<strong>Lemon landscape: </strong>The spectacular Amalfi Coast overlooking the Mediterranean Sea is home to an extraordinary farming environment where some of the world's best lemons are cultivated.
Lemon landscape: The spectacular Amalfi Coast overlooking the Mediterranean Sea is home to an extraordinary farming environment where some of the world's best lemons are cultivated.
Federico Angeloni
<strong>Ancient traditions: </strong>Gigino Aceto, 87 years old, defies both his age and gravity to tend to his Amalfi lemon crops. He's one of a dwindling number of farmers upholding traditional farming methods.
Ancient traditions: Gigino Aceto, 87 years old, defies both his age and gravity to tend to his Amalfi lemon crops. He's one of a dwindling number of farmers upholding traditional farming methods.
Federico Angeloni
<strong>Love, life, lemons: </strong>Aceto says his life revolves all around lemons, even claiming he was conceived among the citrus trees. "In my parents' old days, the lack of space and intimacy meant that love was made outdoors, underneath the citrus trees," he says.
Love, life, lemons: Aceto says his life revolves all around lemons, even claiming he was conceived among the citrus trees. "In my parents' old days, the lack of space and intimacy meant that love was made outdoors, underneath the citrus trees," he says.
Federico Angeloni
<strong>Key ingredient: </strong>With its light-yellow color, intense fragrance, juicy texture and sweet skin -- it can be eaten sliced like an apple -- the Amalfi Sfusato lemon has become a staple ingredient in the area's traditional cuisine.
Key ingredient: With its light-yellow color, intense fragrance, juicy texture and sweet skin -- it can be eaten sliced like an apple -- the Amalfi Sfusato lemon has become a staple ingredient in the area's traditional cuisine.
Federico Angeloni
<strong>Citrus solutions: </strong>Shaping the wild cliffs overlooking the sea, the lemon groves curb some of the area's worst problems, including landslides caused by rain and wildfires.
Citrus solutions: Shaping the wild cliffs overlooking the sea, the lemon groves curb some of the area's worst problems, including landslides caused by rain and wildfires.
Federico Angeloni
<strong>Flying farmers: </strong>Amalfi's lemon growers have been called "flying farmers" by Italian writer Flavia Amabile because of the way they balance along wooden poles to move from treetop to treetop.
Flying farmers: Amalfi's lemon growers have been called "flying farmers" by Italian writer Flavia Amabile because of the way they balance along wooden poles to move from treetop to treetop.
Federico Angeloni
<strong>Wooden networks: </strong>Poles of local chestnut wood are used to create a scaffold around the lemon trees and allow the farmers to roam the trees for pruning, harvesting and maintenance.
Wooden networks: Poles of local chestnut wood are used to create a scaffold around the lemon trees and allow the farmers to roam the trees for pruning, harvesting and maintenance.
Federico Angeloni
<strong>A slice of history: </strong>Gigino Aceto's lemon terraces were built over a thousand years ago.
A slice of history: Gigino Aceto's lemon terraces were built over a thousand years ago.
Federico Angeloni
<strong>High life: </strong>Gigino Aceto transports lemon in crates weighing more than 25 kilograms (55 pounds) between gardens more than 400 meters (1,312 feet) above the ground.
High life: Gigino Aceto transports lemon in crates weighing more than 25 kilograms (55 pounds) between gardens more than 400 meters (1,312 feet) above the ground.
Federico Angeloni
<strong>Tipping the scales: </strong>One single Sfusato can weigh up to three kilograms.
Tipping the scales: One single Sfusato can weigh up to three kilograms.
Federico Angeloni
<strong>Dirty job:</strong> "At 5.30 a.m., my clothes are soiled, and my knees are exhausted. It's a job that destroys you," says Salvatore Aceto.
Dirty job: "At 5.30 a.m., my clothes are soiled, and my knees are exhausted. It's a job that destroys you," says Salvatore Aceto.
Federico Angeloni
<strong>Tricky access: </strong>Vertically arranged in layers, the lemon groves are separated by three- to seven-meter walls made of Macere -- a local limestone resistant to soil pressure and impervious to rain. Even today, the grove can only be reached on foot or by mules.
Tricky access: Vertically arranged in layers, the lemon groves are separated by three- to seven-meter walls made of Macere -- a local limestone resistant to soil pressure and impervious to rain. Even today, the grove can only be reached on foot or by mules.
Federico Angeloni
<strong>Delicious treat:</strong> The lemons are used in pasta dishes, desserts, and sauces for salads and grilled fish.
Delicious treat: The lemons are used in pasta dishes, desserts, and sauces for salads and grilled fish.
Carlotta Dotto/CNN
<strong>Under threat: </strong>The "Flying farmers" are among the last guardians of the Amalfi lemons, now threatened by industrialization, changes in society and climate change. The farmers are fighting a constant battle against man-made problems, not least scorching temperatures blamed on climate change.
Under threat: The "Flying farmers" are among the last guardians of the Amalfi lemons, now threatened by industrialization, changes in society and climate change. The farmers are fighting a constant battle against man-made problems, not least scorching temperatures blamed on climate change.
Federico Angeloni
<strong>Lemon tours: </strong>Salvatore Aceto, 57, created Lemon Tours, an agricultural tourism venture to increase awareness of the Sfusato and revitalize the traditions used to cultivate it.
Lemon tours: Salvatore Aceto, 57, created Lemon Tours, an agricultural tourism venture to increase awareness of the Sfusato and revitalize the traditions used to cultivate it.
Federico Angeloni