Mara Ripani is living the dream. Not just the fantasy of anyone who is bored with the daily grind of city living, but her own dream – to live her life cooking, growing, sharing and connecting over food.
Mara and her husband Ralf, an environmental engineer, live on 15 acres outside of Daylesford in Blampied with their daughters, 15 year old Ahlia and Artemisia, eight. Their farm is known as Orto, which is the Italian word for vegetable garden. Orto is where Mara’s days are spent cooking, growing, preserving, teaching workshops, hosting volunteer farm stay and bed and breakfast guests, and much more.