then, we headed into a nearby town (about a 20-minute drive) for cantaloupe gelato. We lounged near a lovely fountain and took some pretty photos. Then, we did some shopping, which is Antonio's favorite pastime. In the late afternoon, we went into the barn and hung out with the pony, turkey, roosters, and sheep. They were all friendly and even with the door wide open, they didn't leave the farm. 

Later,  Antonio and I took turns using the hydro-massage tub, which brought new life to my knee, which has gone through three surgeries over the last two years. While Antonio took his turn, I read, which is my favorite pastime. There was complete silence. And it was beautiful.

The owners of the farm house joined us for dinner and we sat around the fireplace and talked about the tourism industry, Italy's lagging economy, and farm life for hours. Passing around a bowl of fresh cherries from outside was sweet indeed. 

I'll write more about the booming agri-tourism industry in Italy in an upcoming Our Paesani column on ItaliansRus.com. Every Monday, you'll find a new Our Paesani column on the site. 

For now, you can check out photos of our stay at Agriturismo La Valle here. Tomorrow, I'll write about my adventure going to a monastery, where the priests make grappa and sell chocolate in Frosinone.