There are events that, edition after edition, become a fixture in Smarties.bio's calendar. One of these is Scandicci, where from 21 to 24 May 2026 the 5th edition of the 72 Ore di Biodiversità and, at the same time, the 15th edition of the LLD Forum (Let's Liberate Diversity!) took place, promoted by Rete Semi Rurali ETS together with the Town of Scandicci and the European Coordination Let's Liberate Diversity!. Three days in the spaces of Castello e Parco dell'Acciaiolo, the Casa dell'Agrobiodiversità and the Orti della Diversità at Vingone, among workshops, markets, conferences and seed exchanges.
The Smarties.bio stand and the Gusto Italiano project
This year too, Smarties.bio could not miss it: at the Mercato della Diversità, a stand dedicated to the sale of the seeds from the Gusto Italiano project was set up, an opportunity to meet farmers, hobbyists and curious people in person, tell them about our varietal selection and put into people's hands the seeds of the varieties that we carry forward every day.
Tasting of the spring radicchio varieties
On Sunday 24 May, from 11:30 to 12:30, Smarties.bio organised the tasting of the spring radicchio varieties from its own selection: a real consumer test, carried out through the SeedLinked app, which Smarties.bio has been using for years to systematically collect public feedback on its varieties. A way to combine direct tasting at Castello dell'Acciaiolo with data collection useful for guiding varietal selection.
Participatory tasting of local common bean varieties
In the afternoon, from 15:30 to 17:00, it was time for the participatory tasting of six local common bean varieties grown by Smarties.bio Società Agricola as part of the EVA Boost Legumes Farmers Network project, organised together with Rete Semi Rurali: a real hedonic test that actively involved participants in the evaluation of the different varieties.
A weekend dedicated to shared biodiversity
The 72 Ore di Biodiversità and the LLD Forum confirm every year their nature as a collective event, capable of bringing together farmers, researchers, associations and citizens around a theme that concerns all of us: the diversity of our agricultural and food systems. For Smarties.bio, being present in Scandicci means continuing to build relationships, share knowledge and reaffirm, seeds in hand, its commitment to safeguarding agricultural biodiversity.
A thank you to Rete Semi Rurali, the Town of Scandicci and all the organisations that make this event possible every year. See you at the next edition, always with our seeds ready to tell a story. 🌱