A Calling Rooted in Nature

Before founding Iside Farm, Matteo Mazzola was already deeply involved in regenerative agriculture. He honed his expertise by applying agroecological principles on rented land, blending diverse production systems, and deepening his knowledge through consultancy and training work.

During this journey, Matteo met Paola Archetti, his partner and a forestry doctor passionate about wild landscapes. Paola’s unique background, as a trekking and ski mountaineering guide combined with her expertise in outdoor education and ecological planning, perfectly complemented Matteo’s work.

Their paths, shaped by ecology and adventure, converged on a common vision that led to the creation of Iside Farm: “We’ve always known that nature doesn’t need to be simplified to be understood,” says Matteo. “You have to learn to read it as it is, complex, interdependent, alive.”

Farming the Steep Side of Possibility

Iside Farm, nestled in the hills above Lake Iseo in Sulzano, Italy, spans six rugged hectares on a 70-meter slope. Where others saw infertile, inhospitable land, Matteo and Paola saw fertile soil for creative solutions. Farming on a slope presents logistical and physical hurdles, soil erosion, access, and labor intensity, but it also unlocks creativity. “Farming on a slope forces you to think differently,” Matteo explains. “You can’t impose your will on the land, you have to listen to it.”

When they started Iside, there was no life in the soil and no trust in the community. But with patience and agroforestry, the team at Iside breathed life back into the earth. Trees now anchor the soil, animals like chickens, sheep, donkeys, and bees form a living cycle of fertility and pollination, and water retention has improved dramatically. They even ventured into aquaponics, creating closed-loop systems that merge water and soil ecosystems. Every decision follows agroecological principles: buildings made from recycled materials, system design rooted in function stratification, reuse, and landscape harmony.

“To us, regenerative agriculture represents the most comprehensive and adaptable approach, one capable of evolving based on context and essential for interpreting, managing, and enhancing landscape functions and opportunities for entire ecosystems.” says Matteo.

By working with the landscape, they’ve shown that these so-called “disadvantaged” areas, like steep inclines, can be not only productive, but also catalysts for innovation.  but vital to ecosystem health and climate resilience.

A Movement Grows

In addition to Iside, Matteo and Paola co-founded Microfarm Italia, a vibrant agroecological network with over 450 members. What began as a mutual aid group has become a formal association, supporting farmers through legal, psychological, and bureaucratic challenges.

They’ve also co-launched initiatives like Custodi delle Terre, a project that connects land protection with the training of new stewards capable of managing it in an agro-ecological, regenerative, and sustainable way. “It’s not enough to change your own farm. You have to create systems that make it easier for others to do the same,” says Matteo.

Education is also central to their mission. Partnering with a trained educator, they run children’s programs through Terra Organica, helping young minds reconnect with natural rhythms and rural life, nurturing the next generation to care for the land and its ecosystems.