Dreams come true - in the last podcast we lamented about not being asked to participate in the local festivals after I couldn't obey the simple rule of 'respectful silence' well! Good thing the Ugly Club Festival was all about fun and I could talk to any and everyone! Wait till you hear the hilarious stories from the festival - including when I lock myself in the bathroom!

It was a wild few weeks in our valley - from a helicopter ride above the castle to the Polenta festival, plus we got a new mini rooster and Ashley was the interpreter for a wedding!

Thanks for listening!

Visit our farm, inn and cooking school in Le Marche, Italy: http://www.latavolamarche.com

#lifeinItaly #Italianfestivals #clubdeibrutti #polentafestival #theuglyclub #lemarche #italy #Italytravel #sentiremedia #expatlife #expatsinItaly

It's time to buy a new stufa/wood burning insert for our fireplace and finding one made entirely of cast iron is much harder than it used it to be! In between guests and dinners for a few locals we have been wrenchin' and sanding & staining! This weekends Palio in Piobbico will most likely be rained out - but it reminded us of the story of the one & only time we have been asked to participate in a local festival but I just couldn't respect the silence!

Thanks for listening!

Visit our farm, inn and cooking school:

https://www.latavolamarche.com

Join us for our 4 Night Truffle Hunting Holiday: October 22-26, 2005 | 4 nights, 2 truffle hunts, 1 cooking class & market tour, lunch at the Hunter's Hideaway and trip to the National Truffle Festival for a white truffle tasting!

#lifeinItaly #expatsinItaly #expatlife #movetoItaly #trufflehunting #italianfestivals #italytravel #italy #travel #agriturismo

https://www.latavolamarche.com/4-night--truffle-hunting-holiday.html

Or reach out for one of our Move to Italy Workshops - either virtually or in person at our farmhouse!

https://www.latavolamarche.com/move-to-italy-workshops.html

From a 10 course fish feast at our farmhouse to pizza night with the oldies crew, guests and move to Italy workshops we have been busy! And when we have a bit of down time, we get a chance to visit a Rock n' BBQ festival, 50th wedding anniversary and a farmer's festival at the end of our road with mass and a procession with the Madonna. This is life in small town Italy in the summer - meals with friends and neighbors and tiny festivals that aren't what you think they will be!

Jason has his first visit to the eye doctor and freaks himself out, and Ashley shares the costs of a recent X-ray and MRI.

You can find Ashley's interview on Retire There Podcast here: https://www.retirethere.com/retire-in-piobbico-le-marche-italy-ep-215/

Thanks for listening!

Visit our farm, inn and cooking school in Italy: htttp://www.latavolamarche.com

Join us for a Truffle Hunting Holiday October 2025, Book the Farmhouse in 2026 or join us for one of our farm to table cooking classes in Italy!

#lifeinItaly #expatlife #expatsinItaly #Italiansummer #Italianfestivals #sentiremedia #italy #travel #movetoItaly #farmtotable #cookinginitaly

The summer heat has arrived! A look back on the last month's hapennings from the Hunter's Summer Lunch with Gaggi where everyone is fair game for his antics. Lots of HOT local gossip from stolen cows to new road signs to nowhere and preparing for an upcoming fish lunch with the oldies crew! Thanks for listening!!

#latavolamarche #podcastfromItaly #Italypodcast #Italianfestivals #lifeinItaly #expatlife

For the first time in a long time, I go back and read a chapter summary from the untitled, unfinished, unpublished book about our first year in Italy - I expand and tell the story of how we meet good ol' Dr. Gaggi! Plus we are starting to feel old with all this summer work - wood chipping, pool cleaning, power washing.... Spring is in full swing!

Thanks for listening!

Stay & cook with us in Italy - www.latavolamarche.com

Finishing up winter projects and starting spring ones - from sharpening knives to hauling manure, there's a little bit of everything to do before the first guests of the season arrive. As usual a classic Gaggi & Rossana story to lighten the mood, along with Jason's first attempt at Pastrami!

Thanks for listening!

Our big Great Dane, Leroy had a medical emergency that turned into a House episode & has been a month and a half of vet trips. In between his appointments I went to the Boar Hunter's end of the season lunch which is always fun! (A video and post are coming on Instagram!) And this last weekend was Gaggi's birthday - which means there was a plethora of funny stories to share of the birthday boy! (there may just be a post for this too, definitely a video!)

Our neighbor Pierangelo has been working on a stretch of our road - some spots better than others and has inspired Jason to chip in! Plus it's that time of year to start restocking the cantina with olive oil & we chat about what oils we like, when to use different ones and where they are from.

Speaking of ordering things for the upcoming season of guests - we finally kick our crappy KitchenAid to curb, after a short bitch session we share a few details about our new Swedish mixer.

Thanks for listening and we hope you can join us at our farm, inn and cooking school this year! www.latavolamarche.com

#lifeinItaly #expatsinItaly #countryliving #homesteading #italianfestivals #italianfeasts #extravirginoliveoil #sentiremedia

We first do a recap of the holidays - from Christmas Eve's fish dinner to La Befana festival in our tiny neighboring village of Urbania. Boar hunting season is nearly over and we live right in the thick of it - find out what gifts the hunters left us this year! Finally after nearly 11 months of curing our lard is ready - find out how it turned out! And the latest water cooler talk from our valley - the wood harvesting has begun! Then we chat about Spain's new decision to have a 100% tax on properties purchased by non-EU citizens - could Italy be next?!

#lifeinItaly #movetoItaly #expatsinItaly #expatpodcast #Italypodcast #Italyfestivals #Italianholidays #Italytravel

Finally a proper full episode - starting with a recap from a November to remember! We took our first road trip since getting dogs and visited the marble quarries above Cararra for an unforgettable private tour & then our thoughts on visiting: Lucca, Prato, Pisa and Padova! We chat about a few holiday favorites: mazzafegato & cotechino. And Jason is on a new donkey kick...! Happy Holidays and thanks for listening!! Buon Natale!

Welcome to another episode of New Life in Italy! I'm Samantha Wilson, and today, we’re diving deep into the power of chasing big dreams—especially the dream of moving to Italy and building a meaningful life here.

In this episode, I sit down with Ashley Bartner, the co-founder of La Tavola Marche, an organic farm, inn, and cooking school tucked away in the stunning countryside of Le Marche. Ashley and her husband, Jason, took the plunge 17 years ago, leaving their fast-paced lives in New York to start fresh in rural Italy. They didn’t have all the answers—just a dream, a lot of courage, and a willingness to figure things out along the way.

Ashley opens up about what it was really like to make such a big move, from learning the ropes of farming and hosting guests to teaching cooking classes and navigating life in Italy. She gets honest about the challenges too—like dealing with unexpected power outages in the middle of a Thanksgiving dinner for their neighbors—and how those moments helped them grow.

One of my favorite parts of our chat is hearing Ashley talk about the mindset it takes to follow a dream, even when it doesn’t make sense to anyone else. Her story is such a great reminder that the only person who needs to believe in your dream is you. We also dig into the realities of running an agriturismo—the hard work, the surprises, and the moments that make it all worthwhile.

As we wrap up, I challenge you to think about your own dreams. What’s that one thing you’ve always wanted to do but haven’t taken the leap yet? Whether it’s moving to Italy, starting a new career, or stepping into something completely unknown, I hope this episode inspires you to take the first step.

And don’t forget—if you’re serious about making Italy your new home, check out all the resources waiting for you at SmartMoveItaly.com. I’ve got guides, tips, and expert advice to make your move easier.

Stick around until the end of the episode, too! I’ll be answering listener questions about energy ratings for properties, pet passports, and the process of applying for a Permesso di Soggiorno.

So grab your espresso (or a glass of wine!), and let’s get inspired together. This is your New Life in Italy. Let’s make it happen!

Resources:

La Tavola Marche

The Podcast From Italy

Smart Move Italy

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If you want to learn more about ways that my team and I can help you live your dream life in Italy, visit us at www.smartmoveitaly.com or send me an email! 

Until next time! 

Ci vediamo!

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