“Ninety-eight inhabitants.” That’s the population estimate for Cascina Faustina in 2011. This small settlement resides in the province of Milan. It sits in the Lombardy region of Italy. Cascina Faustina stands at an elevation of 124 meters.
Cascina Faustina offers a glimpse into traditional rural life. These farmsteads first appeared in the Middle Ages. They served as the hub of agrarian life until the early 1900s. The 1750s marked their most prevalent era. Capitalism’s rise fueled their growth. They perfectly demonstrated the rationalization of production.
A cascina is a large quadrangular structure. It functions as the center for living and production on the farm. Sizes varied substantially. Smaller ones in remote areas housed just 4-6 families. The largest cascina might have accommodated as many as 25 families. A typical cascina in the Milan area housed 10-20 families. Around 100 people farmed roughly 100-120 acres.
The central courtyard served as a barnyard sometimes. It was enclosed by all the buildings necessary for running the farm. Early farmsteads were closed on all four sides. This protected inhabitants from bandits, especially at night. Over time, designs evolved. They shifted to L-shaped or U-shaped layouts. This made it easier to move equipment and animals. Buildings typically included homes for farmworkers. Two-story shingled buildings also housed stables and a granary. A dairy produced cheese. Wells and ovens baked bread. Mills ground grain into flour. Workshops served artisans. Larger farmsteads even included a chapel and a school. Sometimes a small pub was added. This provided families with everything they needed.
Landowners usually lived in the city. They leased the land to a tenant farmer. This farmer was known as a “fittavolo.” Leases lasted 9-12 years. Larger estates often meant the tenant farmer lived outside the cascina. These farmers enjoyed a comfortable middle-class lifestyle. They hired a “fattore,” a manager. This manager organized daily activities. They earned about twice the income of other workers.
Workers and residents of Cascina Faustina received a salary. They were given a one-year contract. It expired on Saint Martin’s Day on November 11th. This marked the end of the fall harvest. Workers included “campari.” They managed irrigation ditches and canals. “Bergamini” cared for the animals and did the milking. Others handled crops. Temporary workers known as “braccianti” helped. Larger farmsteads employed artisans. Blacksmiths, saddle makers, carpenters, and bricklayers were common. Managers had slightly more comfortable lodgings. Farmworkers often had one room on the ground floor. It had a stove or fireplace opening onto the central courtyard. An upstairs room was for sleeping.
From the 1900s people began moving to villages and cities. These offered more comfort and better job opportunities. Many cascine were abandoned. Others were absorbed into growing urban areas. Today some farmsteads are being reclaimed and repurposed. Some have become housing units with rustic charm. Others became business ventures. These ventures often connect to local food production and agri-tourism. Cascina Faustina stands as a reminder of this rich agricultural history.